# How strict are they about pronunciation on Jeopardy? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 14, 2008, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-strict-are-they-about-pronunciation-on-jeopardy/460044 "2008-08-14T23:59:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Hypnagogic\_Jerk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hypnagogic_jerk/32/4252_2.png) [@Hypnagogic\_Jerk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypnagogic_Jerk)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2008, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-strict-are-they-about-pronunciation-on-jeopardy/460044/21 "2008-08-15T22:58:16Z")
[QUOTE=Chronos] Not Jeopardy, but I was on a local high school quiz show once, and gave the answer “Marie Antionette” (which was correct), except that I pronounced it as “Mary”. [/QUOTE] There’s your problem: it’s “Antoinette”. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2008, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-strict-are-they-about-pronunciation-on-jeopardy/460044/22 "2008-08-15T23:19:01Z")
Curse you, **Guadere**! ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2008, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-strict-are-they-about-pronunciation-on-jeopardy/460044/23 "2008-08-16T01:25:13Z")
[QUOTE=Sigmagirl] Also: has it ever happened that a contestant said, “I don’t know how to pronounce it, but ‘Who is Mary Baker E-D-D-Y’?” Are there rules about that? [/QUOTE] I’ve always wondered that myself. I’m still not 100% clear on how to pronounce either Camus or Goethe, as examples. ---
**Author:** ![5\_time\_champ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/5/278dde/32.png) [@5\_time\_champ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/5_time_champ)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2008, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-strict-are-they-about-pronunciation-on-jeopardy/460044/24 "2008-08-16T02:37:14Z")
As Alex has said many times on the show, judging is a very inexact science. And I agree, in all the years I have watched the show can be very inconsistent. It is almost as mysterious as how contestants are chosen. Adding an s or an extra syllable will generally be judged an incorrect answer, but not always. The judging might be stricter in DJ than in Jeopardy. There are also certain words that they are strict on: Italian movie director FED e ree co Fellini- not FRED e ree co. Two personal examples: I sort of stuttered “James Ca-lark Maxwell”- they stopped tape, made us turn around from the board while the judges checked my answer. They ruled me correct The second misspeaking was almost disastrous. One of the last clues in my fifth and final appearance was a Daily Double in the Category 4-F. I said something like “Joints Chief of Staff”- Alex ruled me incorrect, and later the contestant coordinator said the producer ruled me incorrect immediately. That mispronunciation ended up costing me my first place lead going into Final Jeopardy! and $6,000 since I made a strategic wager in Final Jeopardy! rather than wagering everything. And I wouldn’t be as concerned about pronouncing exotic or foreign words. I answered _Edict of Nan-tes_. They gave it to me, although Alex did correct me saying _Nawnt_ I also replied _quay-hog_, they gave it to me, and Alex pronounced it _kwog_ for quahog, a type of clam. You’ll do just fine, **Zsofia**. ---
**Author:** ![Hippy\_Hollow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hippy_hollow/32/4841_2.png) [@Hippy\_Hollow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hippy_Hollow)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2008, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-strict-are-they-about-pronunciation-on-jeopardy/460044/25 "2008-08-16T02:48:08Z")
[QUOTE=muldoonthief] Did Alex say “Oh, sorry, the answer is ‘Who is Joe McCar **TH** y.’ That’s McCar **TH** y” in his condescending 6th grade teacher voice? If so, how difficult was it to resist the impulse to smack him? [/QUOTE] He was pretty chill, actually. I don’t remember being hacked off at him, but rather the judges that were wrecking my chances to win, dammit! He actually took questions from the audience during the commercial break and shot the shit with us after the show, so I think reports of his smarm are overblown. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2008, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-strict-are-they-about-pronunciation-on-jeopardy/460044/26 "2008-08-16T02:50:11Z")
I’ll do fine if it’s all Potent Potables, you mean. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2008, 9:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-strict-are-they-about-pronunciation-on-jeopardy/460044/27 "2008-08-16T09:31:41Z")
[QUOTE=panache45] The thing to remember is that you can’t leave out essential sounds. You can usually change vowel sounds somewhat, or change the accent, but you can’t add or omit or move anything. [/QUOTE] Exactly. I said “Who is Larry McMurTY?” when I should have said “Who is Larry McMurTRY?” Busted! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-strict-are-they-about-pronunciation-on-jeopardy/460044.md?page=1)