# Iraq?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iraq/165250>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [March 30, 2003, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iraq/165250 "2003-03-30T19:01:59Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 10\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![DuhCow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b38774/32.png) [@DuhCow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DuhCow)\
**Post date:** [March 30, 2003, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iraq/165250/1 "2003-03-30T19:01:59Z")

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Is Iraq correctly pronounced : “E-raq” or “Eye-raq”? Thank you.

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**Author:** ![MetalDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecb155/32.png) [@MetalDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MetalDog)\
**Post date:** [March 30, 2003, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iraq/165250/2 "2003-03-30T19:09:53Z")

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The Iraqis(sp?) I’ve heard speaking English on the radio have all pronounced it Ih-Rak.

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**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\
**Post date:** [March 30, 2003, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iraq/165250/3 "2003-03-30T20:47:57Z")

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All the (American) mainstream newscasters I’ve heard have pronounced it “Ih-rak”, too, so I would guess that’s the proper pronunciation.

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**Author:** ![barbitu8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/839c29/32.png) [@barbitu8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/barbitu8)\
**Post date:** [March 30, 2003, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iraq/165250/4 "2003-03-30T20:49:20Z")

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It rhymes with “Jacques” which rhymes with “Chirac.” They’re all in rhythm.

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**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [March 31, 2003, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iraq/165250/5 "2003-03-31T06:51:26Z")

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In Arabic:

al-'Iraq. It contains the 'ayn sound.

Best approx in English, E Raq (or Ih Raq).

Eye Raq sounds rather Bush like.

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**Author:** ![DarrenS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/977dab/32.png) [@DarrenS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DarrenS)\
**Post date:** [March 31, 2003, 8:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iraq/165250/6 "2003-03-31T08:34:06Z")

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Since the OP has been answered, shameless hijack: is there any truth to the rumour that “Saddam”, as (mis-)pronounced by Bush Snr, sounds like something to do with “beggar” in Arabic?

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**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 31, 2003, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iraq/165250/7 "2003-03-31T19:28:01Z")

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[http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=134738](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=134738)

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**Author:** ![troub](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troub/32/14802_2.png) [@troub](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/troub)\
**Post date:** [March 31, 2003, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iraq/165250/8 "2003-03-31T19:43:44Z")

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**DarrenS** , if you’re talking about stressing the first syllable, I’ve been thinking that it sounds a lot (maybe intentionally?) like Sodom, of Sodom and Gomorrah fame.

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**Author:** ![toadspittle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c0e974/32.png) [@toadspittle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/toadspittle)\
**Post date:** [March 31, 2003, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iraq/165250/9 "2003-03-31T20:52:43Z")

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I read about that “ayn” sound (which does not exist in English) … what is it? One author described it as sounding “like someone being strangled.”

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**Author:** ![istara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e79b87/32.png) [@istara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/istara)\
**Post date:** [March 31, 2003, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iraq/165250/10 "2003-03-31T21:13:49Z")

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I saw on the wires today that Saddam has become a very popular name for newborns in Bangladesh.

Fine, as long as they don’t then migrate to the West. They’ll go through hell at school and in the jobmarket.