As usual, Thomas Pesquet shared on Tuesday a photo of a French city taken from the International Space Station (ISS).
His choice this time fell on Metz (Moselle).
In the English part of his publication on Facebook, the French astronaut specified that the name of the city was pronounced "mess" before confiding not knowing the reasons for this particularity.
Internet users are responsible for filling this gap.
However, not all of them have the same version as to the explanation for the loss of the “T” sound, notes France 3 Grand-Est.
The journalist Cécile Soulé thus indicated on Twitter that the Messins had adopted this pronunciation "during the first German annexation to distinguish themselves from the Germans" pronouncing all the letters as in their language.
"No, it's false," retorted Julien Léonard on the social network.
No it is wrong.
It is attested that the current and correct pronunciation was already in progress in the Middle Ages (chronicles prove this).
- Julien Léonard (@ LonardJulien3) November 2, 2021
The “incredibly friendly” Messins
The historian has taken as proof that chronicles have shown that "the current and correct pronunciation was already in progress in the Middle Ages".
Still, Thomas Pesquet estimated in his post that the inhabitants of Metz and its surroundings were "incredibly friendly".
They "gently correct" anyone who mispronounces the name of the city.
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Thomas Pesquet
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Metz