How do you pronunce "grognard"?

[niklinna]

EDIT: J. Quondam suggested "GRAWN-yard", which I'd lump in with "gruh-NYAR(D)" (option 3). Shame you can't edit poll responses! At least you can change your vote, if you see this after choosing.

I've recently heard a couple folks online pronounce "grognard" as the first poll option. I've always pronounced it as the third poll option, perhaps because I studied French in high school, perhaps because I listened to Edith Piaf a lot (she had a song called Les Grognards, look up the lyrics, it's about the ghosts of Napoleon's army marching eternally in the afterlife), perhaps because I might be considered a grognard!

Grognards was in fact a name specifically for the Old Guard Grenadiers of Napoleon's army. The word means "grumblers", because unlike most soldiers, they were allowed to complain freely—which of course they did.

I am particularly curious whether how you pronounce the word might have anything to do with a) whether you sef-identify as a grognard or not, and b) what generation/era of gamers you come from.

 

[J.Quondam]

In the context of D&D, I've always pronounced it "GRAWN-yard", sort of an American bastardization of the French pronunciation.

 

[John Dallman]

I started gaming in 1979 and use the second pronunciation. I don't identify as a grognard, although I can see why people might describe me as such. I have no knowledge of French, and a very poor grasp of English phonetics, due to having learned to read without using them. Although English is my native language, I cannot split words into syllables reliably.

 

[payn]

L'Option numéro trois

 

[Xamnam]

I voted for the second, though I wouldn't say I put particular emphasis on the second syllable.

 

[niklinna]

In the context of D&D, I've always pronounced it "GRAWN-yard", sort of an American bastardization of the French pronunciation.

If I could edit poll choices, I would add your transcription to option 3!

 

[schneeland]

I prefer to pronounce it incorrectly as if it were a German word (pronounced roughly like [ɡʁɔknaʁd]).

 

[MNblockhead]

From the OED:
Pronunciation: Brit. Hear pronunciation/ɡrɒnˈjɑː/, Hear pronunciation/ˈɡrɒɡnɑːd/, U.S. Hear pronunciation/ɡroʊnˈjɑr/, Hear pronunciation/ˈɡroʊɡˌnɑrd/, Hear pronunciation/ˈɡrɑɡˌnɑrd/

I've always pronounced it /ˈɡrɑɡˌnɑrd/

Was interested to see the definition of the word in the gaming context only entered the OED in 2019 and is still a draft edition. I also find it interesting that 1980 is the first written example of this usage that they cite. Can anyone point to examples of this use of the term that predates 1980? I feel that it should go back to the 1970s.

If we find an example, let's submit it: Submission form | Oxford English Dictionary

Would be cool if this thread led to an update to the OED.

Draft additions June 2019​

In gaming contexts: an expert or long-standing player, esp. of war-games or role-playing games.Sometimes with negative connotations of being resistant to change.
1980 Verbatim Autumn 10/1 In the wargaming hobby, a grognard is ‘a hard-core gamer, one who purchases a dozen or more games a year’.
1989 Introd. Games in rec.games.board (Usenet newsgroup) 17 Oct. To all grognards and other board wargamers: Please attempt a similar exercise with your collection, and then scan your social environment for candidates to teach these gems to.
2018 @greg_oose 19 Jan. in twitter.com (O.E.D. Archive) I should have known you were a D&Der! I'm a bit of a grognard myself. Like to play 1st ed.

 

[niklinna]

From the OED:
Pronunciation: Brit. Hear pronunciation/ɡrɒnˈjɑː/, Hear pronunciation/ˈɡrɒɡnɑːd/, U.S. Hear pronunciation/ɡroʊnˈjɑr/, Hear pronunciation/ˈɡroʊɡˌnɑrd/, Hear pronunciation/ˈɡrɑɡˌnɑrd/

Clearly I should have done more research before drafting my poll! That's more variety than I expected.

 

[CubicsRube]

I speak french so I always saw it as the third option.