How do you say calliope?

[Pitter Patter]

Thanks again Dopers.....Being an English Major, I wish there were a uniform way of saying things, but I guess that is just not how a dynamic language works....Oh, and I ran across the "Penelope/ Penelopee" thing in 3rd grade. Penelope Pit Stop was my baseline....Teacher gave me the hairy eyeball for disagreeing with her. She has been dead for years, so I win!

[Arrendajo]

Originally Posted by Hilarity N. Suze

When my son and I went to the first Harry Potter movie we realized that we--mainly me, since I was the grownup--had been mispronouncing Hermione (and Hagrid, and probably more, but at least those two). Her-MY-oh-knee versus HER-me-OWN. Boy did I feel stoopit.

I had been mispronouncing the name since Bowie's "Letter to Hermione" was released (1969) until I saw the first Potter movie, although in retrospect, I'm not sure I ever actually said the name of the song out loud. But I thought it that way.

[RalfCoder]

Back in the early 70's, I lived near Kankakee, Illinois for 4 years. The neighboring town of Bourbonnais was always pronounced as "Burr-bonus" while we lived there. I moved back to Michigan, and went back to visit friends. Surprise - the whole area had changed how they pronounced the town's name. It was now done in the French style - "Bourbon-aye".

How do you get several counties full of people to all change the way they refer to a town to switch all at once???

[Kenm]

Originally Posted by RalfCoder

How do you get several counties full of people to all change the way they refer to a town to switch all at once???

A mass influx of Canadians.

I've long maintained that the three — at least — Beloits in the U.S. should be pronounced Bel-wa. The L'Académie française would no doubt agree.

Detrwa will follow.

[Dendarii Dame]

Since we're quoting poetry, here's this, from Stephen Vincent Benet: "Oh pull on the rope of the calliope!/Bang on the big bass drum."

That said, I pronounce it cah-LYE-oh-pee.

[Elendil's Heir]

"Ca LIE oh pee," ever since I first saw one and heard its name mentioned aboard the steamboat Delta Queen, 40-some years ago.

[Pitter Patter]

Thanks again, guys....Callyope is just wrong. I will not bother the producers of "Auction Kings" but I wish they would tell those rubes to get it right.

[Spoons]

Another vote for "ca LIE oh pee." In my case, my pronunciation is due to Manfred Mann's song.

[Jake Jones]

Originally Posted by Pitter Patter

Thanks again, guys....Callyope is just wrong. I will not bother the producers of "Auction Kings" but I wish they would tell those rubes to get it right.

Make sure you tell those rubes over at Merriam-Webster, though.

I have news for you. There are words that have multiple pronunciations, none of which are "just wrong."