# It's Feb-roo-airy! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 14, 2007, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-feb-roo-airy/392192 "2007-02-14T13:46:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2007, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-feb-roo-airy/392192/1 "2007-02-14T13:46:57Z")
It’s not Feb-you-ary. (which is how I say it) Not a big deal either way you say it. But I’ve had people (Mike at work for one) tell me that it pisses them off to hear someone pronounce the word correctly. Mike did some time at Berkeley, and isn’t _usually_ a dummy. And he’s not the only one. I also heard someone on the radio say the same thing. Neither could, or would, explain their silliness. Maybe it’s the weather. :dubious: So, why! Peace, mangeorge ---
**Author:** ![Ice\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@Ice\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2007, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-feb-roo-airy/392192/2 "2007-02-14T13:57:26Z")
Nah, it’s Feb’ry. ---
**Author:** ![Alive\_At\_Both\_Ends](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/73ab20/32.png) [@Alive\_At\_Both\_Ends](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alive_At_Both_Ends)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2007, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-feb-roo-airy/392192/3 "2007-02-14T14:23:01Z")
[QUOTE=mangeorge] It’s not Feb-you-ary. (which is how I say it) Not a big deal either way you say it. But I’ve had people (Mike at work for one) tell me that it pisses them off to hear someone pronounce the word correctly. Mike did some time at Berkeley, and isn’t _usually_ a dummy. And he’s not the only one. I also heard someone on the radio say the same thing. Neither could, or would, explain their silliness. Maybe it’s the weather. :dubious: So, why! Peace, mangeorge [/QUOTE] Why do you think “Feb-roo-ary” is the only correct pronunciation? Especially as you admit to not pronouncing it that way yourself? Is it that the “r” is there in the spelling? So what? You wouldn’t pronounce the “p” in “psychology” or the “b” in “debt”, so why should the optionally silent “r” in “February” be any different? [Dictionary.com](http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/february) gives both pronunciations. So does the OED and Merriam-Webster. ---
**Author:** ![little\_bit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/258eb7/32.png) [@little\_bit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/little_bit)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2007, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-feb-roo-airy/392192/4 "2007-02-14T14:46:40Z")
I don’t think **mangeorge** is saying it’s the only pronunciation. I think he’s pointing out that both are acceptable, and that people who get upset when people pronounce the “r” are ridiculous. ---
**Author:** ![Winston\_Smith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e95f7d/32.png) [@Winston\_Smith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Winston_Smith)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2007, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-feb-roo-airy/392192/5 "2007-02-14T14:48:44Z")
Three words: New, Queue, Lerr ---
**Author:** ![Alive\_At\_Both\_Ends](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/73ab20/32.png) [@Alive\_At\_Both\_Ends](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alive_At_Both_Ends)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2007, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-feb-roo-airy/392192/6 "2007-02-14T14:59:39Z")
[QUOTE=little\*bit] I don’t think **mangeorge** is saying it’s the only pronunciation. I think he’s pointing out that both are acceptable, and that people who get upset when people pronounce the “r” are ridiculous. [/QUOTE] Take another look at his OP. His very first sentence says “it’s \*not \*Feb-you-ary”. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2007, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-feb-roo-airy/392192/7 "2007-02-14T15:04:26Z")
It’s not “Feb-roo-airy” any more than January is “Jan-yoo-airy”. It’s FEB-ru@-ree (where u@ represents a kind of schwa-ey diphthong), and JAN-yu@-ree. IMHO, of course 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Baracus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/2bfe46/32.png) [@Baracus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baracus)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2007, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-feb-roo-airy/392192/8 "2007-02-14T15:28:54Z")
I bet there is a book in the libarry that will settle this one. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2007, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-feb-roo-airy/392192/9 "2007-02-14T15:30:06Z")
Yup. Better make it your puhrogative to find out. ---
**Author:** ![corkboard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@corkboard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/corkboard)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2007, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-feb-roo-airy/392192/10 "2007-02-14T15:42:36Z")
Yeah, Febyooairy, the month in which we find Valentime’s Day. ---
**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:** [February 14, 2007, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-feb-roo-airy/392192/11 "2007-02-14T16:04:01Z")
[QUOTE=Alive At Both Ends] Take another look at his OP. His very first sentence says “it’s \*not \*Feb-you-ary”. [/QUOTE] I took it to mean that he was quoting some chucklehead who never had the inclination to consult a dictionary before shooting off his mouth. ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2007, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-feb-roo-airy/392192/12 "2007-02-14T23:08:39Z")
Maybe someone should ask the Packers’ QB…he may be able to help out here. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2007, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-feb-roo-airy/392192/13 "2007-02-15T00:00:02Z")
[QUOTE=Hal Briston] Maybe someone should ask the Packers’ QB…he may be able to help out here. [/QUOTE] I think he pronounces it Ferb’-you-airy. So he’s no help. ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2007, 9:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-feb-roo-airy/392192/14 "2007-02-15T09:48:32Z")
I was once reduced to mild distraction by a radio ad for some special offer all through Jan-OO-Ary and Feb-OO-Ary. (“JAN-yerry” and “FEB-rerry” are OK in my book.) ---
**Author:** ![Randy\_Seltzer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ee7513/32.png) [@Randy\_Seltzer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Randy_Seltzer)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2007, 10:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-feb-roo-airy/392192/15 "2007-02-15T10:04:21Z")
I per-nounce it “correctly” (roo). I’m the kind of jerk that corrects grammar and pronounciation mistakes in people who should know better, but February (along with almond\*) is pronounced differently so often that I’ve given up. With pronounciation, usage always wins out over book-learnin’ in the end. Ha ha! I almost typed “…the kind of jerk who corrects… .” That would have been incorrect grammar! Ha! \*The ‘L’ should be silent. But who’s counting? ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2007, 10:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-feb-roo-airy/392192/16 "2007-02-15T10:42:27Z")
In Wisconsin it’s feb-Brew-airy, being the beer state we are. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2007, 10:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-feb-roo-airy/392192/17 "2007-02-15T10:42:41Z")
[QUOTE=Colophon] It’s FEB-ru@-ree (where u@ represents a kind of schwa-ey diphthong), and JAN-yu@-ree. [/QUOTE] I concur. I don’t care about pronunciation so much as spelling. Too many people can’t seem to grasp the uniqueness of February’s spelling, and instead spell it Febuary, or Februay, or something even more outlandish. When do we get to argue over “Wenzdee”? ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2007, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-feb-roo-airy/392192/18 "2007-02-15T13:41:05Z")
[QUOTE=little\*bit] I don’t think **mangeorge** is saying it’s the only pronunciation. I think he’s pointing out that both are acceptable, and that people who get upset when people pronounce the “r” are ridiculous. [/QUOTE] 'Zactly! ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2007, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-feb-roo-airy/392192/19 "2007-02-15T14:25:08Z")
I support the shortening of all the long names in regular conversation. Jan Feb March April May June July Aug Sep Octo - It needs the o to flow smothly, and so it doesn’t sound like 8 in german. Nov Decem - Any shorter and people will think it’s a metric alussion. ---
**Author:** ![Quiddity\_Glomfuster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/c4cdca/32.png) [@Quiddity\_Glomfuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quiddity_Glomfuster)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2007, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-feb-roo-airy/392192/20 "2007-02-15T14:39:04Z")
Hey - if it’s perfectly ok to say ‘Wooster’\* and ‘Chumley’\* then it is not even slightly ok to get knicker twist over ‘Feb-you-airy’. I can, however, see being annoyed at the rearrangement of syllables that occurs in the case of ‘Febber-airy’. And [dictionary.com](http://dictionary.com) says (my bold) > [@](#): > > An additional influence is analogy with January. Although sometimes criticized, this dissimilated pronunciation of February **is used by educated speakers and is considered standard.** 😛 \*Worcestershire \*Cholmondely