I think of “ugh” as a written-language only word; a word that exists only on the printed page and has no real-world counterpart. But I guess that depends on how you pronounce it. Most people, when reading it out loud off a page, pronounce it “ugg.” But it occurred to me once, what if it was a clumsy attempt by some long-ago lexicoretard to spell the stinky-nose word “eww”? As in, rhymes with Hugh? So, that’s how I’ve decided to pronounce it. Anyone else?
I pronounce it “ug” and say it IRL outside of just reading it.
I pronounce it “ugg” and assumed it was an attempt to capture a guttural or back-of-the-throat sound. When faced with a bad smell or taste or something, I’ve heard (and have made) sounds which have a throat-clearing sound, or even a kind of retching quality. It seems too far removed from “eww” to me.
Edited to add-- I have a feeling this is going to end up in IMHO unless a linguist steps up to answer the question: is there a known etymology for “ugh?”
Rhymes with “hug”.
Not to be a smartass, but I pronounce it just like “uh”, with a “g” in the middle. It’s not as sharp of a g as in most words, just enough to transfer the “uh” sound from the front of the mouth to the back of the throat.
I disagree that it rhymes with hug or egg.
Ur-gh or uch.
I always thought it was pronounced uch, where ch is the guttural sound like in Channukah.
It’s gotta be with that thing in the back of the throat. The one that is in the middle of a good La Chaim.
Sorry, you beat me to it. Well, La Chaim! And a nice Channukah to you! And I am noticing that whatever meshugana spell checker is running this place is very goy.
I pronounce it “ugg,” both when reading and when using it as an expression.
edit: Merriam Webster has this entry, with audio samples. Both “ugg” and “uKH” are represented.
+1, like you’re gargling without a liquid in your throat.
Almost like an appalled noise, usually followed by “How dare you!” But lower. An audible sigh.
This is a cool question. I have never heard anyone IRL pronounce “ugh” as “ugg,” but it seems to be a toss up between the two.
Ugg with a little h/gargle at the end. The idea it rhymes with Hugh is nuts.
All of you who pronounce it ugg: do you only do this because you’ve come across it in print? Does the word have a real-world origin, or was it born on the printed page?
I say ick, ew, ugh, ish, and ow like I heard them. If I say “Pee-shaw!” you’ll know I read it first.
This. I use it IRL often, not just on the printed page.
I pronounce it ‘ugg’.
I have to admit that ‘lexicoretard’ is a great word and needs to be used elsewhere.
Yeah, that sounds like something Coach Z would say.
I say it ugg-uh. It may be what others are saying though above with the “little h gargle”
I say it mostly as Ugg-H. So you get the Ugg sound, and then this breathy H sound too, sort of like an exasperated sigh.