# Do you put the "nine" in "united" or is it just me? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 5, 2015, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-put-the-nine-in-united-or-is-it-just-me/721750 "2015-06-05T23:59:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lee\_Q](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/aeb1de/32.png) [@Lee\_Q](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lee_Q)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2015, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-put-the-nine-in-united-or-is-it-just-me/721750/1 "2015-06-05T23:59:32Z")
Over in GQ there are a couple of questions about the US/USA abbreviations for United States (of America). They got me thinking about something I’ve never thought to ask anyone. I think this is the most appropriate forum, trust it’ll be moved if not. When I say “united” I pronounce it as though the word “nine” is tucked in there. So it sounds more like you-nine-ed. I don’t pronounce a “T” sound. I think I’ve done it this way my whole life. Same with the word “reunited”, definitely a “nine” in there, no T. I don’t know why I do this and am wondering whether anyone else does, or if you know someone who does. When I try to make myself pronounce it correctly with that T sound in there, it both feels AND sounds wrong! What is wrong with me, Dopers? 😕 Or is this pretty common? ---
**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:** [June 6, 2015, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-put-the-nine-in-united-or-is-it-just-me/721750/2 "2015-06-06T00:19:53Z")
I don’t, and I don’t know anyone who does. ---
**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:** [June 6, 2015, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-put-the-nine-in-united-or-is-it-just-me/721750/3 "2015-06-06T00:20:00Z")
I’ve never heard of this before; Why would you think this might be common? ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2015, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-put-the-nine-in-united-or-is-it-just-me/721750/4 "2015-06-06T00:25:04Z")
I’ve never heard anyone say it that way but I will avoid speculating on just what your exact aberration is. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Onomatopoeia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/onomatopoeia/32/4145_2.png) [@Onomatopoeia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Onomatopoeia)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2015, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-put-the-nine-in-united-or-is-it-just-me/721750/5 "2015-06-06T00:25:17Z")
You’re not alone, Lee. I don’t pronounce it this way myself, but I’ve heard it from others quite a bit, not so much since I moved to the East coast, but when I was in the Midwest? Oh, yeah. ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2015, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-put-the-nine-in-united-or-is-it-just-me/721750/6 "2015-06-06T00:25:43Z")
Nope. you-NITE-id around here, haven’t heard anyone say it differently. If you’re so inclined to practice the “correct” pronunciation, that’s all it takes. Practice. ---
**Author:** ![Lee\_Q](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/aeb1de/32.png) [@Lee\_Q](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lee_Q)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2015, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-put-the-nine-in-united-or-is-it-just-me/721750/7 "2015-06-06T00:48:03Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > I’ve never heard of this before; Why would you think this might be common? I don’t necessarily _think_ it might be common, more like allowing for the possibility… I suppose because, since I can’t think of any reason why I don’t pronounce it as written, and it’s not like there are lots of words for which I have arcane or odd pronunciations, I was thinking maybe it’s just a weird “who knows why” phenomenon that others experience too? I don’t know, that’s why I asked! 😃 Also, it’s not something I think anybody would notice unless they were specifically listening for it and maybe not even then - if I pronounce it as I usually do and then the correct way immediately after, aloud, the difference to the ear is quite subtle, it’s not like I emphasize an N sound rather than a T sound. That part of the word is pretty "soft"the way I pronounce it. (I’ve never had anyone comment on how I say it, for instance.) ---
**Author:** ![Lee\_Q](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/aeb1de/32.png) [@Lee\_Q](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lee_Q)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2015, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-put-the-nine-in-united-or-is-it-just-me/721750/8 "2015-06-06T00:49:38Z")
> [@kopek](#): > > I’ve never heard anyone say it that way but I will avoid speculating on just what your exact aberration is. 🙂 Thank you for exercising restraint in this regard. I dare not give any more clues, lest you change your mind. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Lee\_Q](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/aeb1de/32.png) [@Lee\_Q](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lee_Q)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2015, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-put-the-nine-in-united-or-is-it-just-me/721750/9 "2015-06-06T00:52:18Z")
> [@Onomatopoeia](#): > > You’re not alone, Lee. I don’t pronounce it this way myself, but I’ve heard it from others quite a bit, not so much since I moved to the East coast, but when I was in the Midwest? Oh, yeah. Well that’s a relief, at least! It did occur to me that it may be some sort of regional quirk, which I can’t easily confirm or dismiss at present because I don’t live in the place where I grew up and presumably developed this bizarre affliction. :eek: For the record, it wasn’t quite the Midwest in my case, it was mostly in and around Okla. ---
**Author:** ![Lee\_Q](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/aeb1de/32.png) [@Lee\_Q](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lee_Q)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2015, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-put-the-nine-in-united-or-is-it-just-me/721750/10 "2015-06-06T00:58:10Z")
> [@SeaDragonTattoo](#): > > Nope. you-NITE-id around here, haven’t heard anyone say it differently. > > If you’re so inclined to practice the “correct” pronunciation, that’s all it takes. Practice. Yeah, I do realize. As I mentioned in a reply to someone else, it’s not really a thing I suspect is even noticeable; certainly no one has ever pointed it out to me, though maybe it’s not the kind of thing anyone would bother to comment on. Going forward I’m going to make myself say it the right way if for no other reason than it’s not everyday there’s something we can so easily “fix” right?! ---
**Author:** ![Honey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honey/32/5074_2.png) [@Honey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Honey)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2015, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-put-the-nine-in-united-or-is-it-just-me/721750/11 "2015-06-06T03:18:14Z")
Mine comes out sounding like U-NI-DED. I don’t pronounce the T crisply. ---
**Author:** ![Nelson\_Pike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Nelson\_Pike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nelson_Pike)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2015, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-put-the-nine-in-united-or-is-it-just-me/721750/12 "2015-06-06T04:09:35Z")
> [@Onomatopoeia](#): > > You’re not alone, Lee. I don’t pronounce it this way myself, but I’ve heard it from others quite a bit, not so much since I moved to the East coast, but when I was in the Midwest? Oh, yeah. Where, exactly, in the Midwest? ---
**Author:** ![Nelson\_Pike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Nelson\_Pike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nelson_Pike)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2015, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-put-the-nine-in-united-or-is-it-just-me/721750/13 "2015-06-06T04:10:35Z")
> [@Honey](#): > > Mine comes out sounding like U-NI-DED. I don’t pronounce the T crisply. This might be me, actually. I’ll try to watch out for it. ---
**Author:** ![Why\_Child](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b782af/32.png) [@Why\_Child](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Why_Child)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2015, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-put-the-nine-in-united-or-is-it-just-me/721750/14 "2015-06-06T04:18:43Z")
> [@Onomatopoeia](#): > > You’re not alone, Lee. I don’t pronounce it this way myself, but I’ve heard it from others quite a bit, not so much since I moved to the East coast, but when I was in the Midwest? Oh, yeah. > [@Nelson\_Pike](#): > > Where, exactly, in the Midwest? Ohioan here, and I’ve never heard it. Around here “probably” seems to be the one people have problems with. You can hear “probally” or “prolly” or “probly,” sometimes from the same person!! :eek: ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2015, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-put-the-nine-in-united-or-is-it-just-me/721750/15 "2015-06-06T05:20:39Z")
> [@Honey](#): > > Mine comes out sounding like U-NI-DED. I don’t pronounce the T crisply. Same here. But there is actually a D sound in the middle there, unlike with kitten/mitten where there is a “stop” but no real consonant sound. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2015, 10:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-put-the-nine-in-united-or-is-it-just-me/721750/16 "2015-06-06T10:18:08Z")
I think you-nine-ded is pretty typical California pronunciation. For many folks the very de-emphasized “d” is more of a “t”. The second “n” in the “nine” part is also a bit de-emphasized. It’s not a rare pronunciation at all. The OP is not weird, or at least not about that. But it is regional. ---
**Author:** ![Pai325](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Pai325](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pai325)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2015, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-put-the-nine-in-united-or-is-it-just-me/721750/17 "2015-06-06T13:43:29Z")
I’ve never heard it in any state where I’ve lived, which would be Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin. But now it’s on my mind and I’m afraid I’ll say it. ---
**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:** [June 6, 2015, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-put-the-nine-in-united-or-is-it-just-me/721750/18 "2015-06-06T14:27:24Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > I think you-nine-ded is pretty typical California pronunciation. I I was born in California, and lived there most of my life. I never heard that pronunciation there. ---
**Author:** ![Finagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2015, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-put-the-nine-in-united-or-is-it-just-me/721750/19 "2015-06-06T16:27:21Z")
I don’t have that particular problem, but apparently I can’t type the word “ratio” without tacking an “n” on the end. This was a problem when writing my (math-related) thesis, many years ago, and I had to continually search the document for the word “ration” and change it back. ---
**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:** [June 7, 2015, 11:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-put-the-nine-in-united-or-is-it-just-me/721750/20 "2015-06-07T11:06:07Z")
I’m always pretty curious about the way people speak. OP, is there any chance you can record yourself saying it? Because I wonder if you’re actually describing a slightly different sound than [n]. Like maybe you’re nasalizing the /d/ or the vowel before the /d/. Or those of you who say you’ve heard it before, can you maybe find a clip? Finally, are there any other words that have this? Either in the OP’s accent or the people say they’ve heard it before? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-put-the-nine-in-united-or-is-it-just-me/721750.md?page=2)