# Long or short i in long-lived? Poll **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 21, 2012, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-or-short-i-in-long-lived-poll/625863 "2012-06-21T17:49:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Deegeea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Deegeea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Deegeea)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2012, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-or-short-i-in-long-lived-poll/625863/1 "2012-06-21T17:49:39Z")
In the thread about pronunciations that grate, no consensus was being reached about the word “long-lived” so I decided to post a poll about it. Online dictionaries list both pronunciations, and the two I checked had them in different orders. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2012, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-or-short-i-in-long-lived-poll/625863/2 "2012-06-21T18:35:23Z")
I have never heard it with the long i. That sounds really, really weird to me. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2012, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-or-short-i-in-long-lived-poll/625863/3 "2012-06-21T18:41:43Z")
Who pronounces it with a long “i”? Where are they from? ---
**Author:** ![Electric\_Warrior](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@Electric\_Warrior](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Electric_Warrior)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2012, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-or-short-i-in-long-lived-poll/625863/4 "2012-06-21T18:42:36Z")
I rarely hear ‘long-lived’, but I hear ‘short-lived’ all the time and with both pronunciations. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2012, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-or-short-i-in-long-lived-poll/625863/5 "2012-06-21T18:47:13Z")
He had a long life. He was long-lived. I don’t see a problem with the long “i”. He lived for many years. He was long-lived. More awkward to me, but still no problem. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2012, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-or-short-i-in-long-lived-poll/625863/6 "2012-06-22T00:30:32Z")
Moved CS --\> IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![interface2x](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@interface2x](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/interface2x)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2012, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-or-short-i-in-long-lived-poll/625863/7 "2012-06-22T13:43:40Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > I have never heard it with the long i. That sounds really, really weird to me. Yeah, me neither. I’d be really interested in hearing where people would pronounce it like that. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2012, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-or-short-i-in-long-lived-poll/625863/8 "2012-06-22T13:52:15Z")
> [@interface2x](#): > > Yeah, me neither. I’d be really interested in hearing where people would pronounce it like that. Same here. I have never heard it pronounced with anything but a short I. ---
**Author:** ![Deegeea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Deegeea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Deegeea)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2012, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-or-short-i-in-long-lived-poll/625863/9 "2012-06-22T15:28:36Z")
Here’s where I first read of the long i pronunciation: > **[Pronounciations that grate: Is it because I'm old?](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=655766)** > > Lately I’ve been noticing people in the media talking in ways that make my teeth itch. Now, I know this is hypocritical coming from a person whose Bronx accent is so thick even her children make fun of her, but I can’t help it. And it seems to be... ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2012, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-or-short-i-in-long-lived-poll/625863/10 "2012-06-22T17:19:49Z")
I’ve never heard it pronounced with a long i. That would sound really odd to me. ---
**Author:** ![Misnomer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misnomer/32/14897_2.png) [@Misnomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misnomer)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2012, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-or-short-i-in-long-lived-poll/625863/11 "2012-06-22T18:35:21Z")
Unless you would also pronounce the standalone word “lived” with a long “i,” the short vowel sound is correct for “long-lived.” “Live” (as in “the will to live”) and “live” (as in “live music”) are different words with different meanings. When someone pronounces “long-lived” with a long “i,” they might be thinking “long-li **f** ed” – but the term is “long-lived.” ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2012, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-or-short-i-in-long-lived-poll/625863/12 "2012-06-23T01:07:58Z")
I have heard the long-i version occasionally, but it sound weird and wrong.