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Weiner

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Not to be confused with Wiener (disambiguation).
For other uses, see Weiner (disambiguation).

Look up Weiner or weiner in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

Weiner is a surname or, in fact, the spelling of two different surnames originating in German and the closely related Yiddish language. In German, the name is pronounced [vaɪnɐ(ʁ)], of which the rare English pronunciation /vaɪnər/ is a close approximation.[1][2] In Yiddish, the name is pronounced almost as in southern German (with a flapped or trilled final r).

Outside of German-speaking countries, the pronunciation of the name is influenced by the local language's pronunciation and spelling habits. The pronunciation most commonly preferred by families in English-speaking countries is /waɪnər/, but the pronunciation /wiːnər/ is also common, probably being the result of confusion and sometimes switching with the surname Wiener (meaning 'from Vienna or 'Viennese') and confusion with the fairly common pronunciation /iː/ of the letter combination "ei" in English.[1][2]

The German name Weiner comes from a dialectal pronunciation of Wagner (related to the English word wagon, but only indirectly with wag[g]oner, which means "wagon driver"),[3] which means "wainwright" (wagon maker). The source of the other name that is spelled Weiner is Yiddish, and according to dictionaries of Jewish surnames, it originates from the Yiddish name Vayner, meaning wine merchant, and related to the German word Wein, which means “wine”. Also, as noted above, there was considerable switching (in both directions) between this surname and the surname Wiener (meaning 'from Vienna or 'Viennese'). Both the Yiddish name and the German word are pronounced with the same vowel as the English word.[1][2]

See also: German family name etymology

Weiner may refer to the following persons:

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c "Why is "Weiner" Sometimes "Weener" and Sometimes "Whiner"?". Mental Floss. July 26, 2013. Archived from the original on March 20, 2023. Retrieved July 4, 2023.
  2. ^ a b c Paulas, Rick (October 2, 2013). "Weiner Takes All: A Panel Discussion of People Named Weiner and Wiener". Archived from the original on April 11, 2023. Retrieved July 4, 2023.
  3. ^ "Wagoner definition and meaning | Collins English Dictionary". Archived from the original on 2016-04-06. Retrieved 2017-05-20.
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