I was puzzling that.
Is it pronounced beaver?
Thinking this as I thought I read somewhere on the boards that they originated in Germany & in German W is pronounced V & ie is pronounced like our ee or ea.
I'd never heard of them till I joined this forum & never seen one in England though I've kept Yorkies for years & been very involved on the show circuit with my other breed so come across lots of Yorkie breeders & owners.
I know what you mean about learning new words though......don't they say...
"Two nations divided by a common language."
xx
Meggie