# English pronunciation of 'avoirdupois' **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 6, 2011, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-pronunciation-of-avoirdupois/588040 "2011-07-06T15:14:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2011, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-pronunciation-of-avoirdupois/588040/1 "2011-07-06T15:14:27Z")
I’ve never heard this word pronounced in conversation, only read it. On those rare occasions when I did have the opportunity to say it, I would pronounce it more or less as the French would (a-VWAR-doo-PWAH). In the past year, I finally looked it up, and was somewhat surprised that, at least according to M-W, it’s normally pronounced more in line with English conventions (A-vurr-du-POIZ). ---
**Author:** ![Purd\_Werfect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e47c2d/32.png) [@Purd\_Werfect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Purd_Werfect)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2011, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-pronunciation-of-avoirdupois/588040/2 "2011-07-06T15:32:52Z")
I pronounce it a-vwar-de-pwah on the rare occasions I have reason to say it. Edited to say I better change the way I say it then. (plus I’m a crappy speller) ---
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2011, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-pronunciation-of-avoirdupois/588040/3 "2011-07-06T15:33:00Z")
> [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](#): > > I’ve never heard this word pronounced in conversation, only read it. On those rare occasions when I did have the opportunity to say it, I would pronounce it more or less as the French would (a-VWAR-doo-PWAH). In the past year, I finally looked it up, and was somewhat surprised that, at least according to M-W, it’s normally pronounced more in line with English conventions (A-vurr-du-POIZ). Huh. Come to think of is, I have never actually heard it pronounced out loud. I have imagined it pronounced as sort of a hybrid of the two you posted (A-vurr-du-PWAH). I shall continue to think of it that way, because (A-vurr-du-POIZ) sounds fucking dumb, but I’m not enough of a language pedant to insist that it be pronounced 100% true to the French. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Merneith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/57b2e6/32.png) [@Merneith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merneith)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2011, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-pronunciation-of-avoirdupois/588040/4 "2011-07-06T19:23:47Z")
I’ve heard it spoken aloud using the French(-ish) pronunciation and have always pronounced that way in my head. I’ve never heard of an English pronunciation for it. Maybe Mr. Merriman & Mr. Webster need to get out more. ---
**Author:** ![saje](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saje/32/3631_2.png) [@saje](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saje)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2011, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-pronunciation-of-avoirdupois/588040/5 "2011-07-06T19:25:02Z")
I pronounce it a-VWAR-du-PWA, with just a hint of emphasis on the 2nd & 4th syllables. Not that I have a chance to use it all tht often 😛 ---
**Author:** ![singular1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ba9def/32.png) [@singular1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/singular1)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2011, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-pronunciation-of-avoirdupois/588040/6 "2011-07-06T19:36:00Z")
This doesn’t pass the stink test. I had three years of French and I don’t remember ever hearing that pronunciation. The closest I’ve ever gotten is hearing Des Moines pronounced De Moynes here in the Seattle area, & most regions have some weird local pronunciations. ---
**Author:** ![FatBaldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecd19e/32.png) [@FatBaldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FatBaldGuy)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2011, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-pronunciation-of-avoirdupois/588040/7 "2011-07-06T20:24:24Z")
I’ve never pronounced it out loud either, but for some strange reason, in my head it always comes out like “aver-DUE-per-us”. I know that’s not even close, but I think that’s the way I interpreted it as a kid, and it still seems to stick. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2011, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-pronunciation-of-avoirdupois/588040/8 "2011-07-06T20:48:55Z")
i pronounce it the ‘U.S. customary weight system’ ---
**Author:** ![Barrett\_Bonden](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5e9695/32.png) [@Barrett\_Bonden](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barrett_Bonden)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2011, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-pronunciation-of-avoirdupois/588040/9 "2011-07-06T21:17:10Z")
> [@saje](#): > > I pronounce it a-VWAR-du-PWA, with just a hint of emphasis on the 2nd & 4th syllables. > > Not that I have a chance to use it all tht often 😛 I pronounce it the same, as it must rhyme with “tra la la la la” in the next line of the song (which is my only excuse to use it). ---
**Author:** ![kath94](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/67e7ee/32.png) [@kath94](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kath94)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2011, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-pronunciation-of-avoirdupois/588040/10 "2011-07-06T22:56:37Z")
Holy cow! The American Heritage dic_tion_ar\*y shows that og-awful pronunciation, too! I’m with **Earl Snake-Hips Tucker** on how I thought it was pronounced, and I’m just as shocked at the dictionary’s explanation. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2011, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-pronunciation-of-avoirdupois/588040/11 "2011-07-06T23:20:17Z")
> [@singular1](#): > > This doesn’t pass the stink test. I had three years of French and I don’t remember ever hearing that pronunciation. The closest I’ve ever gotten is hearing Des Moines pronounced De Moynes here in the Seattle area, & most regions have some weird local pronunciations. But it’s not a French word. It’s an English word that came from French. So there’s no reason to assume it’s prounounced as it would be in French. I mean, the word “table” is exactly the same word in English and French, with the same meaning, but pronounced differently in the two languages. ---
**Author:** ![Purd\_Werfect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e47c2d/32.png) [@Purd\_Werfect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Purd_Werfect)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2011, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-pronunciation-of-avoirdupois/588040/12 "2011-07-06T23:33:24Z")
Fine. It’s just averdoopus from now on. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2011, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-pronunciation-of-avoirdupois/588040/13 "2011-07-06T23:37:06Z")
I always suspected it was probably pronounced avver-duh-poiz, but have never actually heard it said aloud, nor ever needed to speak it out aloud. ---
**Author:** ![singular1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ba9def/32.png) [@singular1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/singular1)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2011, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-pronunciation-of-avoirdupois/588040/14 "2011-07-07T01:54:29Z")
Ah - stink test passed with fragrant flying colors, then. ---
**Author:** ![amarone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@amarone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarone)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2011, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-pronunciation-of-avoirdupois/588040/15 "2011-07-07T02:27:06Z")
Both pronunciations seem to be out there. [“French style”](http://www.howjsay.com/index.php?word=avoirdupois), [both](http://www.oxfordadvancedlearnersdictionary.com/dictionary/avoirdupois). ---
**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:** [July 7, 2011, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-pronunciation-of-avoirdupois/588040/16 "2011-07-07T02:56:34Z")
> [@suranyi](#): > > But it’s not a French word. It’s an English word that came from French. So there’s no reason to assume it’s prounounced as it would be in French. I mean, the word “table” is exactly the same word in English and French, with the same meaning, but pronounced differently in the two languages. So? When a word comes in from another language, and is not in common use, we generally try to pronounce it as close to the original pronunciation as we can manage in our phonemes. And, anyways, with all the mixed up rules of English, how do you know we don’t also pronounce -ois as wah? What other words can you think of that end that way? ---
**Author:** ![gregorio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/fbc32d/32.png) [@gregorio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gregorio)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2011, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-pronunciation-of-avoirdupois/588040/17 "2011-07-07T03:28:48Z")
IDK, lbs, pounds, Farve, 454 g? ---
**Author:** ![RadicalPi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/radicalpi/32/9806_2.png) [@RadicalPi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RadicalPi)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2011, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-pronunciation-of-avoirdupois/588040/18 "2011-07-07T04:32:57Z")
Yeah. The French is taking over a bit, but the traditional pronunciation is av-er-duh-poiz. ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2011, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-pronunciation-of-avoirdupois/588040/19 "2011-07-07T06:05:37Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > So? When a word comes in from another language, and is not in common use, we generally try to pronounce it as close to the original pronunciation as we can manage in our phonemes. > > And, anyways, with all the mixed up rules of English, how do you know we don’t also pronounce -ois as wah? What other words can you think of that end that way? That’s what we do NOW when a word comes in from another language. But “avoirdupois” has been an English word since about 1300, and in that time the pronunciation of the word has deviated quite a bit from that of French. Like just about all words from French that came into English around then. There seems to be a misconception that this is a new borrowing from French. It isn’t. ---
**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:** [July 7, 2011, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-pronunciation-of-avoirdupois/588040/20 "2011-07-07T15:25:57Z")
Any pronunciation other than French just sounds stupid to me. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-pronunciation-of-avoirdupois/588040.md?page=2)