# How do you say calliope? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 2, 2012, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-say-calliope/626968 "2012-07-02T04:14:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2012, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-say-calliope/626968/41 "2012-07-02T16:28:01Z")
I had this problem once with superfluous. I pronounced it Soo-per-FLOO-us. In a college creative writing class, no less. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2012, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-say-calliope/626968/42 "2012-07-02T16:35:17Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > Detritus is and always will be “DEH-trih-tuhs” (emphasis on first syllable, short i in the middle) in my head. :smack: Learning words from books does have its perils. :smack: ---
**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:** [July 2, 2012, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-say-calliope/626968/43 "2012-07-02T16:37:17Z")
I remember in 9th grade english, I pronounced ascertain uh-sirtin, like certain with a schwa in front and the teacher made a face and said, no it’s a-sirTAIN with the emphasis on the last syllable. I was pretty embarrassed and made a mental note to never fuck that word up again. Well, I’ve heard a number of people pronounce it now and guess which variant is most popular in unguarded speech? :mad: ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2012, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-say-calliope/626968/44 "2012-07-02T16:38:07Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Assuming these are both describing the same pronunciation, that’s the only way I’ve ever heard it. Yep me too. ---
**Author:** ![cwthree](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9de0a6/32.png) [@cwthree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cwthree)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2012, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-say-calliope/626968/45 "2012-07-02T17:19:45Z")
“ka LIE oh pee”, with secondary accent on the last syllable. ---
**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:** [July 2, 2012, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-say-calliope/626968/46 "2012-07-02T20:26:29Z")
Huh. I’d never heard the long I pronunciation. The Greek goddess is call-ee-OH-pee, and the instrument is a CAL-ee-ope. I still marvel at all these Greek goddesses that get the English long I sound in their name for some reason. Heck, while I’m okay with pronouncing the Harry Potter character as hurr-MYE-oh-nee, I still insist on calling the Greek goddess HERR-mee-oh-nee. I can’t understand why we have not had a large push to go back to something closer to the original Greek pronunciations, instead of pushing our Great Vowel Shift on every language. I also note that [this character](http://mspaintadventures.wikia.com/wiki/Calliope) in the [best (and longest) webcomic of all time](http://www.mspaintadventures.com/) is definitely pronounced [Callie Ohpee](http://www.mspaintadventures.com/?s=6&p=007001). ---
**Author:** ![Geek\_Mecha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecae2f/32.png) [@Geek\_Mecha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Geek_Mecha)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2012, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-say-calliope/626968/47 "2012-07-02T23:14:45Z")
TV taught me this word. There was a animated show on USA called Calliope, and the title was spoken aloud during the promos and credits. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2012, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-say-calliope/626968/48 "2012-07-02T23:18:28Z")
I can honestly say that the first time I had heard the word pronounced as Cally-ope was in this thread. ---
**Author:** ![excavating\_for\_a\_mind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e8c25b/32.png) [@excavating\_for\_a\_mind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/excavating_for_a_mind)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2012, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-say-calliope/626968/49 "2012-07-02T23:49:48Z")
I just have to say I can’t believe that it is almost 50 posts to this thread and nobody has mentioned “Mama Plays the Calliope” from John Hartford’s _Headin’ Down Into the Mystery Below_ Album. I won’t say how he pronounced it, except to say he rhymed it with “…Brother throws the rope” I’ll admit that “Mama Plays the Calliope” didn’t make it big, like “Gentle on My Mind” did, but I’d have expected at least a couple of Dopers to be familiar with it. excavating (for a mind) ---
**Author:** ![Jake\_Jones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Jake\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jake_Jones)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2012, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-say-calliope/626968/50 "2012-07-03T00:25:14Z")
Merriam-Webster lists “cally-ope” as an acceptable pronunciation for the musical instrument, and even has audio files for both pronunciations. [Just sayin’](http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/calliope) ---
**Author:** ![Pitter\_Patter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/90db22/32.png) [@Pitter\_Patter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pitter_Patter)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2012, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-say-calliope/626968/51 "2012-07-03T02:39:25Z")
Thanks again Dopers…Being an English Major, I wish there were a uniform way of saying things, but I guess that is just not how a dynamic language works…Oh, and I ran across the “Penelope/ Penelopee” thing in 3rd grade. Penelope Pit Stop was my baseline…Teacher gave me the hairy eyeball for disagreeing with her. She has been dead for years, so I win! ---
**Author:** ![Arrendajo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Arrendajo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arrendajo)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2012, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-say-calliope/626968/52 "2012-07-03T02:51:56Z")
> [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](#): > > When my son and I went to the first Harry Potter movie we realized that we–mainly me, since I was the grownup–had been mispronouncing Hermione (and Hagrid, and probably more, but at least those two). Her-MY-oh-knee versus HER-me-OWN. Boy did I feel stoopit. I had been mispronouncing the name since Bowie’s “Letter to Hermione” was released (1969) until I saw the first Potter movie, although in retrospect, I’m not sure I ever actually said the name of the song out loud. But I thought it that way. ---
**Author:** ![RalfCoder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f1d935/32.png) [@RalfCoder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RalfCoder)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2012, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-say-calliope/626968/53 "2012-07-03T12:59:47Z")
Back in the early 70’s, I lived near Kankakee, Illinois for 4 years. The neighboring town of Bourbonnais was always pronounced as “Burr-bonus” while we lived there. I moved back to Michigan, and went back to visit friends. Surprise - the whole area had changed how they pronounced the town’s name. It was now done in the French style - “Bourbon-aye”. How do you get several counties full of people to all change the way they refer to a town to switch all at once??? ---
**Author:** ![Kenm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bc79bd/32.png) [@Kenm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kenm)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2012, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-say-calliope/626968/54 "2012-07-03T16:10:11Z")
> [@RalfCoder](#): > > How do you get several counties full of people to all change the way they refer to a town to switch all at once??? A mass influx of Canadians. I’ve long maintained that the three — at least — Beloits in the U.S. should be pronounced Bel-wa. The L’Académie française would no doubt agree. Detrwa will follow. ---
**Author:** ![Dendarii\_Dame](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbce88/32.png) [@Dendarii\_Dame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dendarii_Dame)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2012, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-say-calliope/626968/55 "2012-07-03T20:56:11Z")
Since we’re quoting poetry, here’s this, from Stephen Vincent Benet: “Oh pull on the rope of the calliope!/Bang on the big bass drum.” That said, I pronounce it cah-LYE-oh-pee. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2012, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-say-calliope/626968/56 "2012-07-04T04:00:19Z")
“Ca LIE oh pee,” ever since I first saw one and heard its name mentioned aboard the steamboat _Delta Queen_, 40-some years ago. ---
**Author:** ![Pitter\_Patter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/90db22/32.png) [@Pitter\_Patter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pitter_Patter)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2012, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-say-calliope/626968/57 "2012-07-04T04:11:44Z")
Thanks again, guys…Callyope is just wrong. I will not bother the producers of “Auction Kings” but I wish they would tell those rubes to get it right. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2012, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-say-calliope/626968/58 "2012-07-04T04:12:13Z")
Another vote for “ca LIE oh pee.” In my case, my pronunciation is due to Manfred Mann’s song. ---
**Author:** ![Jake\_Jones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Jake\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jake_Jones)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2012, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-say-calliope/626968/59 "2012-07-05T03:49:46Z")
> [@Pitter\_Patter](#): > > Thanks again, guys…Callyope is just wrong. I will not bother the producers of “Auction Kings” but I wish they would tell those rubes to get it right. Make sure you tell those rubes over at Merriam-Webster, though. :dubious: I have news for you. There are words that have multiple pronunciations, none of which are “just wrong.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-say-calliope/626968.md?page=2)