# Pronunciation Poll: How do YOU say … **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 5, 2005, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciation-poll-how-do-you-say/334233 "2005-12-05T20:26:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![jebert](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ec9cab/32.png) [@jebert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jebert)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2005, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciation-poll-how-do-you-say/334233/1 "2005-12-05T20:26:08Z")
Divisive? di-VYE-siv or di-VISS-iv Homage? AHM-ij or o-MAHZH Niger? NYE-jer or nee-ZHAIR Feel free to add any word you’ve always pronounced one way and then have heard somebody else, especially somebody in the media, pronounce differently. As for me, I’ve always been in column 1 above. How about you? ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2005, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciation-poll-how-do-you-say/334233/2 "2005-12-05T20:35:51Z")
I am in column one all the way except I all say a slight ‘H’ in homage. I would kick somebody to the curb is they started throwing out talk like column 2. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2005, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciation-poll-how-do-you-say/334233/3 "2005-12-05T20:37:49Z")
Di-VIE-siff, HOH-midge, and NYE-jer. ---
**Author:** ![nivlac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/3bc359/32.png) [@nivlac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nivlac)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2005, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciation-poll-how-do-you-say/334233/4 "2005-12-05T20:51:16Z")
Ditto. ---
**Author:** ![butler1850](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@butler1850](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/butler1850)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2005, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciation-poll-how-do-you-say/334233/5 "2005-12-05T20:56:24Z")
DE-VICE-IVE But I’m from New England, and even the locals say I don’t speak right. (I’ve worked hard to train the accent out, works well, except for when I’m drunk or tired) ---
**Author:** ![Cliffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/59ef9b/32.png) [@Cliffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cliffy)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2005, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciation-poll-how-do-you-say/334233/6 "2005-12-05T21:35:13Z")
Di-VISS-ive. o-MAZH Nee-ZHER is correct, I’m told, but my habit is to pronounce is NIE-ger, which I haven’t successfully changed yet. –Cliffy ---
**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:** [December 5, 2005, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciation-poll-how-do-you-say/334233/7 "2005-12-05T21:35:18Z")
**Divisive?** di-VYE-siv **Homage?** Depends on how it’s being used: you pay AHM-ij to someone or something, but the act of doing so is an o-MAHZH. **Niger?** NYE-jer My own addition: **Tourist** I say TUR-ist, but most people I hear say TORE-ist. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2005, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciation-poll-how-do-you-say/334233/8 "2005-12-05T22:13:18Z")
Sked-dule OR Shhhhzzzsaid-u-al. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2005, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciation-poll-how-do-you-say/334233/9 "2005-12-06T00:34:08Z")
Poe-TAH-toe. ---
**Author:** ![Revenant\_Threshold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f1d935/32.png) [@Revenant\_Threshold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revenant_Threshold)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2005, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciation-poll-how-do-you-say/334233/10 "2005-12-06T00:48:16Z")
Di-VYE-sive HOH-midge NYE-jer Po-TAY-to Tom-AH-to SHED-ule ---
**Author:** ![FaerieBeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e95f7d/32.png) [@FaerieBeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FaerieBeth)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2005, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciation-poll-how-do-you-say/334233/11 "2005-12-06T01:22:01Z")
Di-VYE-sive > [@Misnomer](#): > > Homage? Depends on how it’s being used: you pay AHM-ij to someone or something, but the act of doing so is an o-MAHZH. Yep, like that, too. NYE-jer Tuh-MAY-toe Puh-TAY-toe Skedjule jen-yoo-in ver-suh-till ---
**Author:** ![FaerieBeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e95f7d/32.png) [@FaerieBeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FaerieBeth)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2005, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciation-poll-how-do-you-say/334233/12 "2005-12-06T01:56:44Z")
Di-VYE-sive > [@Misnomer](#): > > Homage? Depends on how it’s being used: you pay AHM-ij to someone or something, but the act of doing so is an o-MAHZH. Yep, like that, too. NYE-jer Tuh-MAY-toe Puh-TAY-toe Skedjule jen-yoo-in ver-suh-till ---
**Author:** ![FaerieBeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e95f7d/32.png) [@FaerieBeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FaerieBeth)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2005, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciation-poll-how-do-you-say/334233/13 "2005-12-06T01:57:49Z")
eek. Sorry about the double!..and a double post that’s half an hour apart! How did that happen? ---
**Author:** ![partlycloudy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/partlycloudy/32/3114_2.png) [@partlycloudy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/partlycloudy)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2005, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciation-poll-how-do-you-say/334233/14 "2005-12-06T02:06:28Z")
di - VYE - sive AHM - ij NYE - jer to-MAY-toe SKEDJ-yule JEN-yoo-in VER-suh-tile * * * Urinal: YER-inal (my Brit friends say “yer-AYE-nal”) Oregano: or-AY-gano (Brit friends: “oreg-AH-no”) Aluminum: al-OO-minum (Brit friends: “aloo-MIN-yum”) Aunt: Ant, not ONT Route: Root, not r-OUT (although I sometimes alternate with this one) Caramel: CARE-amel, not CAR-mel I’ll try to think of more. This is fun. 🙂 ---
**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:** [December 6, 2005, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciation-poll-how-do-you-say/334233/15 "2005-12-06T02:22:55Z")
> [@LoganDear](#): > > Aluminum: al-OO-minum (Brit friends: “aloo-MIN-yum”) Well, to be fair, they _do_ spell it “aluminium.” 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Zoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a4c791/32.png) [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2005, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciation-poll-how-do-you-say/334233/16 "2005-12-06T03:59:19Z")
How about these two: 1. greasy (Is it gree-see or is it gree-zee?) 2. processes (Is it PRAH-sess-es or is it prah cess EES?) ---
**Author:** ![Ice\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@Ice\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2005, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciation-poll-how-do-you-say/334233/17 "2005-12-06T05:16:21Z")
Greasy: GREE-see. (But I have heard GREE-zee with regard to conditions such as roads.) Processes: PRO - sess - sees when it’s a noun, PRO - sess - ehs when it’s a verb. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2005, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciation-poll-how-do-you-say/334233/18 "2005-12-06T05:52:16Z")
I love these threads. I am always amazed at how differently people pronounce things. So… Divisive: Dih-VIZZ-ihv. Homage: HOME-udj. (oh-MAZH? Seriously?) Niger: NI-jur. I now know that it is nee-ZHEHR because Niger is a ex-French country and the adjective form is Nigerien (ne-ZHEHR-ee-\), but I can’t quite tell my eyes that. Especially since the ex-English country of Nigeria is right next door. Tourist: TOO-ur-isst. Tomato: tuh-MAY-doe. Schedule: SKED-jool or SHED-jool. Varies. Genuine: JEN-yoo-in Versatile: VER-suh-TI-ul. Urinal: YER-in-uhl. Oregano: or-EGG-uhn-oh. Aluminum: a-LOO-min-uhm. Aunt: ant. Route: root. In a related series: router = ROO-durr if it’s the computer networking equipment that sends pieces of informationh down different routes, and RAU-durr if it’s the power tool that puts grooves in wood. Caramel: CARE-uh-muhl. Greasy: GREE-see. All the time. Processes: PRO-sess-sess when it’s a noun or verb. I have heard people in academia use PRO-sess-eez for the plural of the noun though. Now here’s a good one: Secretary: SEK-reh-TAIR-ee. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Giant\_Spongess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/94ad74/32.png) [@Giant\_Spongess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giant_Spongess)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2005, 8:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciation-poll-how-do-you-say/334233/19 "2005-12-06T08:39:30Z")
Another thing: the proper way to say Oregon is ORE-g’n, not Ore-GON. Damn Easterners never get it right. ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2005, 9:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciation-poll-how-do-you-say/334233/20 "2005-12-06T09:41:41Z")
> [@Giant\_Spongess](#): > > Another thing: the proper way to say Oregon is ORE-g’n, not Ore-GON. Damn Easterners never get it right. Do you pronounce New York and Boston the way the locals do? He said, while picturing you in your corset… [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciation-poll-how-do-you-say/334233.md?page=2)