4 syllables: Hen, ri Poin, ca, re. Stress on Hen.
HEN-ree-poyn-kah-ray
/ˈhɛnɹi pɔɪn kɑː ɹeɪ/
Henri Poincare is pronounced HEN-ree-poyn-kah-ray (/ˈhɛnɹi pɔɪn kɑː ɹeɪ/). It has four syllables (Hen-ri Poin-ca-re), with the stress on "Hen". As a verb, henri Poincaré (often stylized as “Henri Poincaré”) is a proper noun referring to the French mathematician and physicist renowned for work in topology, geometry, and relativity. Used as a person’s name, it appears in academic contexts, citations, and historical discussions. In French, the surname carries a nasalized vowel and the given name places stress on the second syllable in many pronunciations, though anglicized renderings vary.
verbHenri Poincaré (often stylized as “Henri Poincaré”) is a proper noun referring to the French mathematician and physicist renowned for work in topology, geometry, and relativity. Used as a person’s name, it appears in academic contexts, citations, and historical discussions. In French, the surname carries a nasalized vowel and the given name places stress on the second syllable in many pronunciations, though anglicized renderings vary.
"- You’ll study Henri Poincaré’s contributions to topology in the seminar today."
"- The professor referenced Henri Poincaré while explaining differential equations."
"- In his lectures, he often cited Henri Poincaré’s intuitions about space and time."
Standard French-first rendering: Henri /ɑ̃.ʁi/ with nasalized /ɑ̃/ and /ʁi/; Poincaré /pwã.kaʁ/ where /pwã/ combines p + w + nasal /ã/ and final /ʁ/ is a uvular. In many English contexts, you’ll hear /ˈhɛn.ri pɔ̃ˈkær/ or /ˌhɛnˈri pwɒ̃ˈkær/. For accuracy in academic writing, aim for French-based pronunciation: /ɑ̃.ʁi pwãˈkaʁ/ with nasal vowels and final rhotic. Audio references: consult native French speakers or reputable dictionaries’ audio.”,
Common errors: 1) Anglicizing Henri to ‘Hen-ree’ with a hard r; correction: use the French /ɑ̃.ʁi/ with nasal vowel and a light, non-diphthongized final. 2) Rendering Poincaré as /poʊˈkɛər/ rather than /pwãˈkaʁ/; correction: /pwã/ uses a rounded lips plus nasal vowel; final /ʁ/ is uvular, not a rolled r. 3) Misplacing stress on the surname’s penultimate syllable in French; correction: place stress on the last syllable /kaʁ/. In English contexts, adopt /pwæ̃ˈkær/ influences; practice with recordings.”,
In US English contexts: you’ll likely hear /ˈhɛnri pwənˈkɛər/ or /ˈhɛnri poʊnkɛər/, with less nasal vowels and a rhotic /r/. UK: /ˈɒn.ri pɔ̃ˈkæː/ or /ˈhɛn.ri pɔ̃ˈkær/, more French influence on final /ʁ/ closely approximated. Australia: similar to UK but with Australian vowel qualities; final /ʁ/ may be less pronounced in some speakers. The French nasal /ɑ̃/ and /pwã/ persist in careful academic speech, with /ʁ/ realized as uvular or glottal in casual speech. Overall, emphasize nasal vowels and rhotic differentiation in different regions.”,
Two main challenges: nasal vowels and the final /ʁ/ in Poincaré, which are uncommon in many English dialects. The given name Henri uses the nasal /ɑ̃/ that isn’t present in English; the onset /pwã/ blends bilabial stop with a nasalized vowel, requiring rounded lips. The final /ʁ/ is often realized as a uvular or glottal approximant and may be skipped or softened in casual speech. Mastery requires lip rounding, back-of-tongue placement, and practice with nasalization and uvular rhotics.”,
Unique aspect: the combination of nasal vowels in both given name and surname and the handling of the final uvular /ʁ/ can produce two standout features in quick speech. You may occasionally hear an intermediate form with a non-nasal /a/ in /ɑ̃/ due to speaker influence or fatigue, or a softened /ʁ/ in casual contexts. Aim for consistent nasalization in /ɑ̃/ and /pwã/ and a clear /ʁ/ in careful speech, even when speed increases.”,
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Henri Poincaré is a personal name of French origin. Henri is the French form of Henry, derived from the Germanic nameHeimirich, composed of helmet (hami) and ruler (rihhi). Poincaré is a French surname derived from the Latinized form Poincaré/Poincarie, ultimately linked to Old French Poinguer or Poindurier in occupational or habitational senses, with nasalized vowels characteristic of French phonology. The surname’s pronunciation reflects French orthography: /pwã.kaʁ/ with nasalized vowels and a final uvular or velar approximant in some dialects. First usage traces to the 19th–early 20th century, corresponding to the life of Henri Poincaré (1854–1912), with the surname appearing in French academic publications and subsequently in international literature as his prominence grew. In English-language texts, the name is often preserved with French vowels and nasalization but adapted to local phonetics, leading to variations like “ahn-ree pwahn-KAR” or closer approximations depending on regional accent. The name’s cultural footprint expanded into mathematical terminology and popular science references, cementing its status as a high-profile eponym in science and mathematics.
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