# How do you pronounce "niche"? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 25, 2015, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-niche/738546 "2015-11-25T14:51:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2015, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-niche/738546/1 "2015-11-25T14:51:29Z")
Googling says both “nitch” and “neesh” are correct. I used to pronounce it the former way for years. Now the former sounds wrong to me and the latter, while the correct way to pronounce the word in the language it was borrowed from, sounds too much like someone trying too hard, like pronouncing the “t” in “often”. ---
**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:** [November 25, 2015, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-niche/738546/2 "2015-11-25T14:55:53Z")
I’ve never heard it pronounced any other way but “neesh” and now that you’ve mentioned it, it does kind of sound pretentious and I’ll here on out be self conscious every time I say it. Thanks a lot, **solost** :mad: 😛 . ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2015, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-niche/738546/3 "2015-11-25T14:56:51Z")
Sheesh, it’s neesh! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![MrAtoz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@MrAtoz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrAtoz)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2015, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-niche/738546/4 "2015-11-25T15:37:41Z")
Consider the following routine from Abbott & Costello’s radio show, circa 1948 or so, which is contained on an Old Time Radio tape that I have owned since childhood. Abbott: If you’re lucky, you’ll find your proper niche in life. Costello: You’re right. Why, if I can find my-- What will I find? Abbott: A niche, a niche. You’ll find a niche. Costello: Abbott, when I find an itch, I scratch it! Abbott: No, no, I’m talking about a niche in life. A niche is what everyone is looking for. Anyone who is successful has found a niche. Costello: Well, if that’s the case, I know an Airedale who’s doing very well. This routine makes no sense at all if “niche” is pronounced _neesh_. Therefore _nitch_ is the correct pronunciation. ---
**Author:** ![Abner\_Ravenwood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c4cdca/32.png) [@Abner\_Ravenwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Abner_Ravenwood)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2015, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-niche/738546/5 "2015-11-25T16:14:36Z")
I say ‘nitch’ for the same reason I stopped pronouncing gyro “yee-ro.” Because to me “neesh” sounds a little pretentious. I do pronounce bruschetta “brusketta” though. ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2015, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-niche/738546/6 "2015-11-25T16:17:37Z")
A little shelf built into the wall, where you put a statue, is a “nitch”. The little place one carves out to give life meaning is a “neesh”. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2015, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-niche/738546/7 "2015-11-25T16:19:26Z")
Neesh. ---
**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:** [November 25, 2015, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-niche/738546/8 "2015-11-25T16:20:41Z")
Neesh, and there’s nothing pretentious about pronouncing French words correctly: at least not in Canada. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2015, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-niche/738546/9 "2015-11-25T16:22:07Z")
How do you pronounce quiche? ---
**Author:** ![cjepson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9adbd/32.png) [@cjepson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cjepson)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2015, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-niche/738546/10 "2015-11-25T16:22:28Z")
I follow the usage of [Dr. Seuss](http://www.agforinsight.com/?p=220). ---
**Author:** ![NeonMadman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/58f4c7/32.png) [@NeonMadman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NeonMadman)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2015, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-niche/738546/11 "2015-11-25T16:54:55Z")
> [@cjepson](#): > > I follow the usage of [Dr. Seuss](http://www.agforinsight.com/?p=220). That’s “nitches,” not “niches.” ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2015, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-niche/738546/12 "2015-11-25T16:58:32Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > How do you pronounce quiche? “Kitch.” ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2015, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-niche/738546/13 "2015-11-25T17:02:38Z")
Nitch, like bitch, if I am saying, for example, “She really found her niche.” But in another context, like a tech company who isn’t leading the pack, then I will say, “You’re a neesh player.” I have issues. . ---
**Author:** ![NeonMadman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/58f4c7/32.png) [@NeonMadman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NeonMadman)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2015, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-niche/738546/14 "2015-11-25T17:04:10Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > How do you pronounce quiche? Real men don’t pronounce “quiche.” 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Shine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr_shine/32/464_2.png) [@Mr\_Shine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Shine)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2015, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-niche/738546/15 "2015-11-25T17:05:11Z")
neesh. (It’s the correct and ubiquitous UK pronounciation though, so probably not that helpful to you.) ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2015, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-niche/738546/16 "2015-11-25T17:05:49Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > How do you pronounce quiche? Quickie, duh. It’s neesh. Though ‘Nietzsche’ has its charms. ---
**Author:** ![amanset](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8dc957/32.png) [@amanset](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amanset)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2015, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-niche/738546/17 "2015-11-25T17:47:07Z")
To be honest, if I hear someone saying “nitch” I would be rather judgmental. Silently though, I’m not a complete dick. See also: clique pronounced “click”. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2015, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-niche/738546/18 "2015-11-25T17:50:12Z")
Neesh or nitch are both fine. I think we should teach the controversy. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Katriona](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/katriona/32/113_2.png) [@Katriona](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Katriona)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2015, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-niche/738546/19 "2015-11-25T18:37:48Z")
> [@Sattua](#): > > A little shelf built into the wall, where you put a statue, is a “nitch”. > > The little place one carves out to give life meaning is a “neesh”. Reminds me of that poem often attributed to Dorothy Parker: Upon my honor I saw a Madonna Standing in a niche Above the door Of the prominent whore Of a prominent son of a bitch. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2015, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-niche/738546/20 "2015-11-25T18:47:50Z")
😃 > [@Katriona](#): > > Reminds me of that poem often attributed to Dorothy Parker: > > Upon my honor > I saw a Madonna > Standing in a niche > Above the door > Of the prominent whore > Of a prominent son of a bitch. Dorothy Parker denied it! Hearst didn’t allow fornicating among unmarried visitors to his castle, and her beau tiptoeing to her room in the middle of the night was thwarted, according to one of David Niven’s anecdotes. This was supposed to be her getting back at him. Hilarious, though.😃 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-niche/738546.md?page=2)