What's in a name? Donder v. Donner

[Alex2kMommy]

I was chatting yesterday with DS7's teacher, who had created an alphabetizing exercise for the kids. She struggled to remember the names of all Santa's reindeer, so sang through the Rudolph song, then ran the list by 3 other teachers. The teachers could not agree on one of the reindeer's name, it turned into a huge debate!

What do you think the correct name is?

 

[Alex2kMommy]

This is the way I remember hearing it. And having spent part of my childhood in California, the name 'Donner' has an entirely different connotation for me.

 

[Tjaleks]

I have always said Donner.

 

[Alex2kMommy]

I just googled 'Donder' and found this site.
http://www.donder.com/

 

[Pirate Me]

I've always said it as Donner.

 

[Cool-Beans]

His name is Donder, but everyone (including me) pronounces it "Donner." As with anything, there are always a few tedious people who insist on pronouncing it correctly and will point out to others that the way it is commonly pronounced is incorrect, so I suppose EVERYONE doesn't say, "Donner."

But MOST people say, "Donner."

 

[Lucky4me]

I call it Donder but I'm not tedious about it.

 

[Alex2kMommy]

I call it Donder but I'm not tedious about it.

Whew! Thanks for clarifying.

 

[dcgrumpy]

I say Donner

The version I have lists them as
Dasher
Dancer
Prancer
Vixen
Comet
Cupid
Dunder
Blixem

 

[Imzadi]

I just googled 'Donder' and found this site.
http://www.donder.com/

Wow, I was just about to write there should be no dispute as the story is actually written down and should be official. But even this site states there have been changes.

 

[qtwns]

I've always known it is "Donder", but have always said "Donner."

 

[Micca]

Isn't "Donder" thunder in German?

 

[Obi-Wan Pinobi]

Ah, geez. Right after I got the "it's not calling birds, it's colly birds" lecture from Lauri ...

(click here and scroll to the bottom -- not only that, but there's no jewelry in the whole song, just birds and people)

I've always heard it as Donner. Maybe it's a southern thing?

My childhood carols are all messed up.

 

[DISUNC]

In "The Night before Christmas" by Clement C Moore is "DONDER"
In "Rudolph the Rednose Reindeer" Song its "DONNER"

So everybody is right....just depends on your point of reference.

 

[EMom]

It's Donder. Since "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer" came from "The Night Before Christmas," Donder trumps.

But when people pronounce it, the second "d" is barely heard. "Donner" makes me think of the Donner Party.

 

[Macca1111]

His name is Donder, but everyone (including me) pronounces it "Donner." As with anything, there are always a few tedious people who insist on pronouncing it correctly and will point out to others that the way it is commonly pronounced is incorrect, so I suppose EVERYONE doesn't say, "Donner."

But MOST people say, "Donner."

 

[graygables]

in the original Moore poem, it is, indeed, Donder, which is a variation on the Dutch word "donderen", meaning "thunder". Donder is paired with Blitzen which is the German word for lightning. Donner is the German word for thunder and "bliksem" is the Dutch word for lightning, which leaves one to wonder why Moore didn't properly pair the translations. However, when singing about a certain red-nosed reindeer, we say "Donner", it just rolls off the tongue better...

Guess that linguistics class paid off...

 

[#1MMFan]

Yes, it's Donner and that's why the other one is called Blitzen. Geez, I thought it was obvious - "thunder and lightning" in German.
Is it me?????

 

[mamamary]

I've always said Donder.

 

[cinmell]

Donner