# How do YOU pronounce these words? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 3, 2014, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-these-words/682761 "2014-03-03T17:32:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2014, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-these-words/682761/1 "2014-03-03T17:32:47Z")
During last night Oscar’s telecast, someone used one of my least favorite pronunciations for “niche”. I need to know I’m not completely alone in the way I certain pronounce things! So how do you pronounce the following: - Niche: I’ve always said it like “nich”. I don’t know its just like I’m used to it or something, but 99% of the time I’ve heard it that way. It bugs me when some people try to be overly cute when pronouncing a word with foreign origins like its in some other language. I don’t know if niche came from somewhere else, but I think that if a word is re-purposed from another language, both pronunciations can be correct. Here in American english, we pronounce the “ch” as a hard “ch”, not some lilting, stylized weirdo language! - Mature: Surprisingly, Mike Tyson was the first person I’ve heard pronounce it with the “t” instead of a “ch” sound. I say it as “ma-chure”. It just sounds too weird with the “t”, especially if you say “ma-turity”. Something about that bothers me - Cache: Its “cash”, not “cash-ay”, right? There’s another word I often confuse it with which is cachet, which is pronounced “cash-ay” - Adirondacks: Sometimes I pronounce things wrong just because I learned it first and it always sounds right that way. Occasionally I’m sorry about that, for this I’m not. This will always be “a-deer-on-dacks” to me - Fetish: This word too. I know its “feh-tish” but I called it “fee-tish” - Cthulhu: This is a funny word. Lovecraft had several ways to describe the pronunciation. In the Call of Cthulhu, he described the inscribed letters and painfully meticulous, as if someone wanted to make sure the word was pronounced exactly as written. In his letters, Lovecraft contrarily described it as pronounced exactly the way its spelled or like “cluh-luh” with the tongue affixed firmly to the roof of the mouth. I don’t think even he knows. But I pronounce the entire word including the first “h”, which I hear a lot of people just skip over. I say “kuh-thool-who” while many just say “kuh-too-loo”. Nobody I’ve met says “cluh-luh” though - Et cetera: “Ex-cetera” or, if I’m in a hurry, “ex-cetra” - February: Luckily we have spell checker or else I’ll forever think its spelled the way I pronounce it: Febuary - Sherbet: Yes, I put in a second “r” as in “sherbert”. I can’t help it, it sounds too much like “sure bet” the other way. ---
**Author:** ![Lsura](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7993a0/32.png) [@Lsura](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lsura)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2014, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-these-words/682761/2 "2014-03-03T17:52:33Z")
**Niche** neesh **Mature** Ma-ture. There’s a very soft ch sound, but the t is the stronger element. **Cache** cash **Adirondacks** : addir-RON-dacks **Fetish** feh-tish **Cthulhu** hell if I know. I usually end up with some form of [Kuhlthau](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carol_Kuhlthau) **Et cetera** et cetera **February** feb-U-airy **Sherbet** sherbert. Can’t help it, have tried to fix it, didn’t work. ---
**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 3, 2014, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-these-words/682761/3 "2014-03-03T17:58:41Z")
Definitely nish. “Neesh” drives me crazy. ---
**Author:** ![Ulfreida](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ulfreida/32/8014_2.png) [@Ulfreida](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulfreida)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2014, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-these-words/682761/4 "2014-03-03T18:10:19Z")
Niche – neesh Mature – machure Cache – cash Adirondacks – adr-RON-dacks Fetish – feh-tish Cthulhu – this is not a word that exists in my world. Et cetera – et cetera February – february Sherbet – sorbay. Just kidding. I do say sher-bet though. ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2014, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-these-words/682761/5 "2014-03-03T18:38:52Z")
Niche: “nich” Mature: “ma-CHOOR” Cache: “cash” Adirondacks: “a-duh-RON-dax” Fetish: “FEH-tish” Cthulhu: “kuh-THOOL-hoo” Et cetera: “et SET-uh-ruh” February: "FEH-byuh-werr-ee (In my experience, most people who pronounce the first “r” pronounce it more like “FEH-bruh-werr-ee” as opposed to “FEH-broo-err-ee.” Subtle, but noticeable. ---
**Author:** ![chizzuk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e36b37/32.png) [@chizzuk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chizzuk)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2014, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-these-words/682761/6 "2014-03-03T18:45:54Z")
Niche–\> neesh Mature–\> mah-CHUR Cache–\> cash Adirondacks–\> a-duh-RON-dacks Fetish–\> FEH-tish Cthulhu–\> I don’t know, I’ve never tried or heard it said aloud. I’d have to stop dead and sound it out. Suh-THOOL-hu? Et cetera–\>et SEH-ter-uh February–\>Feb-yoo-air-ee ---
**Author:** ![cjepson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9adbd/32.png) [@cjepson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cjepson)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2014, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-these-words/682761/7 "2014-03-03T19:09:19Z")
> [@YogSosoth](#): > > - Niche: I’ve always said it like “nich”. I don’t know its just like I’m used to it or something, but 99% of the time I’ve heard it that way. It bugs me when some people try to be overly cute when pronouncing a word with foreign origins like its in some other language. I don’t know if niche came from somewhere else, but I think that if a word is re-purposed from another language, both pronunciations can be correct. Here in American english, we pronounce the “ch” as a hard “ch”, not some lilting, stylized weirdo language! I pronounce it as “nitch”, following noted ecologist [Dr. Seuss](http://www.cds.hawaii.edu/kahana/downloads/curriculum/SectionII/Unit9/9.A.MicrobialEcology/9.A.3.DrSeussNicheTheory.pdf). ---
**Author:** ![EmilyG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emilyg/32/364_2.png) [@EmilyG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmilyG)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2014, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-these-words/682761/8 "2014-03-03T19:19:49Z")
Niche: “neesh” because that’s the way it’s pronounced in French. The same reason I pronounce “cache” as “cash.” Mature: “ma-CHUR” Adirondacks: without the “deer” sound. Cthulhu: I don’t know, I’ve never needed to pronounce it. Et cetera: “et-set-rah” February: either way Sherbet: the way it’s written. ---
**Author:** ![FordPrefect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e99b99/32.png) [@FordPrefect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FordPrefect)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2014, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-these-words/682761/9 "2014-03-03T19:21:03Z")
> [@Lsura](#): > > **Niche** neesh > > **Mature** Ma-ture. There’s a very soft ch sound, but the t is the stronger element. > > **Cache** cash > > **Adirondacks** : addir-RON-dacks > > **Fetish** feh-tish > > **Cthulhu** hell if I know. I usually end up with some form of [Kuhlthau](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carol_Kuhlthau) > > **Et cetera** et cetera > > **February** feb-U-airy > > **Sherbet** sherbert. Can’t help it, have tried to fix it, didn’t work. Jesus… That’s eery, right down to Sherbert. ---
**Author:** ![Pixel\_Dent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bc8723/32.png) [@Pixel\_Dent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pixel_Dent)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2014, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-these-words/682761/10 "2014-03-03T20:26:33Z")
neesh ma-tchure cash a-der-RON-daks feh-tish cuh-thoo-loo et setera feh-brew-ary sure-bit ---
**Author:** ![zweisamkeit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zweisamkeit/32/4360_2.png) [@zweisamkeit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zweisamkeit)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2014, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-these-words/682761/11 "2014-03-03T21:19:50Z")
I say “neesh” for niche, sorry. And I always internally pronounced Cthulhu with a t instead of a th - “C’tooloo”\* - but everyone I know uses th, so then I use that because I don’t want rock the boat. But it pisses me off. But I’m glad someone else internally says “uh-DEER-on-dacks”! I’ll use the proper pronunciation with other people, but I like uh-DEER-on-dacks. - but the oo sound isn’t as “long” as oo usually is, if that makes sense? I guess I’d call it a sort of schwa-oo? ---
**Author:** ![OurLordPeace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e8c25b/32.png) [@OurLordPeace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OurLordPeace)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2014, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-these-words/682761/12 "2014-03-03T21:49:28Z")
“Et cetera” does not have an “x.” This is because “et” is Latin for “and” and “cetera” is Latin for “so on.” Also, “sherbet” only has one “r” in it, and the pronunciation is actually pretty close to “sure bet.” Just imagine no space between the two words. ---
**Author:** ![DrCube](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a3d4f5/32.png) [@DrCube](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrCube)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2014, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-these-words/682761/13 "2014-03-03T22:04:07Z")
Nitch Ma-CHER (not like Sonny Bono’s partner. Like the last syllable in “launcher” only accented.) cash adder-ON-dax FEH-tish kuh-THUL-oo ex-SET-era or et-SET-era, depending “sure, Bert!” or SHUR-bert ---
**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 3, 2014, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-these-words/682761/14 "2014-03-03T22:42:57Z")
> [@YogSosoth](#): > > - Et cetera: “Ex-cetera” or, if I’m in a hurry, “ex-cetra” > > - February: Luckily we have spell checker or else I’ll forever think its spelled the way I pronounce it: Febuary > > - Sherbet: Yes, I put in a second “r” as in “sherbert”. I can’t help it, it sounds too much like “sure bet” the other way. These are the only ones in the OP that I disagree with. There’s no “ex” in et cetera. Since you know how it’s spelled, why are you replacing the “t” with a “k” sound? Do you also say “expresso” instead of “espresso”? February: If you pronounce it with the “r”, you’ll spell it right. Think of the word “brew”. You mispronounce “sherbet” because it sounds like “sure bet”? But your way, it sounds like “sure, Burt”. ---
**Author:** ![Doug\_K](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5ac83/32.png) [@Doug\_K](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doug_K)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2014, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-these-words/682761/15 "2014-03-03T22:50:20Z")
> [@YogSosoth](#): > > Here in American english, we pronounce the “ch” as a hard “ch”, not some lilting, stylized weirdo language! > > - Mature: Surprisingly, Mike Tyson was the first person I’ve heard pronounce it with the “t” instead of a “ch” sound. I say it as “ma-chure”. It just sounds too weird with the “t”, especially if you say “ma-turity”. Something about that bothers me But here in American english, we pronounce the “t” as a hard “t”, not some lilting, stylized weirdo language!😃 ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2014, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-these-words/682761/16 "2014-03-03T22:52:32Z")
Niche: as the French Mature: short A, sound the T, long U Cache: as the French Adirondacks: never heard a native pronounce it. Fetish: short E. Cthulhu: who cares? Et cetera: as in the Latin, with a hard C February: short E, long U, long A. Sherbet: yes, I tend to add an R. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2014, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-these-words/682761/17 "2014-03-03T23:00:01Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > There’s no “ex” in et cetera. Since you know how it’s spelled, why are you replacing the “t” with a “k” sound? Do you also say “expresso” instead of “espresso”? What’s it to you if he does? Plenty of foreign loanwords are regularized to match existing english phonemic patterns. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2014, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-these-words/682761/18 "2014-03-03T23:07:26Z")
Kə-THOO-loo. (Rhymes with Sulu.) ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2014, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-these-words/682761/19 "2014-03-03T23:09:26Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > These are the only ones in the OP that I disagree with. > > There’s no “ex” in et cetera. Since you know how it’s spelled, why are you replacing the “t” with a “k” sound? Do you also say “expresso” instead of “espresso”? > > February: If you pronounce it with the “r”, you’ll spell it right. Think of the word “brew”. > > You mispronounce “sherbet” because it sounds like “sure bet”? But your way, it sounds like “sure, Burt”. I have trouble with espresso. I so want to say expresso and I catch myself using it a lot. I’ve resolved to simply avoid talking about coffee But I like Burt, he’s a cool guy > [@Doug\_K](#): > > But here in American english, we pronounce the “t” as a hard “t”, not some lilting, stylized weirdo language!😃 I didn’t say I had to make sense! 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Dale\_Sams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@Dale\_Sams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_Sams)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2014, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-these-words/682761/20 "2014-03-04T01:53:19Z")
Warshington j/k [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-these-words/682761.md?page=2)