# How do you pronounce "Sherbet"? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 14, 2008, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-sherbet/467805 "2008-10-14T00:31:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![SanibelMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@SanibelMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanibelMan)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2008, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-sherbet/467805/1 "2008-10-14T00:31:27Z")
Is it “SHURE-bet”, “SHURE-bert” or “SOR-bay”? ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2008, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-sherbet/467805/2 "2008-10-14T00:37:25Z")
I use sher-bert. But I suppose “sher-bet” is also appropriate. Tomato tuhmato I suppose. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2008, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-sherbet/467805/3 "2008-10-14T00:38:13Z")
Sherbert as in “Ernie do you know where my pants are?”, “Sure, Bert!” ---
**Author:** ![FilmGeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@FilmGeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FilmGeek)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2008, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-sherbet/467805/4 "2008-10-14T00:38:44Z")
I used to say Sher-Bert but I’m training myself to say Sherbet. Sorbet is SOR-bay to me. ---
**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:** [October 14, 2008, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-sherbet/467805/5 "2008-10-14T00:39:55Z")
“Sherbet” is “SURE-bit.” “Sherbert” is “SURE-bert.” “Sorbet” is “sor-BAY.” To be honest, while I’ve only seen the “sherbet” spelling on packages of the stuff, I have only heard people refer to it as “SURE-bert.” ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2008, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-sherbet/467805/6 "2008-10-14T00:42:04Z")
Sher-bet. (Not “shure” which I would pronounce as “shoor.”) Sher-bert is a error based on confusion with the name Herbert (IMHO). Sor-bay is how you pronounce sorbet, which is originally a French word, and is apparently similar to, but not exactly the same as, sherbet. ---
**Author:** ![3acresandatruck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/3/e79b87/32.png) [@3acresandatruck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/3acresandatruck)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2008, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-sherbet/467805/7 "2008-10-14T00:42:16Z")
Sher-bert. Heck, we even spelled it that way. As in: Dad used to make some great pineapple sherbert in the freezer with canned pineapple and buttermilk. It probably wasn’t “real sorbet”, but it was sure yummy. If it’s good, I’ll pronounce it any way you want. ---
**Author:** ![Don\_t\_fight\_the\_hypothetical](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/59ef9b/32.png) [@Don\_t\_fight\_the\_hypothetical](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_fight_the_hypothetical)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2008, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-sherbet/467805/8 "2008-10-14T00:44:48Z")
Shirr bet. ---
**Author:** ![Idle\_Thoughts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/838e76/32.png) [@Idle\_Thoughts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idle_Thoughts)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2008, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-sherbet/467805/9 "2008-10-14T00:47:37Z")
I’ve always said “sure bert”. ---
**Author:** ![ZenBeam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/3ab097/32.png) [@ZenBeam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZenBeam)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2008, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-sherbet/467805/10 "2008-10-14T00:53:06Z")
> [@FilmGeek](#): > > I used to say Sher-Bert but I’m training myself to say Sherbet. > > Sorbet is SOR-bay to me. This, except my training period is over. ---
**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:** [October 14, 2008, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-sherbet/467805/11 "2008-10-14T00:53:35Z")
Sheriff. Or at least that’s how I pronounced it when I was 4 years old. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2008, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-sherbet/467805/12 "2008-10-14T01:08:45Z")
sore bay ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2008, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-sherbet/467805/13 "2008-10-14T01:17:52Z")
Sher-wish-I-had-some-ice-cream (just kidding. I like cherbeart just fine, but if you’re a kid and someone hands you a dish of tschertbeirt, it just doesn’t cut it.) ---
**Author:** ![freckafree](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/freckafree/32/3050_2.png) [@freckafree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/freckafree)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2008, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-sherbet/467805/14 "2008-10-14T01:28:57Z")
When I was growing up, my dad sometimes said, “Shoot the sherbert to me, Herbert!” I have no memory whatsover of the context for that remark. However, as a result, I grew up calling it “SHURE-bert.” I now call it “SHURE-bit.” (The vowel sound in the last syllable should be a schwa.) ---
**Author:** ![SanibelMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@SanibelMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanibelMan)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2008, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-sherbet/467805/15 "2008-10-14T01:34:12Z")
I realized, shortly after posting this, that I could just go to [dictionary.com](http://dictionary.com) and hear it pronounced [“SHUR-bit”](http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/sherbet). So I asked a mod to move this to IMHO where you can all be wrong in peace. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Gfactor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@Gfactor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gfactor)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2008, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-sherbet/467805/16 "2008-10-14T01:34:15Z")
Moved from General Questions to In My Humble Opinion. **Gfactor** General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2008, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-sherbet/467805/17 "2008-10-14T01:36:08Z")
> [@SanibelMan](#): > > I realized, shortly after posting this, that I could just go to [dictionary.com](http://dictionary.com) and hear it pronounced [“SHUR-bit”](http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/sherbet). So I asked a mod to move this to IMHO where you can all be wrong in peace. 😛 I thought this was a poll, not what is correct. ---
**Author:** ![lobotomyboy63](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobotomyboy63/32/2900_2.png) [@lobotomyboy63](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lobotomyboy63)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2008, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-sherbet/467805/18 "2008-10-14T01:43:22Z")
> [@commasense](#): > > Sher-bet. (Not “shure” which I would pronounce as “shoor.”) > > Sher-bert is a error based on confusion with the name Herbert (IMHO). > > Sor-bay is how you pronounce sorbet, which is originally a French word, and is apparently similar to, but not exactly the same as, sherbet. Underlining mine: agree. I think “Sher bert” is a brain fart of sorts, though I couldn’t say it’s related to Herbert. I hail from Illinois where we used to “warsh” our clothes. **Toy boat toy boat toy boat** …try saying that aloud. Carry over and commingle the sounds? SHER bit is how I’d pronounce it. ---
**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:** [October 14, 2008, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-sherbet/467805/19 "2008-10-14T01:45:15Z")
I pronounce it the right way (i.e., shure-bet). You see, the word “sherbet” only has one R in it. Therefore, I pronounce it with one R. ---
**Author:** ![Ace309](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ace309/32/1050_2.png) [@Ace309](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ace309)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2008, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-sherbet/467805/20 "2008-10-14T01:46:33Z")
SHERb’t. Sorbet (sorBAY) is something different. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-sherbet/467805.md?page=2)