# Do you pronounce the first "r" in Turmeric? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 29, 2018, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-pronounce-the-first-r-in-turmeric/811420 "2018-03-29T16:01:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2018, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-pronounce-the-first-r-in-turmeric/811420/1 "2018-03-29T16:01:59Z")
I have always pronounced it, because it’s fricken’ spelled that way. But I have noticed that it seems everybody else when they say it( Not that it’s a exactly daily topic of conversion, but TV cooking shows etc.) drops the r and says tumeric. Am I that unusual in pronouncing it? ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2018, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-pronounce-the-first-r-in-turmeric/811420/2 "2018-03-29T16:11:55Z")
Norpe. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2018, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-pronounce-the-first-r-in-turmeric/811420/3 "2018-03-29T16:12:21Z")
It’s acceptable either way. > **[We Were Totally Wrong About How To Pronounce Turmeric](https://www.huffpost.com/entry/how-to-pronounce-turmeric_n_584eba41e4b0bd9c3dfd8091)** > > Don't worry, you're not alone. ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2018, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-pronounce-the-first-r-in-turmeric/811420/4 "2018-03-29T16:28:23Z")
[Experts do not all agree](https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/us/turmeric). ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2018, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-pronounce-the-first-r-in-turmeric/811420/5 "2018-03-29T16:41:03Z")
How about, which syllable is accented? I used to say turMERic, but I think I’ve heard TURmeric ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2018, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-pronounce-the-first-r-in-turmeric/811420/6 "2018-03-29T16:48:58Z")
TER-mer-ik ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2018, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-pronounce-the-first-r-in-turmeric/811420/7 "2018-03-29T17:01:33Z")
> [@solost](#): > > How about, which syllable is accented? I used to say turMERic, but I think I’ve heard TURmeric The latter is most common in the UK ---
**Author:** ![Spiff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiff/32/9852_2.png) [@Spiff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiff)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2018, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-pronounce-the-first-r-in-turmeric/811420/8 "2018-03-29T17:05:51Z")
I don’t think I’ve ever said that word out loud in my entire life. ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2018, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-pronounce-the-first-r-in-turmeric/811420/9 "2018-03-29T17:15:59Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > TER-mer-ik I guess that’s how I pronounce it. I mean, I don’t really stress the first syllable, but I definitely don’t stress the second (or the third for that matter). I know this is probably a question for another thread, but is it possible to put the same amount of emphasis on all syllables? Also, I’ve never heard anyone leave out the “r”. That just sounds wrong (unless they’re British). ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2018, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-pronounce-the-first-r-in-turmeric/811420/10 "2018-03-29T17:17:33Z")
I usually call it _borrie_, the local name (Afrikaans, but also used by English-speaking Coloureds - it comes from the Malay _boreh_, which is a spiced paste for the skin/face mask), but if I’m talking to someone who doesn’t know what that it, I’ll pronounce the first r. But the no-r pronunciation is common here too - my wife says _tyoomeric_. But then she also says “ungyun” for _Allium cepa_ so she may not be that authoratative. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2018, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-pronounce-the-first-r-in-turmeric/811420/11 "2018-03-29T17:21:07Z")
I don’t think I’ve ever even noticed it there. ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2018, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-pronounce-the-first-r-in-turmeric/811420/12 "2018-03-29T17:29:49Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > TER-mer-ik This is what I say, too, for three primary reasons: 1. There’s an R there! 2. I don’t like being reminded of tumors at my meals. 3. My wife, who grew up eating turmeric-spiced meals probably every single day, says it that way. ---
**Author:** ![Rysto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ecccb3/32.png) [@Rysto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysto)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2018, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-pronounce-the-first-r-in-turmeric/811420/13 "2018-03-29T17:44:57Z")
There are two 'R’s in tumeric? Huh, TIL. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2018, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-pronounce-the-first-r-in-turmeric/811420/14 "2018-03-29T17:56:20Z")
> [@Rysto](#): > > There are two 'R’s in tumeric? > > Huh, TIL. What he said. I pronounce it TUMOR-ick. But then again, my Puerto Rican from The Bronx accent is amusing even to my own children, and they grew up in Brooklyn, ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2018, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-pronounce-the-first-r-in-turmeric/811420/15 "2018-03-29T18:33:56Z")
Yes…? It has never occurred to me that the R wouldn’t be pronounced… ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2018, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-pronounce-the-first-r-in-turmeric/811420/16 "2018-03-29T19:07:09Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > Yes…? > > It has never occurred to me that the R wouldn’t be pronounced… You must be a riot all February. Thankfully it only lasts 28 (or 29) days. ---
**Author:** ![buddha\_david](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee7513/32.png) [@buddha\_david](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buddha_david)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2018, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-pronounce-the-first-r-in-turmeric/811420/17 "2018-03-29T19:08:35Z")
> [@Rysto](#): > > There are two 'R’s in tumeric? > > Huh, TIL. Same here. And I use Tumeric (Turmeric?) all the time. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2018, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-pronounce-the-first-r-in-turmeric/811420/18 "2018-03-29T21:23:01Z")
ETA: I lied, I think I say toomeric and didn’t notice the first r. How about kyoomin? Or is it coomin? However, the Snickers commercial notwithstanding, it’a ah-mond. And also, sa-muhn. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2018, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-pronounce-the-first-r-in-turmeric/811420/19 "2018-03-29T22:19:44Z")
Dictionary says both ways are acceptable, but goddam it grates on my ears when I hear people say tumor-rick. ---
**Author:** ![CairoCarol](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cairocarol/32/3825_2.png) [@CairoCarol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CairoCarol)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2018, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-pronounce-the-first-r-in-turmeric/811420/20 "2018-03-29T23:39:54Z")
> [@Machine\_Elf](#): > > Dictionary says both ways are acceptable, but goddam it grates on my ears when I hear people say tumor-rick. What are you tall king about? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-pronounce-the-first-r-in-turmeric/811420.md?page=2)