# 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:** 3
**Author:** ![Icarus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icarus/32/72_2.png) [@Icarus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icarus)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2017, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-mayonnaise/783229/41 "2017-03-28T21:19:09Z")
> [@Doug\_K](#): > > Slightly off-topic, but one of my pet peeves is when I order a sandwich somewhere and specify no mayo and the wait person says with a shocked expression: “Yuh want it DRY?!!!” > > “Honey, if your sandwiches can be accurately described as dry, they’re inedible, and putting revolting goop on them won’t help.” I’m sorry, you’ve lost me here. If the sandwich as designed has mayo as the only dressing, then eliminating the mayo by definition makes the sandwich dry. Bread, meat, cheese, onion, tomato, lettuce, pickle, no dressing, yah? ---
**Author:** ![Crazy\_Canuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crazy_canuck/32/5282_2.png) [@Crazy\_Canuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crazy_Canuck)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2017, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-mayonnaise/783229/42 "2017-03-28T21:30:40Z")
May-oh. We say Maaaaaaaaay-oh. Daylight come and now I want a sandwich. ---
**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, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-mayonnaise/783229/43 "2017-03-28T22:00:43Z")
> [@WOOKINPANUB](#): > > I count five: > > Wuss sta suss sta shire > > Even if you don’t pronounce it like Bugs Bunny, however do you get two? TV chef Emeril has a good pronunciation, 3 syllables: “what’s this here” sauce. > [@Amateur\_Barbarian](#): > > … > Which Abbie Hoffman fortunately taught me long before I had to pronounceify it to a local. > … Like _personally_ taught you? That’s pretty damn cool, if so! ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2017, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-mayonnaise/783229/44 "2017-03-28T22:24:09Z")
Rhymes with “layaways”. ---
**Author:** ![standingwave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@standingwave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/standingwave)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2017, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-mayonnaise/783229/45 "2017-03-28T22:35:44Z")
> [@ivylass](#): > > I pronounce it, “Miracle Whip.” 😃 Yep. Four syllables: mirək(ə)l (h)wip ---
**Author:** ![mikecurtis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikecurtis/32/3284_2.png) [@mikecurtis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mikecurtis)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2017, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-mayonnaise/783229/46 "2017-03-28T22:55:18Z")
> [@Slash1972](#): > > I pronounce it “may-o-nayzee” so it rhymes with angry and pedigree. **LOL**!!! i take back some of the bad thoughts ive had about you! mc ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2017, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-mayonnaise/783229/47 "2017-03-28T23:59:37Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > This. Why pronounce it any differently? A vowel in an unaccented medial syllable is often elided in English. In my fam-lee, by pref-rence we have sev-ral veg-ta-blz prac-tic-ly ev-ry eev-ning, and we’re gen-ra-ly happy. In your fam-i-ly, by pref-e-rence you have sev-e-ral veg-e-ta-blz prac-tic-a-ly ev-e-ry eev-e-ning but then you can’t enjoy them because you’ve wasted all your time pronouncing all those extra syllables. ---
**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:** [March 29, 2017, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-mayonnaise/783229/48 "2017-03-29T00:51:27Z")
MAY-o-NAYS ---- most of the n’s are silent and the rest of the letters don’t count. ---
**Author:** ![Avery\_Weisman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d78d45/32.png) [@Avery\_Weisman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Avery_Weisman)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2017, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-mayonnaise/783229/49 "2017-03-29T00:53:52Z")
It’s the Japanese who like to delete the middle syllable. ---
**Author:** ![DinoR](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dinor/32/2821_2.png) [@DinoR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DinoR)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2017, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-mayonnaise/783229/50 "2017-03-29T00:57:40Z")
Call it about two and a half syllables. That middle one is barely there and if I am speaking quickly it probably sounds more like MAN-aze to a lot of people. The O is in there if I am speaking more deliberately. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2017, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-mayonnaise/783229/51 "2017-03-29T02:54:10Z")
MAY-naze ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2017, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-mayonnaise/783229/52 "2017-03-29T03:11:06Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > The reason for interjecting “Worcestershire” is that many people mispronounce “Worcester” (war-chester), but most people correctly pronounce Worcestershire [sauce]. No they don’t. It’s really unusual for someone who doesn’t pronounce Worcester correctly to nail Worcestershire. ---
**Author:** ![Emily\_Litella](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emily_litella/32/3370_2.png) [@Emily\_Litella](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Emily_Litella)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2017, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-mayonnaise/783229/53 "2017-03-29T03:46:17Z")
I picked the first one, I’ve always called it May uh Nays. As a true athiest I cannot pick the third one. ---
**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:** [March 29, 2017, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-mayonnaise/783229/54 "2017-03-29T04:19:45Z")
> [@Emily\_Litella](#): > > As a true athiest I cannot pick the third one. As another true atheist [sic], I have no trouble with Satan’s ejaculate. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2017, 8:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-mayonnaise/783229/55 "2017-03-29T08:02:13Z")
With three syllables, but accent on the last: May-oh-NAZE I had a friend who used to pronounce the first syllable to rhyme with “high.” MIGH-oh-naze Sounded dumb. ---
**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 29, 2017, 8:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-mayonnaise/783229/56 "2017-03-29T08:33:25Z")
Funny coincidence. I was watching _Becker_ tonight, and Chris and Jake got into an argument on how to pronounce mayonnaise. ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2017, 9:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-mayonnaise/783229/57 "2017-03-29T09:34:09Z")
Just to ask those who pronounce it the second listed way in the poll: did you have to think for a moment about the first time you heard the abbreviation “mayo,” since you pronounce it without the o? ---
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2017, 11:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-mayonnaise/783229/58 "2017-03-29T11:25:09Z")
> [@Sangahyando](#): > > 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]). Agreed. It wasn’t an option in the poll. ---
**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 29, 2017, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-mayonnaise/783229/59 "2017-03-29T13:08:00Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Like I said. The same reason Worecster, as in Worcestershire sauce, has only 2 syllables. This time, emphasis added, but it still reads the same way. “Worcester has 2 syllables”. Not rocket science, just ordinary grammar rules. 😉 > > The reason for interjecting “Worcestershire” is that many people mispronounce “Worcester” (war-chester), but most people correctly pronounce Worcestershire [sauce]. :smack: Now I get it. That was some cerebral flatulence on my part. Now we must debate whether it’s “wuss ter” or “worse ter” 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Pai325](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Pai325](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pai325)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2017, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-mayonnaise/783229/60 "2017-03-29T13:10:09Z")
> [@ivylass](#): > > I pronounce it, “Miracle Whip.” 😃 I agree. Midwesterner. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-mayonnaise/783229.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-mayonnaise/783229.md?page=4)