# Do you pronounce "mirror" as a 1-syllable or 2-syllable word? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 25, 2012, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-pronounce-mirror-as-a-1-syllable-or-2-syllable-word/614001 "2012-02-25T21:20:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2012, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-pronounce-mirror-as-a-1-syllable-or-2-syllable-word/614001/1 "2012-02-25T21:20:43Z")
On HGTV (which is the channel, I suppose, where this word come up the most), I hear a lot of “mere” (rhymes with “here”), whereas I say “MERE-rurr.” Just curious. ---
**Author:** ![Surreal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eada6e/32.png) [@Surreal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Surreal)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2012, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-pronounce-mirror-as-a-1-syllable-or-2-syllable-word/614001/2 "2012-02-25T21:50:02Z")
First day with the new ears? ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2012, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-pronounce-mirror-as-a-1-syllable-or-2-syllable-word/614001/3 "2012-02-25T21:57:01Z")
**Mirr** -uh. ---
**Author:** ![JKilez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e5b9ba/32.png) [@JKilez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKilez)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2012, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-pronounce-mirror-as-a-1-syllable-or-2-syllable-word/614001/4 "2012-02-25T21:59:03Z")
Meer-er ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2012, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-pronounce-mirror-as-a-1-syllable-or-2-syllable-word/614001/5 "2012-02-25T22:18:54Z")
I say it with a very quick second syllable - more like mirr’r. ---
**Author:** ![Pai325](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Pai325](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pai325)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2012, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-pronounce-mirror-as-a-1-syllable-or-2-syllable-word/614001/6 "2012-02-25T22:20:26Z")
Two syllables. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2012, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-pronounce-mirror-as-a-1-syllable-or-2-syllable-word/614001/7 "2012-02-25T22:22:27Z")
Mere-err. What dialects say it with one syllable? ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2012, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-pronounce-mirror-as-a-1-syllable-or-2-syllable-word/614001/8 "2012-02-25T22:36:54Z")
Mirr-a, but I’m English. I hear ‘meer’ most of the time on American TV; if there’s a second syllable then it’s barely noticeable. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2012, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-pronounce-mirror-as-a-1-syllable-or-2-syllable-word/614001/9 "2012-02-25T22:42:29Z")
> [@SciFiSam](#): > > if there’s a second syllable then it’s barely noticeable. Sort of like the way you say ‘pleece’ instead of ‘police’. 😛 ‘Mirror’ is two syllables, full-stop. I tend to use more of an ‘or’ sound than an ‘er’ sound on the second syllable. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2012, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-pronounce-mirror-as-a-1-syllable-or-2-syllable-word/614001/10 "2012-02-25T22:50:22Z")
2 syllables…approximately the same way you pronounce it, though without the stress. (Saying it over again to figure out just how I pronounce it has rendered it meaningless…) ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2012, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-pronounce-mirror-as-a-1-syllable-or-2-syllable-word/614001/11 "2012-02-25T23:53:05Z")
Two syllables. But the second syllable is just a continued R, so you might hear it as one syllable with an extra R at the end, especially if I’m speaking quickly. ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2012, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-pronounce-mirror-as-a-1-syllable-or-2-syllable-word/614001/12 "2012-02-26T00:02:37Z")
Meer - roar with about the same emphasis on each syllable. ---
**Author:** ![Fretful\_Porpentine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fretful_porpentine/32/2873_2.png) [@Fretful\_Porpentine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fretful_Porpentine)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2012, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-pronounce-mirror-as-a-1-syllable-or-2-syllable-word/614001/13 "2012-02-26T00:03:20Z")
Mirr-ur. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2012, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-pronounce-mirror-as-a-1-syllable-or-2-syllable-word/614001/14 "2012-02-26T01:22:53Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > Two syllables. But the second syllable is just a continued R, so you might hear it as one syllable with an extra R at the end, especially if I’m speaking quickly. This. It is indeed two syllables, but if I’m speaking quickly, those two syllables might run together. ---
**Author:** ![Springtime\_for\_Spacers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Springtime\_for\_Spacers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Springtime_for_Spacers)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2012, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-pronounce-mirror-as-a-1-syllable-or-2-syllable-word/614001/15 "2012-02-26T04:54:22Z")
Another Brit with the two, distinct syllables. I’ve noticed other words with the double r that come out with an odd (to me) pronunciation in the US, like warrior. Warrior has three syllables to me but I’ve heard it pronounced “woy-er” to rhyme with foyer or even lawyer. ---
**Author:** ![jackdavinci](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackdavinci/32/3259_2.png) [@jackdavinci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackdavinci)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2012, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-pronounce-mirror-as-a-1-syllable-or-2-syllable-word/614001/16 "2012-02-26T05:12:26Z")
Quick me-ur, slow meer-rer, ironic meer-roar. > [@SciFiSam](#): > > Mirr-a, but I’m English. I hear ‘meer’ most of the time on American TV; if there’s a second syllable then it’s barely noticeable. That’s funny because whenever we watch BBCA, we make fun of all the multiple syllable words Brits turn into single syllable. My favorite is “literally” which goes from four syllables to “lree”. Still trying to top that. ---
**Author:** ![MacCat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maccat/32/216_2.png) [@MacCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacCat)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2012, 7:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-pronounce-mirror-as-a-1-syllable-or-2-syllable-word/614001/17 "2012-02-26T07:08:11Z")
> [@Fretful\_Porpentine](#): > > Mirr-ur. Same here. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2012, 8:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-pronounce-mirror-as-a-1-syllable-or-2-syllable-word/614001/18 "2012-02-26T08:09:54Z")
Two syllables. There are several words like “mirror” that I wish would be changed to something more pronounceable. Like “terror,” “horror” and the worst: “rural.” ---
**Author:** ![heathen\_earthling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/13edae/32.png) [@heathen\_earthling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/heathen_earthling)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2012, 9:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-pronounce-mirror-as-a-1-syllable-or-2-syllable-word/614001/19 "2012-02-26T09:22:05Z")
Strangely, neither “mere” nor “MERE-rurr” sounds incorrect to me. I am totally fine with this word having an inconsistent pronunciation. > [@panache45](#): > > There are several words like “mirror” that I wish would be changed to something more pronounceable. Like “terror,” “horror” and the worst: “rural.” No, the worst word is “iron.” A lot of people pronounce it “iorn” and I have no idea why. ---
**Author:** ![Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/96bed5/32.png) [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patty_O_Furniture)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2012, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-pronounce-mirror-as-a-1-syllable-or-2-syllable-word/614001/20 "2012-02-26T12:21:36Z")
> [@heathen\_earthling](#): > > Strangely, neither “mere” nor “MERE-rurr” sounds incorrect to me. I am totally fine with this word having an inconsistent pronunciation. > > No, the worst word is “iron.” A lot of people pronounce it “iorn” and I have no idea why. I don’t think I’ve ever hear anyone pronounce it like “Myron” but without the M. I pronounce it “eye earn”. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-pronounce-mirror-as-a-1-syllable-or-2-syllable-word/614001.md?page=2)