Pronouncing Lathgertha...
A year ago I uploaded a video entitled "Hair Inspired by The Vikings, Lathgertha,"
and for some reason its gained more views then most of the other videos I've uploaded onto my newer youtube channel last year.
In addition to the attention its been paid, I've received lots of great feedback on it, and its connected me with countless new viewers too.
However, one of the things that keeps being brought to my attention is that I mispronounce and misspell, Lathgertha's name.
Besides the fact that its completely irrelevant to the point I'd been trying to accomplish, I've gotten dozens of corrections, all of which have been different from the one before!
Seems to me that NO ONE knows how to say it, and while I can't speak for anyone else I can, and have finally decided, to point out the obvious.
First. This is a video that involves a hairstyle. I DO, genuinely, appreciate that others want to help me when I misspeak or say something foolish, but in this context it seems a bit silly. And I'd be lying if I said that it hasn't irritated me.
Secondly, I have an American accent, specifically a North Eastern accent, and even more specifically, a New York City accent. I say things like, "duh-og," and "cauffeeeeee," and I can't help that. During my school years I was afforded the opportunity to take several language courses and so I've studied Latin, Spanish, Italian, and I have a working knowledge of modern Greek. I'd learn the words, the patterns and punctuality, and yet my accent never changed. It's not something I can help, nor something I feel the need to apologize for or explain. You may say "To-MAH-toe," and I may say "To-May-toe." If we understand one another then what's there to complain about?
Whilst saying all of that though, I know I shouldn't be too surprised by it either. As someone who's part of various "fandoms," I get the passion one may feel towards a story or character. I won't argue with, or engage anyone in conversation about this on Youtube.
Third. Of all the people on the planet I know what its like to have someone mispronounce MY name! "See-o-Ba-Han?"
Its incredibly annoying, but with that said, here's a snippet from Lathgertha's wikipedia page concerning her name:
"Her name as recorded by Saxo, Lathgertha, is likely a Latinization of the Old Norse Hlaðgerðr (Hladgerd).[1] It is frequently rendered in English-language sources as "Lagertha", and has also been recorded as Ladgertha, Ladgerda or similar."
So no, I haven't misspelled her name. In fact, one could argue that modern people have changed it for their own conveniences when telling her story. And according to the above information, there aren't two derivatives of the name, there are four, all of which are correct.
Fourth. Pronunciation.
As someone who has taken great interest in the show, I've scoured Youtube and a couple other forums, looking for pictures, interviews, spoilers and hair styles. I've heard the name said by several cast and crew members in a variety of ways, all according to their preference and accent.
No one version appears to be correct or incorrect.
Not to mention that Travis Fimmel is an Aussie, and Katheryn Winnick is Canadian from Ontario - neither of them are Scandinavian, and whatever accent they put on during the show, its an act for the dramatic purpose of playing their characters. The truth is, without a time machine there's no way to know how or what actual Viking people sounded like, and because of this, we modern folks have come up with all sorts of pronunciations and vernacular.
Personally I go back and forth when I speak of Winnick's character. In fact, without even meaning to, I spelled the name "Lagertha" in the title of my more recent video, because I don't usually overthink things like this.