# How do you pronounce "Wednesday?" **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 15, 2011, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-wednesday/582022 "2011-05-15T20:26:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2011, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-wednesday/582022/1 "2011-05-15T20:26:15Z")
Simple question. ---
**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:** [May 15, 2011, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-wednesday/582022/2 "2011-05-15T20:38:10Z")
Wensday ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2011, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-wednesday/582022/3 "2011-05-15T20:45:24Z")
It varies between Wends-day and Wens-day. Round my way (London and Essex) people often say wens-di, with the second syllable being like the second syllable in happy. (Can’t find my usual copyable IPA chart right now). ---
**Author:** ![Ibanez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/a4c791/32.png) [@Ibanez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ibanez)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2011, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-wednesday/582022/4 "2011-05-15T21:09:07Z")
Whens-day ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2011, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-wednesday/582022/5 "2011-05-15T21:11:55Z")
> [@SciFiSam](#): > > It varies between Wends-day and Wens-day. Round my way (London and Essex) people often say wens-di, with the second syllable being like the second syllable in happy. (Can’t find my usual copyable IPA chart right now). I think the second syllable is the only thing in question with this word, and it’s as you describe it. I don’t think anywhere in the English-speaking world the first syllable varies in the way this poll indicates that it might, varying from /ˈwɛnz/, except as inorganic, affected hyper-correction, and even then it’s difficult, artificial and contrary to native English phonology to do so. People might _think_ they say the second choice, but I strongly doubt it. I don’t really understand the motivation here. ---
**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:** [May 15, 2011, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-wednesday/582022/6 "2011-05-15T21:24:01Z")
Weddensday. ---
**Author:** ![Raygun99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Raygun99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raygun99)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2011, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-wednesday/582022/7 "2011-05-15T21:28:59Z")
> [@An\_Gadai](#): > > Weddensday. Pretty close to this, swallowing the vowel after the ds a bit. ---
**Author:** ![Hedda\_Rosa](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hedda_rosa/32/1204_2.png) [@Hedda\_Rosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hedda_Rosa)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2011, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-wednesday/582022/8 "2011-05-15T21:42:07Z")
Wens day. ---
**Author:** ![Mona\_Lisa\_Simpson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ce7236/32.png) [@Mona\_Lisa\_Simpson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mona_Lisa_Simpson)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2011, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-wednesday/582022/9 "2011-05-15T21:47:47Z")
Wed-nes-day and I get mocked for it. Well not now, but when I was a kid. ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2011, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-wednesday/582022/10 "2011-05-15T21:48:05Z")
> [@guizot](#): > > I don’t think anywhere in the English-speaking world the first syllable varies in the way this poll indicates that it might, varying from /ˈwɛnz/,… I take that back–somewhat: [QUOTE=Oxford English Dictionary] The pronunciation /ˈwɛd(ə)nzdeɪ/ survives in English regional use (northern and north midland) and in some varieties of Scots. [/quote] > [@An\_Gadai](#): > > Weddensday. > [@Raygun99](#): > > Pretty close to this, swallowing the vowel after the ds a bit. So, are you two Highland geezers? ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2011, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-wednesday/582022/11 "2011-05-15T21:48:28Z")
I pronounce is winz-day (so I didn’t vote). I have also heard many of my older Ohio relatives end the days of the week in “-dee.” For **Ibanez** , do you really aspirate the w? ---
**Author:** ![Weedy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/weedy/32/301_2.png) [@Weedy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weedy)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2011, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-wednesday/582022/12 "2011-05-15T21:49:11Z")
What is the pronunciation difference between the first two options? ---
**Author:** ![Zago](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ecccb3/32.png) [@Zago](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zago)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2011, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-wednesday/582022/13 "2011-05-15T21:54:30Z")
I didn’t know anyone pronounced it other than wens-day. Of course the’ Addam’s Family’ reinforced that belief - but I have the same non-accent that most tv shows portray as the norm. When spelling I think of wed-nes-day and associate it with the day of nes’ wedding. ---
**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:** [May 15, 2011, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-wednesday/582022/14 "2011-05-15T22:00:43Z")
> [@guizot](#): > > I take that back–somewhat:So, are you two Highland geezers? Highlands of Dublin. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2011, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-wednesday/582022/15 "2011-05-15T22:07:26Z")
I say [wɛnzdeɪ] > [@SciFiSam](#): > > It varies between Wends-day and Wens-day. Round my way (London and Essex) people often say wens-di, with the second syllable being like the second syllable in happy. (Can’t find my usual copyable IPA chart right now). Try [http://ipa.typeit.org/](http://ipa.typeit.org/). You can type whole words out, instead of copy and pasting every letter. ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2011, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-wednesday/582022/16 "2011-05-15T22:20:09Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > I say [wɛnzdeɪ] > > Try [http://ipa.typeit.org/](http://ipa.typeit.org/). You can type whole words out, instead of copy and pasting every letter. I usually only have to copy a couple of letters because the others look the same in IPA or normal writing, so it’s no hassle - but that’s a handy link anyway, ty. ---
**Author:** ![Steophan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steophan/32/9595_2.png) [@Steophan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steophan)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2011, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-wednesday/582022/17 "2011-05-15T22:28:21Z")
Wens-dee. Fairly short “ee” though, and this is the pronunciation I’ve heard most in England. ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2011, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-wednesday/582022/18 "2011-05-15T22:37:34Z")
Ok for the purpose of this poll, assume the “-day” part is “-day” or “-di” or however you pronounce that part of the word. ---
**Author:** ![Taomist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/53a042/32.png) [@Taomist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taomist)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2011, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-wednesday/582022/19 "2011-05-15T22:41:37Z")
Wendy’s day. 😃 \*someone had to do it ---
**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:** [May 15, 2011, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-wednesday/582022/20 "2011-05-15T22:46:07Z")
Hump Day. But normally I pronounce it “wensday,” with the “D” silent. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-wednesday/582022.md?page=2)