# 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:** 2
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2012, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronounciation-of-caramel/639488/21 "2012-11-01T04:48:21Z")
Carmel is a city somewhere in California. The yummy food substance is care-a-mell. ---
**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, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronounciation-of-caramel/639488/22 "2012-11-01T04:52:54Z")
> [@AHunter3](#): > > Carmel is a city somewhere in California. > > The yummy food substance is care-a-mell. If you wanna get technical, it’s Carmel-by-the-Sea, 5 syllables 🙂 ---
**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, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronounciation-of-caramel/639488/23 "2012-11-01T05:48:42Z")
> [@Trinopus](#): > > Eh? Three posts earlier, me too! (What am I, chocolate fudge?) > > Doggone, though! These kinds of threads make me so hungry! I was reading your pronunciation as having the first syllable rhyme with bar or jar. I say it rhyming with bear or hair. So not the same. Maybe I misunderstood you, though. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2012, 8:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronounciation-of-caramel/639488/24 "2012-11-01T08:55:00Z")
ka-ruh-mel (kærəməl) - ær is the ar in “arid” , not in “care” ---
**Author:** ![Obeseus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbce88/32.png) [@Obeseus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Obeseus)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2012, 9:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronounciation-of-caramel/639488/25 "2012-11-01T09:42:20Z")
On the \*$10,000 Pyramid \*game show, circa 1977, a contestant answered ‘carmel’ and it was buzzed as a wrong answer. Host Dick Clark appealed to the judges by saying in his days of going to Coney Island, he knew it to be pronounced ‘carmel.’ The judges then accepted ‘carmel’ as a correct answer. ---
**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, 10:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronounciation-of-caramel/639488/26 "2012-11-01T10:23:18Z")
> [@AHunter3](#): > > Carmel is a city somewhere in California. And a mountain in Israel, mentioned several times in the Bible. ---
**Author:** ![Cazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cazzle/32/75_2.png) [@Cazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cazzle)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2012, 10:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronounciation-of-caramel/639488/27 "2012-11-01T10:33:25Z")
kara-m’l ---
**Author:** ![Antigen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Antigen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antigen)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2012, 10:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronounciation-of-caramel/639488/28 "2012-11-01T10:41:52Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > ka-ruh-mel (kærəməl) - ær is the ar in “arid” , not in “care” This. ---
**Author:** ![sandra\_nz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eada6e/32.png) [@sandra\_nz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sandra_nz)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2012, 11:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronounciation-of-caramel/639488/29 "2012-11-01T11:01:26Z")
Cara-mill ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2012, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronounciation-of-caramel/639488/30 "2012-11-01T13:41:53Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > ka-ruh-mel (kærəməl) - ær is the ar in “arid” , not in “care” Like this. First two syllable as in “caraway” or “carapace”. I’ve never heard the first syllable as “care” on this side of the Atlantic. Edit: except the final vowel isn’t really a schwa for me, it’s more like 'kærəˌmɛl. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2012, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronounciation-of-caramel/639488/31 "2012-11-01T13:45:25Z")
Karaml or Karamel except when talking about corn, in which case it’s Karmel Corn. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2012, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronounciation-of-caramel/639488/32 "2012-11-01T14:03:59Z")
> [@Trinopus](#): > > Cahr-uh-mull. Emphasis on first syllable. That. This. ---
**Author:** ![drastic\_quench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e36b37/32.png) [@drastic\_quench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drastic_quench)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2012, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronounciation-of-caramel/639488/33 "2012-11-01T16:33:47Z")
Car - Mull. Not mell. It’s a charming rustic regionalism! Though I won’t say worsh or Worshington. Blegh. ---
**Author:** ![Paul2012](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d2c977/32.png) [@Paul2012](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul2012)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2012, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronounciation-of-caramel/639488/34 "2012-11-03T01:30:31Z")
It’s pronounced car-a-mel not care-a-mel. The “new” way (care-a-mel)is the governments way way of controlling language like “Red is the new Black”!!! The media is forcing it down the public’s throat. ---
**Author:** ![Paul2012](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d2c977/32.png) [@Paul2012](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul2012)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2012, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronounciation-of-caramel/639488/35 "2012-11-03T01:37:04Z")
> [@Terra1041](#): > > Kair Uh Mell. > > There’s an A in there, it should be pronounced. I agree the “a” should be pronounced. However, the first syllable is pronounced “car”. ---
**Author:** ![FloatyGimpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/floatygimpy/32/7750_2.png) [@FloatyGimpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FloatyGimpy)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2012, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronounciation-of-caramel/639488/36 "2012-11-03T01:49:58Z")
Kar-mul for the flavour and Kar-a-mel for the candy. ---
**Author:** ![Sternvogel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Sternvogel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sternvogel)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2012, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronounciation-of-caramel/639488/37 "2012-11-03T03:09:11Z")
> [@Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](#): > > 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”. Same here! > [@MrDibble](#): > > ka-ruh-mel (kærəməl) - ær is the ar in “arid” , not in “care” I pronounce the “ar” the same way in both words – maybe with a slightly more “airy” vowel in “care”. > [@Colophon](#): > > Like this. First two syllable as in “caraway” or “carapace”. I’ve never heard the first syllable as “care” on this side of the Atlantic. I pronounce the first syllable of “caraway” as “care”. However, I’ve pronounced the turtle shell “carr-uh-pace” on the few occasions I’ve uttered the word. ---
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2012, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronounciation-of-caramel/639488/38 "2012-11-03T03:11:02Z")
Aussie here…pronounced Karra-mul (the ‘e’ can be dropped, we’re lazy like that!) So the Cara sounds like the Barra in barramundi (short ‘a’) And the Mel sounds like Ml (try to make a sound with the M and the L without a vowel). And that gives you Caramel. Easy-peasy! 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2012, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronounciation-of-caramel/639488/39 "2012-11-03T03:51:34Z")
> [@Colophon](#): > > Like this. First two syllable as in “caraway” or “carapace”. I’ve never heard the first syllable as “care” on this side of the Atlantic. > > Edit: except the final vowel isn’t really a schwa for me, it’s more like 'kærəˌmɛl. What the hell? I’m from Oregon and now live in Texas and I have no idea what you’re talking about. Caraway and carapace, the first syllable of these two words are pronounced exactly like “care” to me. I don’t think I’ve ever heard them any other way!!! And what the heck? Care and air rhyme exactly to me! Is there some different way to say it??? I was just learning the difference between cot and caught… don’t tell me there’s another subtle thing that Pacific Northwesterners get wrong ☹ Also, I say carml. It’s essentually 1 syllable. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2012, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronounciation-of-caramel/639488/40 "2012-11-03T03:54:37Z")
Three syllables, but the first one is not like “care.” It’s like the vowel in “cat.” ['kæ rə mɛl] [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronounciation-of-caramel/639488.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronounciation-of-caramel/639488.md?page=3)