Australians: How to pronounce "Uluru" ?

Ellen_Cherry · February 4, 2004, 3:40pm

G’day! I am writing a script that includes Ayres Rock and I want to include the now-accepted name, Uluru. I need to know how it is pronounced.

Is it … Oo - Loo - Roo ?

Any guidance would be appreciated.

Ellen_Cherry · February 4, 2004, 8:51pm

Shouldn’t they be getting up by now?

everton · February 4, 2004, 9:52pm

Well I’m not an Aussie, and I’m sure one will be along in a minute with the correct answer, but I’ve always heard it pronounced with weak stress on the middle syllable and the main stress on the last syllable. So something like oo-luh-ROO.

Caught_Work · February 4, 2004, 10:42pm

I used to pronounce it Ayers Rock, but I suppose that’s not what you’re looking for.

I personally go with oo-luh-ROO to rhyme with Kangaroo.

CheekyMonkey613 · February 4, 2004, 10:50pm

Ooo Luh Roo

antechinus · February 4, 2004, 10:53pm

Good morning, yawn…yep, every pronunciation I have heard is oo-luh-ROO.

Hula as in ‘hula hoop’, without the h, followed by roo as in kangaroo.

TheLoadedDog · February 5, 2004, 12:17am

Yes, the vowel is a kinda unstressed schwa neutral one. Primary stress is on the final syllable, and secondary stress is on the first: Ooluhroo. As well as being a close rhyme with “kangaroo”, it is the same stress pattern.

boofy_bloke · February 5, 2004, 8:39am

Pull a root out of the ground. Like that.

Cugel · February 5, 2004, 8:56am

“Uluru - Japanese word for public toilets, I think” - Austen Tayshus.

Ellen_Cherry · February 5, 2004, 3:13pm

Thank you all very much!