Nostalgia & History > Krauss-Maffei Question

And probably a dumb one... but how do you pronounce "Maffei"?

Thanks,
Scott Seders

Per my Austrian-born mom, mahf-eye. At least that would be how a German speaker would approach it. The name itself is Italian so it's possible their pronunciation prevailed even over the years.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Anton_von_Maffei

I second that, from a Low German-speaking family.

Although I recall hearing one or two German speakers put a little emphasis on the second syllable (mah-FYE), but I'm not sure about how consistent that is.

Maybe it's time to call the Munich office of KraussMaffei Technologies GmbH (they make injection molding equipment; Siemens AG owns the former K-M locomotive biz) -- and see how they answer the phone!

~ Z.

My only question is.. Where's Dave in this thread?? (My buddy Dave Maffei)..

He'll settle this. <g>

Cheers,
Harry

If Dave had a son, would he name him "Krauss"? <VBG>

Thanks guys. I knew I could count on you.

Scott

Dave's not here

MUFFAY


Simple

NOT Muffee or Moffee or countless other miss pronunciations I've heard for years.

Took me a whole year to get Photobob to say it right...

The Maffei name is originally a German name. Centuries ago the Maffei clan migrated south to Italy making it an Italian name as well. Krauss Maffei is a company started by two names like Hewlett Packard (HP). This book shows the company made everything from Tanks to injection mold machines. KM is alive and well today.
Dave MUFAY

---

"Crapei" is the actual pronunciation in english as in Dave Crapei.

But... but... 'MUFAY' is the Italian pronunciation of -ei -- as in Mah-RISS-uh To-MAY for "Marisa Tomei", and not Mah-REE-suh Tuh-MYE. (See also: "George Costanza".)

So... so... if the German Mah-fyes migrated to Italy, they'd have come back as Muh-fays, no? Si? Perche no? ;^)

~ Bob 'Mofo' Z.

If that's the case, then perhaps Dave pronounces his name one way, and the German company pronounces the name a different way...

So... back to the original question? Someone should just call them up (not me). ;)

-Dan (with the Portuguese last name that's easy to pronounce)


Notch16 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> But... but... 'MUFAY' is the Italian pronunciation
> of -ei -- as in Mah-RISS-uh To-MAY for "Marisa
> Tomei", and not Mah-REE-suh Tuh-MYE. (See also:
> "George Costanza".)
>
> So... so... if the German Mah-fyes migrated to
> Italy, they'd have come back as Muh-fays, no? Si?
> Perche no? ;^)
>
> ~ Bob 'Mofo' Z.

The last time I visited their offices in Germany (maybe 8 years ago), the pronunciation was clearly 'mah-FYE'.

dmaffei Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> MUFFAY
>
>
> Simple
>
> NOT Muffee or Moffee or countless other miss
> pronunciations I've heard for years.
>
> Took me a whole year to get Photobob to say it
> right...

Well hell. And here all this time I thought it was "Mah-fee-ah." (-:<

best regards,
Mark "Also Italian" G.

A bucket of sauerkraut and a crisp pair of lederhosen to anyone who can pronounce "Krauss" far enough back in their throats to sound authentically German. No fair if you're German. And rolling it like an Austrian doesn't count either.

(And there's no sauerkraut or lederhosen either.)

'Crouse Moffee'. They're American now, after all this time!

~ Z.

My first German teacher, Father Feider, taught me "ei is immer eye, und ie is immer e." Gerry Putz (Prussian)