Menzies
Menzies is a Scottish surname. It is probably derived, like its Gaelic form Méinnearach, from the Norman name Mesnières.[1][2][3]
Pronunciation
This Scottish name is traditionally pronounced, as it still is in Scotland, 
i/ˈmɪŋᵻz/ MING-iz, since the English letter <z> was used as a substitute for the now obsolete letter <ȝ> (yogh) in the Scots language (Menȝies). However, many now do not know this, and today it is often pronounced as if it were an English word and hence it is often pronounced /ˈmɛnziːz/ MENZ-eez. A Scottish limerick plays on the traditional pronunciation:
There wis a young lassie named Menzies,
That askit her aunt whit this thenzies.
Said her aunt wi a gasp,
"Ma dear, it's a wasp,
An you're haudin the end whaur the stenzies!"
The second and fifth lines are pronounced as though the <z> were a <ȝ>, making "thing is" and "sting is", to rhyme with "Menzies". "Wasp" rhymes with "gasp" in Scots.
As a surname
- Alex Menzies, Scottish football player
- Alex Menzies (footballer, born 1882), Scottish international football player
- Archibald Menzies, (1754–1842), British medic and biologist; ship's doctor and naturalist on board George Vancouver's voyage to the North Pacific
- Charles Menzies (anthropologist)
- Douglas Menzies, a former Justice of the High Court of Australia
- Gavin Menzies, retired British submarine captain and author
- George Menzies, New Zealand rugby league footballer
- Henry Menzies, (1867–1938), Scottish rugby player.
- Ivan Menzies, (1896–1985), singer and actor
- James Menzies (Wisconsin), (1830-1913), American politician
- John A. Menzies, a Manitoba judge
- John K. Menzies, former US-Bosnian ambassador and academic
- Neal Menzies, an Australian Professor of Soil Science.
- Peter Menzies Jr., an Australian cinematographer
- Robert Gordon Menzies, Australia's longest serving Prime Minister
- Steve Menzies, Australian rugby league player
- Stewart Menzies, Head of British Secret Intelligence Service 1939–1952
- Ted Menzies, Canadian politician (MP)
- Tobias Menzies, actor
- William Cameron Menzies, (1896–1957), American film director
- Heather Menzies, actress
- Gina Menzies, Irish media personality
- Karl Menzies, Australian cyclist
- Mark Menzies, Singer & Songwriter
As a given name
- Walter Menzies Campbell, former leader of the Liberal Democrats in the United Kingdom
- Iain Menzies Banks, Scottish writer, penname used for his science fiction works.
As a toponym
- Menzies, Western Australia
- Mount Menzies, Antarctica
- Shire of Menzies, Western Australia
See also
- Clan Menzies, Scottish clan
- Menzies (disambiguation), other meanings
- Mingus (disambiguation), pronounced similarly
References
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