# Pronouncing "wolf" as "woof" or "wuff": how is the plural pronounced? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 20, 2011, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronouncing-wolf-as-woof-or-wuff-how-is-the-plural-pronounced/600292 "2011-10-20T20:36:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2011, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronouncing-wolf-as-woof-or-wuff-how-is-the-plural-pronounced/600292/1 "2011-10-20T20:36:58Z")
In TV reports yesterday on the exotic animals on the loose around Zanesville, I noticed that the LEO in charge of dealing with the matter said that the wandering animals included one “woof” (or perhaps more like “wuff”). First of all, I didn’t know it was pronounced that way in any regional dialect. The second thought I had on the matter was to wonder how are plurals pronounced? Since there was only one wolf we didn’t get to hear him say it. Would he have said “wuffs” or “wuvs”? Or “wolves”? ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2011, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronouncing-wolf-as-woof-or-wuff-how-is-the-plural-pronounced/600292/2 "2011-10-20T20:43:36Z")
This concept of ‘wuvs’ confuses and infuriates us! ---
**Author:** ![Kevbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e47774/32.png) [@Kevbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kevbo)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2011, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronouncing-wolf-as-woof-or-wuff-how-is-the-plural-pronounced/600292/3 "2011-10-20T20:46:04Z")
Woof, woof, woof! At least that is how it is said at UNM games. > **[Lobo (mascot)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lobo_(New_Mexico_mascot))** > > The Lobo is the official mascot of the University of New Mexico (UNM). Lobo Louie and Lobo Lucy are costumed wolf mascots, members of the UNM cheerleading squad, who rouse and entertain fans during Lobo athletic events. > "Lobo" is the Spanish word for "wolf" and was suggested as the school mascot in 1920 by George S. Bryan, editor of the school newspaper and student manager of the football team. "The Lobo is respected for his cunning, feared for his prowess, and is the leader of the pack," wrote... ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2011, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronouncing-wolf-as-woof-or-wuff-how-is-the-plural-pronounced/600292/4 "2011-10-20T21:10:24Z")
I have heard plenty of people use ‘wuvs’ but no one say ‘wuffs’ so I assume it is the former. ---
**Author:** ![urban1a](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e47c2d/32.png) [@urban1a](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/urban1a)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2011, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronouncing-wolf-as-woof-or-wuff-how-is-the-plural-pronounced/600292/5 "2011-10-21T01:52:52Z")
Wolves? Bob ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2011, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronouncing-wolf-as-woof-or-wuff-how-is-the-plural-pronounced/600292/6 "2011-10-21T02:25:04Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > This concept of ‘wuvs’ confuses and infuriates us! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2011, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronouncing-wolf-as-woof-or-wuff-how-is-the-plural-pronounced/600292/7 "2011-10-21T02:43:13Z")
I was posta axe this question about wuffs, but **supposibly** no one says it like that. Psshht. ---
**Author:** ![Tess\_Trueheart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/779978/32.png) [@Tess\_Trueheart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tess_Trueheart)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2011, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronouncing-wolf-as-woof-or-wuff-how-is-the-plural-pronounced/600292/8 "2011-10-21T02:57:56Z")
What I would consider the more common pronunciation: [wʊlf] / [wʊvz] What I think you heard, and how I’ve heard people with that accent pluralize it: [wʌv] / [wʌvz] (Disclaimer: I’ve only had one semester of IPA study for musicians). ---
**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:** [October 21, 2011, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronouncing-wolf-as-woof-or-wuff-how-is-the-plural-pronounced/600292/9 "2011-10-21T03:04:02Z")
[Previous thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=581318) (not specifically dealing with plural). ---
**Author:** ![kimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f0a364/32.png) [@kimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kimera)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2011, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronouncing-wolf-as-woof-or-wuff-how-is-the-plural-pronounced/600292/10 "2011-10-21T03:09:51Z")
I say “woof” and I grew up in Ohio. Multiple "woof"s are “woolves”. I’m also one of those odd-balls who adds an ‘r’ to “wash”. ---
**Author:** ![Pork\_Rind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pork_rind/32/111_2.png) [@Pork\_Rind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pork_Rind)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2011, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronouncing-wolf-as-woof-or-wuff-how-is-the-plural-pronounced/600292/11 "2011-10-21T04:26:13Z")
Originally from Indiana, and I say ‘woof’ if I’m not careful. Plural would be somewhere between wooves and wolves. Wasnt this a David Letterman bit from years ago? I recall him saying ‘woof’ over and over, maybe making fun of a guest? ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2011, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronouncing-wolf-as-woof-or-wuff-how-is-the-plural-pronounced/600292/12 "2011-10-21T04:57:41Z")
My dog just says “woof” as many times as he thinks is necessary. ---
**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:** [October 21, 2011, 7:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronouncing-wolf-as-woof-or-wuff-how-is-the-plural-pronounced/600292/13 "2011-10-21T07:27:12Z")
I remember a Wolf Blitzer interview, during which the interviewee called him “Woof.” To his credit, Blitzer kept a straight face. Guess he’s used to it. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Feldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lord_feldon/32/341_2.png) [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2011, 7:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronouncing-wolf-as-woof-or-wuff-how-is-the-plural-pronounced/600292/14 "2011-10-21T07:59:08Z")
I’m from pretty close to there, and I _barely_ pronounce the L, if at all. I’ve thought about it now too much to the point that I don’t know quite _what_ I say, but I’m pretty sure I pronounce the L more in “wolves” than in “wolf.” I think. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2011, 9:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronouncing-wolf-as-woof-or-wuff-how-is-the-plural-pronounced/600292/15 "2011-10-21T09:59:50Z")
No matter how the pronounce the word, I have always heard the plural with a /v/ rather than an /f/, except amongst those would actually spell it wolfs (or even woofs) instead of wolves. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2011, 10:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronouncing-wolf-as-woof-or-wuff-how-is-the-plural-pronounced/600292/16 "2011-10-21T10:38:09Z")
What, should I have said “DiMaggio”? ---
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2011, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronouncing-wolf-as-woof-or-wuff-how-is-the-plural-pronounced/600292/17 "2011-10-21T13:10:38Z")
Englishman here. It’s wolf for me, though I do say fawcon for falcon I’m in a minority there, it used to be the standard pronunciation in the UK but over the last half century the speak as you spell tendency has won out, as with many other words. By the way I heard Kathy Bates in last night’s episode of Harry’s Law pronounce tumult as tumm-ult (first syllable as in tummy) rather than tyoo-mult, standard in the UK. Is that really how Americans generally pronounce it or is this a quirk of hers? ---
**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:** [October 21, 2011, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronouncing-wolf-as-woof-or-wuff-how-is-the-plural-pronounced/600292/18 "2011-10-21T14:36:39Z")
> [@aldiboronti](#): > > Englishman here. It’s wolf for me, though I do say fawcon for falcon I’m in a minority there, it used to be the standard pronunciation in the UK but over the last half century the speak as you spell tendency has won out, as with many other words. > > By the way I heard Kathy Bates in last night’s episode of Harry’s Law pronounce tumult as tumm-ult (first syllable as in tummy) rather than tyoo-mult, standard in the UK. Is that really how Americans generally pronounce it or is this a quirk of hers? That’s the way we do it around here. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2011, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronouncing-wolf-as-woof-or-wuff-how-is-the-plural-pronounced/600292/19 "2011-10-21T15:53:59Z")
> [@Pork\_Rind](#): > > Originally from Indiana, and I say ‘woof’ if I’m not careful. Rhymes with “roof” in that dialect, if I’m not mistaken. > [@kimera](#): > > I’m also one of those odd-balls who adds an ‘r’ to “wash”. And “squash,” too, I’ll bet. > [@JKellyMap](#): > > What, should I have said “DiMaggio”? I laughed. ---
**Author:** ![Pork\_Rind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pork_rind/32/111_2.png) [@Pork\_Rind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pork_Rind)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2011, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronouncing-wolf-as-woof-or-wuff-how-is-the-plural-pronounced/600292/20 "2011-10-21T16:20:12Z")
> [@Tom\_Tildrum](#): > > Rhymes with “roof” in that dialect, if I’m not mistaken. Correct. And besides wash becoming warsh, creek comes out as crick. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronouncing-wolf-as-woof-or-wuff-how-is-the-plural-pronounced/600292.md?page=2)