# How do YOU pronounce "coyote"? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 5, 2010, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-coyote/538406 "2010-05-05T14:38:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2010, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-coyote/538406/21 "2010-05-05T15:29:51Z")
Granted I know NOTHING about word construction but if you look at other words ending in ‘ote’ like dote, note, rote, tote and vote, none of them pronounce the e. So why coyote? Because of the Spanish influence? ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2010, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-coyote/538406/22 "2010-05-05T15:30:43Z")
> [@campp](#): > > Some local often mis-pronounced words include **saugaro** , Mogollon, Mazatals, and even Tucson. _saguaro_ (sorry, couldn’t resist) ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2010, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-coyote/538406/23 "2010-05-05T15:37:25Z")
> [@lieu](#): > > Granted I know NOTHING about word construction but if you look at other words ending in ‘ote’ like dote, note, rote, tote and vote, none of them pronounce the e. So why coyote? Because of the Spanish influence? Epitome Hyperbole ---
**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:** [May 5, 2010, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-coyote/538406/24 "2010-05-05T15:40:39Z")
> [@OpalCat](#): > > Joe: Now when you say “‘eh’ sound” do you mean it the Canadian way (“ay”) or like “meh” and “heh” and so on? Meh. English speakers tend anglicize the pronunciation of foreign words that end with a short “e” sound, rendering it as either a long e sound or a long a sound. The Japanese word “Kamikaze” is a classic case, usually pronounced by native English speakers as “kah mi kah zee”, when it should properly be pronounced “kah mee kah zeh”. If you listen to a native Spanish speaker, you’ll hear a number of Spanish-language words spelled with an “e” ending that are pronounced with a short “e” sound rather than an “ay” sound. “Cenote” and “Quixote” come to mind. ---
**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:** [May 5, 2010, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-coyote/538406/25 "2010-05-05T15:40:58Z")
The guys in the old westerns always said [kaI jot], but I’ve always said [kaI jo ti]. I don’t know what the Spanish pronunciation is. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2010, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-coyote/538406/26 "2010-05-05T15:51:23Z")
> [@Wile\_E](#): > > As JThunder as pointed out, it is three syllables and ends with an “E” sound, as in “Wile E”. But don’t YOU say is as, “I am Wy-l-E Ki-oh-tay, super genius!” 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Barking\_Dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Barking\_Dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barking_Dog)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2010, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-coyote/538406/27 "2010-05-05T15:56:58Z")
I always preferred to be called by the two-syllable pronunciation best. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2010, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-coyote/538406/28 "2010-05-05T16:04:23Z")
> [@lieu](#): > > Granted I know NOTHING about word construction but if you look at other words ending in ‘ote’ like dote, note, rote, tote and vote, none of them pronounce the e. So why coyote? Because of the Spanish influence? Short answer: yes. ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2010, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-coyote/538406/29 "2010-05-05T16:05:30Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > That’s how I pronounce it. If you eat rattlesnake meat and shit, then you can say Ki-oat. I can’t possibly be parsing this sentence correctly. I hope. ---
**Author:** ![statsman1982](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e79b87/32.png) [@statsman1982](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/statsman1982)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2010, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-coyote/538406/30 "2010-05-05T16:09:17Z")
I’m often made fun of for saying it like the OP does. I grew up in eastern New Mexico and now live in West Texas. Around these parts, it’s definitely “kai-ote.” Roswell, NM, where I spent my formative years, has a high school with a coyote mascot. It was always, always, “the Roswell Kai-otes.” ---
**Author:** ![Barking\_Dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Barking\_Dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barking_Dog)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2010, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-coyote/538406/31 "2010-05-05T16:14:13Z")
> [@ShibbOleth](#): > > I can’t possibly be parsing this sentence correctly. I hope. You’re right. I think he meant “eat rattlesnake meat and _kick_ shit.” ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2010, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-coyote/538406/32 "2010-05-05T16:17:09Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > That’s how I pronounce it. If you eat rattlesnake meat and shit, then you can say Ki-oat. > [@ShibbOleth](#): > > I can’t possibly be parsing this sentence correctly. I hope. Sorry. Forgot a comma. That’s how I pronounce it. If you eat rattlesnake meat\*\*,\*\* and shit, then you can say Ki-oat. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2010, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-coyote/538406/33 "2010-05-05T16:21:45Z")
Growing up in Wisconsin, I think we said “ki-oat.” Ki-oat-ee always sounded like a charming cowboy/southernism. Never really thought about it before, but I think I’d still say ki-oat. ---
**Author:** ![redtail23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/3e96dc/32.png) [@redtail23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/redtail23)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2010, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-coyote/538406/34 "2010-05-05T16:25:10Z")
kai (rhymes with EYE) - YOH (long 0) - tee (almost a D instead of a T) or KAI - yote (rhymes with COAT) or just YOTE Oklahoma, born and bred. I’ve used/heard the first two interchangeably my whole life. I’m not sure where I picked up the last one, it was as an adult. I don’t hear it as much, but everyone understands if you say it. ---
**Author:** ![NinjaChick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/71c47a/32.png) [@NinjaChick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinjaChick)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2010, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-coyote/538406/35 "2010-05-05T16:25:55Z")
Northern New Mexico here, and I’d say there’s probably a 50/50 split in how I’ve heard it pronounced. Many, but certainly not all, locals go with the two-syllable pronunciation. Personally, I’m one of those goddamn easterners, so I say kai-yo-teh. I’m pretty sure that if I heard an elderly local who’s lived here for twice my lifespan say it that way, it would freak me out. ---
**Author:** ![campp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@campp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/campp)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2010, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-coyote/538406/36 "2010-05-05T16:25:57Z")
> [@OpalCat](#): > > _saguaro_ > (sorry, couldn’t resist) Yeah, even me :rollseyes: I need some coffee! ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2010, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-coyote/538406/37 "2010-05-05T16:47:41Z")
In my childhood in the East, it was always three syllables, but around here, two seems to be more common. I just figured that the folks around here would know better, and that two was therefore “correct”, but it doesn’t look like there’s consensus on that. ---
**Author:** ![DiosaBellissima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@DiosaBellissima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiosaBellissima)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2010, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-coyote/538406/38 "2010-05-05T17:13:45Z")
> [@acsenray](#): > > The guys in the old westerns always said [kaI jot], but I’ve always said [kaI jo ti]. I don’t know what the Spanish pronunciation is. The country folk where I live all say kaI jot. I say kaI jo ti though (which is the Spanish). ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2010, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-coyote/538406/39 "2010-05-05T17:17:37Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > …That’s how I pronounce it. If you eat rattlesnake meat\*\*,\*\* and shit, then you can say Ki-oat. Yup. Or if you’re in a Western. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2010, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-coyote/538406/40 "2010-05-05T17:32:29Z")
> [@Joe Frickin Friday](#): > > If you listen to a native Spanish speaker, you’ll hear a number of Spanish-language words spelled with an “e” ending that are pronounced with a short “e” sound rather than an “ay” sound. “Cenote” and “Quixote” come to mind. Unless I am misunderstanding this, this is misleading. The last vowel in “cenote” and “Quijote”, by any Spanish speaker, are definitely pronounced with the sound which sounds closest to the English “ay” (as in “say”), but without the palatized dipthong – (i.e., without the “ee” English speakers put at the end of the vowel.) I guess the sound may sound somewhat close to the short “e” in English to some ears, but really the short “e” in English is not a Spanish sound, which is why Spanish speakers have trouble pronouncing it when they are first learning English. Also, I find it interesting that one poster associated the _three_-syllable “coyote” with country/cowboys, while everyone else associated the _two_-syllable version with this. At least it seems the OP has been answered – two-syllable is standard across the Great Plains and into the Southwest, from Nebraska to New Mexico. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-coyote/538406.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-coyote/538406.md?page=3)