Is there an extraordinary word for Jesus?
I’d probably have said “Jay-soo” until I read thelurkinghorror’s post, and now I think of course it’s “Yay-soo,” like in Pie Jesu.
Yes. Iesws, pronounced yes-oose.
Well, should have put that before the spoiler. 
I always read it as Jay-zoo, but I also always think “I have no idea how that’s supposed to be pronounced.” So I’m interested in what the consensus will be.
Jes-oo like a truncated Jesuit. But I know I am wrong. Its just how I say it in my head.
In our choral group we sang it as Yay-zoo.
Yay-zoo. Latin, isn’t it, traditionally spelt Iesu?
Agree with those who say it’s “Yay-zoo”, and that I’ve never heard it considered a Christmas carol. I’ve heard it as a staple at Catholic masses in one place.
Not to be confused with SHRDLU, Toy of Man’s Designing
I hear a lot of “JAY-zoo” versions. “JEE-zoo” is less frequent, and “YAY-soo” only in Latin.
Yeah, yeah. I just couldn’t think of a better word. It is associated with Christmas.
And that’s the reasoning used by this lady who is really important in the choral community. (I’ve lost the webpage, or I’d name her.) Thing is, I’ve never heard of the English word Jesu, so I just assumed they were borrowing from Latin to create a liturgical feel.
And enough people are saying YAY-zoo that I think I have an argument that the English word is now commonly pronounced as in Latin, and thus it is not a “common error that school choir directors make.”
“ee-YAY-soo.”
This could either be the result of my Jesuit schooling, or repeatedly slapping myself on the forehead with a Bible.
I pronounce the first word in the title “yay-zoo.”. But I’ve never heard it sung in English, so I pronounce the first word of the song “vole” (Wohl mir, dass ich Jesum habe…).
And I don’t associate it with Xmas, either.
YEH-zhoo. YEH being somewhere halfway between an English schwa “eh” and an English “ay”.
I see Jesu I think of Latin… too many years of chorus/chorale singing.
I think this must be the first time I was aware that that tune HAD words associated with it. My mom is a piano teacher, so I grew up hearing this melody (to varying degrees of quality), but only ever on piano. (And yes, in TV wedding scenes, in strings, but never voices.)
Never sang it in college. If we had, we would have sung it in German.
YEH-soo. Keeps the Texas twang out of the initial syllable.
There are people who do?