# How do you pronounce "mayonnaise"? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 28, 2017, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-mayonnaise/783229 "2017-03-28T16:56:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**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 28, 2017, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-mayonnaise/783229/1 "2017-03-28T16:56:10Z")
Personally, I try not to speak of it but if I’m ever in the unenviable position of having to utter it’s unholy name I usually say may o NAZE a la Louis Gossett Jr. in _An Officer and a Gentlemen_. ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2017, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-mayonnaise/783229/2 "2017-03-28T16:59:28Z")
Pretty much MAN-aze ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2017, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-mayonnaise/783229/3 "2017-03-28T17:00:05Z")
What other pronunciation is there, other than with more of a french accent? ---
**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 28, 2017, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-mayonnaise/783229/4 "2017-03-28T17:01:53Z")
> [@Amateur\_Barbarian](#): > > What other pronunciation is there, other than with more of a french accent? What **SeaDragonTattoo** said. Two syllables instead of three. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2017, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-mayonnaise/783229/5 "2017-03-28T17:05:04Z")
My grandmother used to call it MAY-naze. I use the first option in the poll. Or I just call it mayo. ---
**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:** [March 28, 2017, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-mayonnaise/783229/6 "2017-03-28T17:10:01Z")
I say MAY-uh-naze (/ˈmeɪ ə neɪz/). Definitely three syllables for me, with the second being a pretty short schwa. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2017, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-mayonnaise/783229/7 "2017-03-28T17:11:14Z")
Just like Louis Gossett, Jr. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Azeotrope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/0ea827/32.png) [@Azeotrope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Azeotrope)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2017, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-mayonnaise/783229/8 "2017-03-28T17:11:23Z")
MIracle Whip. ---
**Author:** ![steronz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steronz/32/11765_2.png) [@steronz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steronz)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2017, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-mayonnaise/783229/9 "2017-03-28T17:11:47Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > I say MAY-uh-naze (/ˈmeɪ ə neɪz/). Definitely three syllables for me, with the second being a pretty short schwa. Same. Midwesterner. ---
**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 28, 2017, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-mayonnaise/783229/10 "2017-03-28T17:21:44Z")
Oh, and for the record, when I’m not over- pronouncing it like Mr. Gossett Jr., I use the “proper” pronunciation with three syllables. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2017, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-mayonnaise/783229/11 "2017-03-28T17:22:57Z")
I’m in between MAY-uh-naze and MAN-ase but I hate it so I chose the third option. I pronounce it sort of like Neil Armstrong pronounced “That’s one small step forrrrr man”. Sort of like “Maaaan-aze” ---
**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 28, 2017, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-mayonnaise/783229/12 "2017-03-28T17:23:03Z")
may o naze UK, for what that’s worth. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2017, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-mayonnaise/783229/13 "2017-03-28T17:24:31Z")
I guess I’ve heard MAY-naze, but not often. May-0-nayz or mayo - CA and Nwingland. ---
**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:** [March 28, 2017, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-mayonnaise/783229/14 "2017-03-28T17:32:56Z")
May O. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2017, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-mayonnaise/783229/15 "2017-03-28T17:36:23Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > May O. The Nays have it. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2017, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-mayonnaise/783229/16 "2017-03-28T17:42:54Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > May O. Daylight come, and me wanna go home! 😃 I give it the Irish pronunciation: May O’Nais. ---
**Author:** ![Sangahyando](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f14d63/32.png) [@Sangahyando](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sangahyando)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2017, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-mayonnaise/783229/17 "2017-03-28T17:50:36Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > I say MAY-uh-naze (/ˈmeɪ ə neɪz/). Definitely three syllables for me, with the second being a pretty short schwa. Like this, only with the accent on the last syllable – may-uh-NAZE. Everyone I know to speak to pronounces it like this, I think (we’re British [English variety]). ---
**Author:** ![Dendarii\_Dame](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbce88/32.png) [@Dendarii\_Dame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dendarii_Dame)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2017, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-mayonnaise/783229/18 "2017-03-28T17:52:41Z")
may uh NAYS ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2017, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-mayonnaise/783229/19 "2017-03-28T17:57:34Z")
I’ll say MANaze (“Pub burger, please, no MANaze”), or mayo (“Sandwitch of the day, please. You don’t put mayo on that, do you?”) but I’ll never eat it because it is terrible, terrible nasty stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2017, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-mayonnaise/783229/20 "2017-03-28T18:17:47Z")
Long ago on the SDMB, I learned that mayonnaise is the devil’s semen. Therefore I picked the third option. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-mayonnaise/783229.md?page=2)