# Pronounciation of "Caramel" **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 31, 2012, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronounciation-of-caramel/639488 "2012-10-31T21:53:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2012, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronounciation-of-caramel/639488/1 "2012-10-31T21:53:57Z")
How do you pronounce that most whimsical of words? ---
**Author:** ![Ibanez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/a4c791/32.png) [@Ibanez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ibanez)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2012, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronounciation-of-caramel/639488/2 "2012-10-31T22:00:00Z")
Cara-mel ---
**Author:** ![Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maggie_the_Ocelot)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2012, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronounciation-of-caramel/639488/3 "2012-10-31T22:11:02Z")
When thinking about it or talking about it, I pronounce it “car-mel”. However, for some reason when reading the word I pronounce it (mentally) “care-a-mel”. ---
**Author:** ![Terra1041](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Terra1041](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terra1041)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2012, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronounciation-of-caramel/639488/4 "2012-10-31T22:27:31Z")
Kair Uh Mell. There’s an A in there, it should be pronounced. ---
**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:** [October 31, 2012, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronounciation-of-caramel/639488/5 "2012-10-31T22:35:06Z")
Usually, with two syllables, although I will sometimes say the “a.” ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2012, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronounciation-of-caramel/639488/6 "2012-10-31T22:47:22Z")
> [@Ibanez](#): > > Cara-mel I voted your second choice even though this is more accurate. ---
**Author:** ![jabiru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bbce88/32.png) [@jabiru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jabiru)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2012, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronounciation-of-caramel/639488/7 "2012-10-31T23:19:12Z")
> [@Ibanez](#): > > Cara-mel This is how I pronounce it: all syllables are pronounced. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2012, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronounciation-of-caramel/639488/8 "2012-10-31T23:23:21Z")
I use _kar-mel_ for caramel apples, but _care-a-mel_ when referring to the candy itself. Why limit yourself to just one pronunciation? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2012, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronounciation-of-caramel/639488/9 "2012-11-01T00:03:47Z")
Cahr-uh-mull. Emphasis on first syllable. ---
**Author:** ![Sahirrnee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sahirrnee/32/13937_2.png) [@Sahirrnee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sahirrnee)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2012, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronounciation-of-caramel/639488/10 "2012-11-01T01:09:29Z")
> [@Tamerlane](#): > > I use _kar-mel_ for caramel apples, but _care-a-mel_ when referring to the candy itself. > > Why limit yourself to just one pronunciation? 🙂 That’s what I came here to say. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2012, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronounciation-of-caramel/639488/11 "2012-11-01T01:18:50Z")
Kar-a-mel ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2012, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronounciation-of-caramel/639488/12 "2012-11-01T01:21:49Z")
Despite the way the poll is going, I’d say 80% of the people in the West, if not the entire US, use the two-syllable version. I don’t care-a-mel, I will pronounce the three-syllable way up until they have me against the wall. ---
**Author:** ![chizzuk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e36b37/32.png) [@chizzuk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chizzuk)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2012, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronounciation-of-caramel/639488/13 "2012-11-01T02:14:56Z")
Hmm, am I really the only one who says “care-uh-mull?” It’s definitely 3 syllables, and I definitely say “mull” on the last syllable and not “mell.” Same pronunciation for both apples and chews. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2012, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronounciation-of-caramel/639488/14 "2012-11-01T02:26:59Z")
Kare-mel, two sylablles, usually. Other times any of the variations. I think if someone says it first I just say it the way they did. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2012, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronounciation-of-caramel/639488/15 "2012-11-01T02:29:16Z")
Barely more than one syllable, “kahrml”. ---
**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:** [November 1, 2012, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronounciation-of-caramel/639488/16 "2012-11-01T03:54:27Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > Despite the way the poll is going, I’d say 80% of the people in the West, if not the entire US, use the two-syllable version. I don’t care-a-mel, I will pronounce the three-syllable way up until they have me against the wall. Yeah, I’m somewhat surprised. I don’t think I’ve ever heard anyone pronounce “caramel corn” as anything but “car-mull corn.” Like I said above, I will occasionally use the three syllable pronunciation, but almost always when I’m using “caramel” as a noun, as in the candies (as **Tamerlane** , but it’s not that consistant.) And a word like “caramelize” is always three syllables as I’ve heard it, although [dictionary.com](http://dictionary.com) lists the four-syllable pronunciation first. Let’s not get into “sherbet.” ---
**Author:** ![Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/96bed5/32.png) [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patty_O_Furniture)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2012, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronounciation-of-caramel/639488/17 "2012-11-01T04:11:05Z")
Sherbt. ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2012, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronounciation-of-caramel/639488/18 "2012-11-01T04:20:46Z")
Kah-ruh-mul. (Possibly this what you meant to indicate by Care-a-mel, but it is far from clear. If the “care-” bit there is to be pronounced like the word _care_, I have never heard anyone say anything like that.) Many Americans do seem to say kar-mel, but the prophet Elijah did not live on toffee. ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2012, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronounciation-of-caramel/639488/19 "2012-11-01T04:31:06Z")
> [@chizzuk](#): > > Hmm, am I really the only one who says “care-uh-mull?” It’s definitely 3 syllables, and I definitely say “mull” on the last syllable and not “mell.” Same pronunciation for both apples and chews. Eh? Three posts earlier, me too! (What am I, chocolate fudge?) Doggone, though! These kinds of threads make me so hungry! ---
**Author:** ![toadspittle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c0e974/32.png) [@toadspittle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/toadspittle)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2012, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronounciation-of-caramel/639488/20 "2012-11-01T04:43:41Z")
Two syllables for corn/apples. Three syllables when by itself/other nonstandard phrases. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronounciation-of-caramel/639488.md?page=2)