Jekyll pronouncination?. - Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1932) Discussion

[–] 17 years ago

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[–] metalman091 17 years ago

In the March film they always pronounce it Jeek yl. I have never been able to say it that way, force of habit.

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[–] 17 years ago

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[–] Mel204 17 years ago

Apparently 'Jee-kyl' was how the writer of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, Robert Stevenson had intended it to be pronounced. But I can't bring myself to do that! 'Je-kyll' sounds more right!

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[–] oldmotem 16 years ago

Thanks for the reference to the author. I just saw this film and wondered why they would have the different name in every utterance through the whole movie. If RL Stevenson pronounced it that way, well then, ok. That's the only reason I could think of for the strange version of the name in this movie.

And I always thought that Jekyll sounds like the bad guy and Hyde is a much more appropriate name for a respected doctor. Stevenson might have done that by intention.

Geeeeeeeeeeeeeeee. Killllllllllllllllll.

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[–] starrbeat 16 years ago

I don't care what Stevenson intended. Using the far more universally recognized "Heckle and Jeckle" point of reference, it is obviously pronounced Jeck el

Starrbeat presents what's happening.

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[–] Candy-apple 16 years ago

RLS wanted the characters name to sound like "Hide and Seek" so your suppose to pronounce it Jeek el.(so the Jeek parts ryhmes with seek) Or at least that's what my english teacher said

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[–] Kinokima 15 years ago

According to the author who created the character it should be pronounced Jeek el. This film got it right. Unfortunately the films that followed got it wrong that now Jeck el is the more accepted pronunciation even though it is not what Stevenson intended.

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[–] disneyskagirl 15 years ago

To the best of my knowledge, all versions (stage, radio, film) prior to the 1941 version starring Spencer Tracy, used the author's original pronunciation of "Jeek-el". After the 1941 film, that changed, and now the common pronunciation that is in the lexicon is sadly incorrect.

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[–] TheDuchessofM 15 years ago

It is not Jeek-ull because Stevenson wanted it pronounced that way--that is how the English pronounce "Jekyll".

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[–] cdull 13 years ago

Depends where you're at. Jee-el is the Scottish pronounciation and Jeck-el is the English pronounciation.

The London stage plays were the first to use Jeck-el and that quickly became the most common way to pronounce it.

Josh

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