# BritDopers - pronunciation of whinge/whinging **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 3, 2005, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britdopers-pronunciation-of-whinge-whinging/306767 "2005-06-03T19:11:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![FatBaldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecd19e/32.png) [@FatBaldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FatBaldGuy)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2005, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britdopers-pronunciation-of-whinge-whinging/306767/1 "2005-06-03T19:11:32Z")
I’ve been seeing this crop up in a few pit threads and other assorted rants recently, and I’m assuming that this is a variation of the US whine/whining. So, is the “g” in whinge silent, so that it sounds the same as whine, or is the “g” pronounced; and if so, does it rhyme with singe or wing? Or something else? Thanks, FBG ---
**Author:** ![legion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/838e76/32.png) [@legion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/legion)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2005, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britdopers-pronunciation-of-whinge-whinging/306767/2 "2005-06-03T19:13:20Z")
Singe. ---
**Author:** ![FatBaldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecd19e/32.png) [@FatBaldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FatBaldGuy)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2005, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britdopers-pronunciation-of-whinge-whinging/306767/3 "2005-06-03T19:16:42Z")
Thanks for the quick response. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2005, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britdopers-pronunciation-of-whinge-whinging/306767/4 "2005-06-03T19:17:33Z")
I never knew this was supposed to be a “Britishism.” I’m not British, but I’ve used it all my life. Picked it up from my mom. Who, as it happens, also isn’t British. ---
**Author:** ![amarone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@amarone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarone)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2005, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britdopers-pronunciation-of-whinge-whinging/306767/5 "2005-06-03T19:21:41Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > I never knew this was supposed to be a “Britishism.” I’m not British, but I’ve used it all my life. Picked it up from my mom. Who, as it happens, also isn’t British. [Dictionary.com](http://Dictionary.com) says it is Chiefly British. [Whinge Definition & Meaning | Dictionary.com](http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=whinge) ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2005, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britdopers-pronunciation-of-whinge-whinging/306767/6 "2005-06-03T20:21:09Z")
Yep, definitely rhyming with singe. Don’t forget the noun ‘whinger’, either…(not to be confused with the differently-pronounced football-related ‘winger’) ---
**Author:** ![fortytwo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f9ae1b/32.png) [@fortytwo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fortytwo)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2005, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britdopers-pronunciation-of-whinge-whinging/306767/7 "2005-06-03T21:22:25Z")
> [@GorillaMan](#): > > Yep, definitely rhyming with singe. > > Don’t forget the noun ‘whinger’, either…(not to be confused with the differently-pronounced football-related ‘winger’) Or the rather more uncomplimentary “minger”. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2005, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britdopers-pronunciation-of-whinge-whinging/306767/8 "2005-06-03T21:54:51Z")
> [@Vetch](#): > > Or the rather more uncomplimentary “minger”. Yeah, but that doesn’t rhyme with 'whinger ’ 😛 ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2005, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britdopers-pronunciation-of-whinge-whinging/306767/9 "2005-06-04T00:36:20Z")
It is in common usage in Australian English too, Ironically, one of its main uses is in the expression “whingeing\* Pom”, meaning an English person who comes to Australia and complains the whole time. \*I see the spelling “whingeing” more often than “whinging”. ---
**Author:** ![Celyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9dc877/32.png) [@Celyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Celyn)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2005, 10:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britdopers-pronunciation-of-whinge-whinging/306767/10 "2005-06-04T10:17:36Z")
Of course, the’re a sub-debate abou thow to pronounce the “wh” 😃