How should we pronounce the name of THAT dance?

Some people favour ArgenTEEN Tango; some go for ArgenTYNE and now we've got Ali and Brian introducing us to the ArgenTINIAN Tango!

Tonight on ITT it was said in all three different ways. I notice Vincent and Flavia always say TEEN and they should know!

I like TEEN myself.

It's TEEN. I always thought it was an English thing to say TINE.

I like Tyne but that might just be because I'm from that neck of the woods

I definitely think it isn't Tynian (in relation to the AT anyway as you do get Argentinians)

'Argentine' is pronounced 'argen-tyne' (both when it means of or pertaining to Argentina and of or pertaining to silver). 'Argen-teen' is wrong, I'm afraid.

I've not heard it called "Argentinian" before, but I can't imagine that it'd be wrong as it means the same thing.

Argen-Tango

Oh I'd never associated Argentine with silver before, but of course the chemical symbol is Ag.

The Rio Del Plata's name also derives from a word (possibly spanish but I'm not sure) for silver. I wonder if the two names are related.

Play safe and impress people..call it a"Tango Argentino".

It's not capitalised when it's to do with silver, but yes, it's essentially the same word. It was called Argentina because it was supposedly very rich in silver. Río del Plata literally means 'Silver River' in Spanish which is where the Spanish and Portuguese first arrived there.

Thanks

It all makes totally sense now that I come to think about it! Isn't it funny how things like that can just pass you by, I often walk past a shop called Argentino which unsurprisingly sells Silver jewellery but it never crossed my mind that was why it was called that.

Hey - what an educational thread this is turning out to be!

So Len is correct when he says tyne.

I still think teen sounds nicer!

Oh, me too, secretly! I'm not sure the OED does though, sadly!

I say Tyne. No idea why - it just falls out of my mouth that way.

OMG I WAS GONNA MAKE THIS THREAD EXACTLY!!

HIGH5.

I like dancing the Argentyne Tango, would Rachel Stevens and her dance partner Vincenth Simone please take to the floor.

Great minds, Tyler!

Argentina = Argenteen Tango. Vincent and Flavia always pronounce it like that.

I say Tyne....saying it as teen sounds wrong somehow

That's what I thought but I wonder if that's cos they're Italian?

It's definitely 'argen-tyne'. The OED has the pronounciation in IPA, but you'll need a valid login to see it online, so I can't link you up, unfortunatly.

Just had a look in my big Webster's dictionary and it says..... Teen and Tyne are both acceptable!

So we're all correct!

Me too!

Ah, so it does.

I admit to giving preference to the OED - and it makes sense in the context of other -ine adjectives (feline, alkaline, alpine, etc.).

If Webster's say it can be -teen, though, who am I to argue?

We seem fairly evenly split on here. Think Ali and Brian are unique with their Tinian!

Maybe it's the American influence....

Makes me think of silver plated
Is there a Rio del Oro?

I'm with the Argentina - Argenteen side.

I say Argenteen personally, but I think either that or Argentyne is fine, not sure Argentinian is correct though.