# "jag-wire" is simply not an acceptable pronunciation, right? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 7, 2008, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jag-wire-is-simply-not-an-acceptable-pronunciation-right/432592 "2008-01-07T14:33:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Trunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/87869e/32.png) [@Trunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trunk)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2008, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jag-wire-is-simply-not-an-acceptable-pronunciation-right/432592/1 "2008-01-07T14:33:20Z")
Now, as far as word definitions and usage goes, I definitely have strong descriptivist leanings. But, you can’t just pronounce any old word like a tardo and call it gravy. Or maybe I’m too harsh. . .I know that people have problems with formations like “nuclear”, but does this same problem really apply to jaguar? Sure, it’s wort of a mouthful, but saying “jag-wire” does not alleviate the mouthful part of it (that g-w combination). Shit, give it a go with jag-wore or something and then work on the real pronunciation. Am I missing something? Is it really that tricky? ---
**Author:** ![GingerOfTheNorth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/cdc98d/32.png) [@GingerOfTheNorth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GingerOfTheNorth)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2008, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jag-wire-is-simply-not-an-acceptable-pronunciation-right/432592/2 "2008-01-07T14:36:42Z")
You live in a city where people say amBAlance for ambulance and wooder for water. I have ceased to be surprised by odd pronounciations of words, but then again I work with a group of people almost exclusively from West Baltimore. ---
**Author:** ![Trunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/87869e/32.png) [@Trunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trunk)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2008, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jag-wire-is-simply-not-an-acceptable-pronunciation-right/432592/3 "2008-01-07T14:44:40Z")
You’re right about ambalance. This was brought on by this week’s AFC wild card games, and that means we’ll be hearing it a lot more over the next week. Mike Ditka is especially bad about it. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2008, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jag-wire-is-simply-not-an-acceptable-pronunciation-right/432592/4 "2008-01-07T14:48:22Z")
Does ANYONE pronounce it “jag-wire”? I’ve never heard that. Everyone I know pronounces it “JAG-wahr”. Some commercials have a British-accented voice soundng out all the vowels – “JAG-you-are”, which sounds pretentious and false to my ears. But never “jag-wire” ---
**Author:** ![Cluricaun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bb73d2/32.png) [@Cluricaun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cluricaun)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2008, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jag-wire-is-simply-not-an-acceptable-pronunciation-right/432592/5 "2008-01-07T14:48:32Z")
I probably say “jag-wire” too…yup. Just said it out loud and I certainly do. But I’d feel like a bit of a ponce if I said it like the announcer in the car adverts and said “Jag-u-wahr”. Midwest accents aren’t pretty. ---
**Author:** ![Crotalus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crotalus/32/41_2.png) [@Crotalus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crotalus)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2008, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jag-wire-is-simply-not-an-acceptable-pronunciation-right/432592/6 "2008-01-07T14:51:43Z")
[QUOTE=Trunk] You’re right about ambalance. This was brought on by this week’s AFC wild card games, and that means we’ll be hearing it a lot more over the next week. Mike Ditka is especially bad about it. [/QUOTE] You bad-mouthin’ the way Baltimorons talk, hon? I grew up in Gardenville, where everyone pronounced Jaguar the way you describe, and tires were always “tarrs”. Well, except in my house. ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2008, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jag-wire-is-simply-not-an-acceptable-pronunciation-right/432592/7 "2008-01-07T14:53:48Z")
[QUOTE=Crotalus] You bad-mouthin’ the way Baltimorons talk, hon? I grew up in Gardenville, where everyone pronounced Jaguar the way you describe, and tires were always “tarrs”. Well, except in my house. [/QUOTE] Then what were they? Recliners? Kidding! ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2008, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jag-wire-is-simply-not-an-acceptable-pronunciation-right/432592/8 "2008-01-07T14:54:01Z")
I watched a documentary about the Cold War two nights ago with a very well-spoken Northern Irish woman doing the voice-over, who repeatedly referred to “nuc-u-lar” escalation. GWB, I take it all back - you only do it occasionally; this woman did it about twice a minute Me, I pronounce it “JAG-you-[schwa]”, but I appreciate that though correct in my accent, this is a bit odd. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2008, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jag-wire-is-simply-not-an-acceptable-pronunciation-right/432592/9 "2008-01-07T15:15:44Z")
[QUOTE=CalMeacham] Does ANYONE pronounce it “jag-wire”? I’ve never heard that. [/QUOTE] A shitload of people do it around here (North Florida) and they have plenty of opportunities, since the Jacksonville football team is the Jaguars. I think a good slapping of offenders would be appropriate. ---
**Author:** ![Crotalus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crotalus/32/41_2.png) [@Crotalus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crotalus)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2008, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jag-wire-is-simply-not-an-acceptable-pronunciation-right/432592/10 "2008-01-07T15:27:45Z")
[QUOTE=Contrapuntal] Then what were they? Recliners? Kidding! [/QUOTE] Good one. Actually, we had a bus tire in the back yard which we used as a sand box. On the pronunciation thing, my parents struggled mightily to quash the most egregious elements of the Baltimore accent, but we all said “wooder”. I eventually overcame even that. ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2008, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jag-wire-is-simply-not-an-acceptable-pronunciation-right/432592/11 "2008-01-07T15:32:54Z")
[QUOTE=CalMeacham] Does ANYONE pronounce it “jag-wire”? I’ve never heard that. [/QUOTE] Yup. I say “jag-wahr”, but I had a lit professor in college who said “jag-wire”. I don’t know where he was from, but in spite of his really impressive erudition, that always made him sound like a yokel to me. I can’t recall why that came up in a lit class, but I still remember it very clearly. ---
**Author:** ![GingerOfTheNorth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/cdc98d/32.png) [@GingerOfTheNorth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GingerOfTheNorth)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2008, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jag-wire-is-simply-not-an-acceptable-pronunciation-right/432592/12 "2008-01-07T15:52:44Z")
[QUOTE=Crotalus] Good one. Actually, we had a bus tire in the back yard which we used as a sand box. On the pronunciation thing, my parents struggled mightily to quash the most egregious elements of the Baltimore accent, but we all said “wooder”. I eventually overcame even that. [/QUOTE] But, did you warsh your tahls? ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2008, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jag-wire-is-simply-not-an-acceptable-pronunciation-right/432592/13 "2008-01-07T16:28:19Z")
[QUOTE=CalMeacham] Does ANYONE pronounce it “jag-wire”? I’ve never heard that. [/QUOTE] Steve Jobs does, and he’s from California. ---
**Author:** ![tremorviolet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e47774/32.png) [@tremorviolet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tremorviolet)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2008, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jag-wire-is-simply-not-an-acceptable-pronunciation-right/432592/14 "2008-01-07T16:30:05Z")
[QUOTE=Dung Beetle] A shitload of people do it around here (North Florida) and they have plenty of opportunities, since the Jacksonville football team is the Jaguars. I think a good slapping of offenders would be appropriate. [/QUOTE] Yeah, that’s how I’ve always pronounced it and I’m from Gainesville. (and my dad had an old “jag-wire” so I grew up saying it) It just sounds Southern to me. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2008, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jag-wire-is-simply-not-an-acceptable-pronunciation-right/432592/15 "2008-01-07T16:56:15Z")
Well, that’s taken the wind out of my sails! I don’t want to slap _you_ so I guess I don’t get to slap anyone else either. Rats. ---
**Author:** ![MrFloppy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/43a26b/32.png) [@MrFloppy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrFloppy)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2008, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jag-wire-is-simply-not-an-acceptable-pronunciation-right/432592/16 "2008-01-07T17:48:25Z")
I also live in Baltimore where it is pronounced Jag-Wire by everyone except for me since I’m not from around these parts. In Baltimore, I’m from _Yerp._ More fine Baltimorese: Earl (oil), Tarrs (tires), Zinc (sink), chimley (chimney)and the favorite…‘Downy Owshun’ as in ‘This summer, we’re going downy owshun hon’ as in we’re going to the beach. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2008, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jag-wire-is-simply-not-an-acceptable-pronunciation-right/432592/17 "2008-01-07T18:09:07Z")
I pronounce it “Jagular,” as in [QUOTE=Winnie-the-Pooh] That’s what Jagular’s always do. They call "Help! Help! and then when you look up, they drop on you. [/QUOTE] 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![tremorviolet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e47774/32.png) [@tremorviolet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tremorviolet)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2008, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jag-wire-is-simply-not-an-acceptable-pronunciation-right/432592/18 "2008-01-07T18:12:58Z")
[QUOTE=Dung Beetle] Well, that’s taken the wind out of my sails! I don’t want to slap _you_ so I guess I don’t get to slap anyone else either. Rats. [/QUOTE] Eh, you can get still get annoyed by it. 🙂 My personal pet peeve: pronouncing “picture” as “pitcher” which is the common pronunciation in these parts. Still grates every single time and my friends are so tired of me bitching they now say “piKKK-ture” with a deep, throaty Greek growl. ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2008, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jag-wire-is-simply-not-an-acceptable-pronunciation-right/432592/19 "2008-01-07T19:24:38Z")
I don’t get huffy about it, but I have heard many folks saying Jag-wire (and Val-vo, too.) I’ve always said Jag-wahr. In Jaguar car ads, I have heard Jag-wahr and, more often, Jag-you-ar. The Spanish explorers/plunderers spelled the native word for the cat, Hahg-wahr. In Spanish, that’s spelled Jaguar. The cat’s name for itself? I can only guess, from its blood-chilling cry. I can’t quite spell it, but it’s a drawn-out Yeow. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![vison](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/e47774/32.png) [@vison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vison)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2008, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jag-wire-is-simply-not-an-acceptable-pronunciation-right/432592/20 "2008-01-07T19:55:11Z")
Just remember that no one drives a Porsh. In German, if there’s a letter, you say it. I live near Washington state. Actually, BC is so close to Washington state that it touches it for some miles. I love those Washingtonians who say they live in Warshington. They have _idears._ I have idears too. My idear is: where does that “r” come from? BTW, some of my kin say “chimley”, too. So even in the nicest families. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jag-wire-is-simply-not-an-acceptable-pronunciation-right/432592.md?page=2)