# How Do You Pronounce "Buddha"? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 3, 2010, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-buddha/559330 "2010-11-03T14:57:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2010, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-buddha/559330/1 "2010-11-03T14:57:32Z")
Straightforward: How do you pronounce “Buddha”? ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2010, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-buddha/559330/2 "2010-11-03T15:02:28Z")
I always go with “Food-uh,” as that’s how it was taught to me. However, I’ve heard English speakers (particularly non-US English speakers) say “Wood-uh.” ---
**Author:** ![Paintcharge](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/paintcharge/32/7946_2.png) [@Paintcharge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paintcharge)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2010, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-buddha/559330/3 "2010-11-03T15:08:00Z")
If it’s “the Buddha,” wood-uh. If it’s just “Buddha,” food-uh. ---
**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:** [November 3, 2010, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-buddha/559330/4 "2010-11-03T15:52:28Z")
I pronounce it something like Bood-tha (well, much more like [this](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/43/Buddha.ogg), actually). The “u” is the “oo” of “would” not “food”, but the consonants (yes, there are two) are completely different. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2010, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-buddha/559330/5 "2010-11-03T16:08:11Z")
[bʊd̪d̪ʱo] [ʊ] as in “book” [d̪d̪ʱ] dental, aspirated, and geminated ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2010, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-buddha/559330/6 "2010-11-03T16:33:56Z")
I definitely use the more tense vowel, matching the “oo” in “wood”. The medial consonant I use is alveolar and unaspirated, because that’s much easier. ---
**Author:** ![Rushgeekgirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rushgeekgirl/32/3715_2.png) [@Rushgeekgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rushgeekgirl)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2010, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-buddha/559330/7 "2010-11-03T16:37:30Z")
I’d say it’s somewhere between food and wood. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2010, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-buddha/559330/8 "2010-11-03T16:38:51Z")
I say it with the “book” vowel. “Boooodha” sounds horrible to me. ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2010, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-buddha/559330/9 "2010-11-03T16:46:18Z")
The only time I’ve heard it pronounced “wood-uh” is in the song “One Night In Bangkok” > [@](#): > > This grips me more than would a > Muddy old river or reclining Buddha And since they also rhyme “in a” with “Brynner” I thought it was poetic license > [@](#): > > The creme de la creme of the chess world in a > Show with everything but Yul Brynner ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2010, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-buddha/559330/10 "2010-11-03T16:48:05Z")
> [@jjimm](#): > > I say it with the “book” vowel. “Boooodha” sounds horrible to me. Same here. I was amazed to see the results, I expected virtually everyone to go for the “book” vowel. I don’t think I’ve ever heard anyone pronounce it with the “food” vowel. ETA: wait, does that mean people talk about “Booodhists” too? Never heard that in my life. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2010, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-buddha/559330/11 "2010-11-03T16:50:22Z")
The first time I heard someone use the “food” vowel and an ordinary unaspirated, alveolar “d” – boo-da – I had no idea what he was talking about. ---
**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:** [November 3, 2010, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-buddha/559330/12 "2010-11-03T17:31:58Z")
> [@Markxxx](#): > > The only time I’ve heard it pronounced “wood-uh” is in the song “One Night In Bangkok” I’m surprised, but them I’m in the UK and pretty much everyone here pronounces that way (and Murray Head is English) And you have now forced me to go and listen to that song again…Great stuff! What’s not to love about the lyrics “I get my kicks above the waistline sunshine!” ---
**Author:** ![Gustav](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/919ad9/32.png) [@Gustav](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gustav)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2010, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-buddha/559330/13 "2010-11-03T18:15:00Z")
Neither, it ends with “ah”, not “uh”. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2010, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-buddha/559330/14 "2010-11-03T18:59:28Z")
> [@Markxxx](#): > > And since they also rhyme > > “in a” with “Brynner” I thought it was poetic license Pronunciation threads on the Dope always leave me like this ----\> 😕 I’m trying to think of a plausible way to pronounce “Brynner” that doesn’t rhyme with “in a”, and I can’t. Breener? Brooner? Brine-uh? I know the name is Russian, so none of these works. ---
**Author:** ![Chessic\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7c8e57/32.png) [@Chessic\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chessic_Sense)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2010, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-buddha/559330/15 "2010-11-03T19:03:13Z")
Buddha Buddha Buddha Buddha rockin’ everywhere… I found you, Mr. New Buddha! ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2010, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-buddha/559330/16 "2010-11-03T19:05:00Z")
For those of us who have rhotic accents, “Brynner” has an [ɚ] on the end, which makes it sound very different from “in a.” ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2010, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-buddha/559330/17 "2010-11-03T19:18:52Z")
> [@Gustav](#): > > Neither, it ends with “ah”, not “uh”. I always pronounced it in my head like [comic book machinegun sounds](http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Budda%20Budda) are written. “It’s Batman!” _budda budda budda budda_ ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2010, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-buddha/559330/18 "2010-11-03T19:25:25Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > I pronounce it something like Bood-tha (well, much more like [this](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/43/Buddha.ogg), actually). The “u” is the “oo” of “would” not “food”, but the consonants (yes, there are two) are completely different. I can’t get your link to work, but I’m assuming you pronounce the “dh” as a single sound – the final consonant of _breathe_ or the initial one of _though_. Yes? The IPA for that is ð, I think. ---
**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:** [November 3, 2010, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-buddha/559330/19 "2010-11-03T21:40:26Z")
> [@acsenray](#): > > For those of us who have rhotic accents, “Brynner” has an [ɚ] on the end, which makes it sound very different from “in a.” I literally have no idea what any of that means. I often come across people on the dope using this terminology and I know it is something to do with phonetics perhaps but it isn’t something I’m familiar with. Is this a body of knowledge that has completely passed me by? I know I never covered it in school. Anyhow, can you give an example of what that ending sounds like for those of us who don’t understand the funny little symbols? ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2010, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-buddha/559330/20 "2010-11-03T22:00:29Z")
If you are interested in discussing pronunciation in a written medium, I would recommend you become familiar with this kind of terminology, because it is almost impossible to talk about pronunciation without this common ground. Rhotic - describes an accent that “pronounces the _R_s.” This, of course, is an inaccurate description, which is why people use a term like rhotic. Can you imagine Elizabeth II saying the word “butter” and then imagine Barack Obama saying “butter”? There’s the difference between non-rhotic and rhotic [bʌtɜ] versus [bʌt̬ɚ]. The _R_ is audible in the latter. For a non-rhotic person, “Brynner” would be like [bɹɪnɜ] or [bɹɪnə] – kind of like “brinn-ah” (the reason it doesn’t make sense to write pronunciation this way is that “ah” is ambiguous – it means different sounds to different people) So it might sound close to “in a” [ɪn ə] But to a rhotic person, the _R_ makes all the difference. The two things don’t rhyme at all. And if you rhyme “Brynner” with “in a,” it would mean absolutely nothing to you for me to try to explain it by saying something like “Brynner” rhymes with “inner” but not with “in a.” That’s why we use phonetic symbols. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-buddha/559330.md?page=2)