# 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:** 2
**Author:** ![FlyingRamenMonster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@FlyingRamenMonster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlyingRamenMonster)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2005, 9:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciation-poll-how-do-you-say/334233/21 "2005-12-06T09:42:10Z")
Divisive: dih-VIZ-iv. Homage: HOME-ij (wtf is oh-madzh?) Niger: Nee-ZHER (I learned to say it like that) Tourist: TOOR-ist Tomato: tuh-muuuh-toe. (Living in both Australia and Canada has destroyed my confidence with this word and I just try to avoid saying it now because it tends to short-circuit my brain and I end up trying to say it both ways at once) Schedule: SHED-jool (I used to say it the other way but the Americans got to me, I guess) Genuine: JEN-yoo-in Versatile: VER-sa-tile Urinal: YOO-in-uhl Oregano: or-eh-GAH-no Aluminium: a-LOO-min-um (which is completely wrong, because we spell it with an I) Aunt: ahnt. Route: root (but router is pronounced “ROW-ter” (“row” rhymes with “now”) Caramel: CA-rah-mull (short A, as in cat) Greasy: GREE-see. Processes: PRO-sess-es Secretary: SEK-reh-TAIR-ee (people say this differently?) ---
**Author:** ![Dusty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a183cd/32.png) [@Dusty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dusty)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2005, 9:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciation-poll-how-do-you-say/334233/22 "2005-12-06T09:46:03Z")
divisive: di-VIE-siv homage: oh-MAHZH (noun), HAH-midge (verb) Niger: NIE-jer (country), NEE-zher (river) tomato: tuh-MAY-toh potato: puh-TAY-toh schedule: SKEH-joo-uhl genuine: JEN-yoo-in (how else can you say it?) versatile: VER-sit-uhl or VER-sih-tile, with no real distinction urinal: YOUR-in-al oregano: ah-REG-ah-noh (except in the phrase “or-eh-GAH-noh, what the hell?”) aluminum: ah-LOOM-in-um aunt: AHNT (not “ont”, but then, I don’t think people from some accents are able to hear the difference between O and AH and might hear it ONT) route: ROOT router: ROW-tuhr caramel: CAR-muhl greasy: I’m not sure, it isn’t a word I use much. I guess I’d say “GREE-see”. processes: prah-ses-EASE (“prah” isn’t quite right, but the sound is closer to “prah” than “pro”) tourist: TOUR-ist secretary: SEK-rih-TARRY Oregon: or-ih-GAHN My additions: either: EYE-thur attributes: A-trih-byouts (A like in bAt) ---
**Author:** ![Clock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e19adc/32.png) [@Clock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clock)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2005, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciation-poll-how-do-you-say/334233/23 "2005-12-06T15:48:58Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Poe-TAH-toe. 1. Spud 2.Murphy 3.Tater 😃 :eek: 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Clock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e19adc/32.png) [@Clock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clock)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2005, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciation-poll-how-do-you-say/334233/24 "2005-12-06T15:51:13Z")
> [@Misnomer](#): > > Well, to be fair, they _do_ spell it “aluminium.” 🙂 AL-YOU-MINI-UM ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2005, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciation-poll-how-do-you-say/334233/25 "2005-12-06T16:17:27Z")
Divisive: deh-VICE-iv Homage: HOM-ij, very weak on the H Niger: NIE-jer Tourist: TOOur-ist Tomato: tuh-MAY-toe Schedule: SKED-jool Genuine: JEN-yoo-in Versatile: VER-sa-til Urinal: YER-in-uhl Oregano: or-EH-gun-o Aluminum: a-LOO-min-um Aunt: ant Route: root when it’s a specific road (Route 66), rowte when it’s directions (“take this route”) Caramel: CARE-ah-mel Greasy: GREE-see. Processes: PRO-sess-es Secretary: SEK-reh-TAIR-ee Coupon: KOO-pon instead of KYOO-pon Caribbean: cah-RIB-ee-un instead of CARE-ib-BE-un Amateur: AM-a-tur instead of AM-a-chure Dinosaur: DIE-no-sar instead of DIE-no-sore ---
**Author:** ![Sal\_Ammoniac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8dc957/32.png) [@Sal\_Ammoniac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sal_Ammoniac)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2005, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciation-poll-how-do-you-say/334233/26 "2005-12-06T16:20:47Z")
> [@GorillaMan](#): > > Di-VIE-siff, HOH-midge, and NYE-jer. Ditto on the first two, but Nee-ZHAIR for the third. That’s what they say in Nee-ZHAIR, after all. NYE-jer is not incorrect, but it does tend to cause confusion with Nigeria. As if Africa didn’t have enough troubles! ---
**Author:** ![Anastasaeon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/73ab20/32.png) [@Anastasaeon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anastasaeon)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2005, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciation-poll-how-do-you-say/334233/27 "2005-12-06T16:34:05Z")
I say: VIT-a-mins, not VITE-a-mins GROSS-er-ees, not GROSH-rees PRIV-acy, not PRIVE-acy TREE, not CHREE ISS-yoo, not ISH-oo (same goes for tissue) S[H]ure, not SHORE And, like many Maritimers, when saying OUT, MOUTH, MOUSE, ABOUT - it sounds like OAT, MOATH, MOASE, and ABOAT. Etc and so on. 😉 _But we don’t say “ABOOT”_! You should hear me try to wrap my lips around a word like “antiquer”. I invent new words everytime I see that one. Antiquikater, Antiquitter, Antiquitikater… ---
**Author:** ![Godfrey\_Daniels](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Godfrey\_Daniels](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Godfrey_Daniels)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2005, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciation-poll-how-do-you-say/334233/28 "2005-12-06T21:03:32Z")
lah-yer, not loy-er (lawyer) Actually, I also slightly pronounce the ‘w’, but can’t figure out the phonetic. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2005, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciation-poll-how-do-you-say/334233/29 "2005-12-06T21:13:33Z")
> [@Sunspace](#): > > Now here’s a good one: > > Secretary: SEK-reh-TAIR-ee. 🙂 SEKker-tree. That’s one where I betray my location through my accent, the same as: Cutlery: Cuttle-ree ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2005, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciation-poll-how-do-you-say/334233/30 "2005-12-06T21:40:25Z")
> [@Zoe](#): > > 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?) [It’s Very Greasy](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000002H5G/104-1485645-8727136?v=glance) ---
**Author:** ![Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac8455/32.png) [@Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bippy_the_Beardless)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2005, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciation-poll-how-do-you-say/334233/31 "2005-12-06T21:43:16Z")
di-VYE-sive hom-age ny-jer How about marry, Mary, merry : Apparently most 'mericans pronounce all three the same. ---
**Author:** ![jastu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/43a26b/32.png) [@jastu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jastu)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2005, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciation-poll-how-do-you-say/334233/32 "2005-12-07T00:22:02Z")
Divisive: dih-vis-iv. Homage: hom-ij Niger: Nee-zher Tourist: toor-ist Tomato: tuh-mah-toe Schedule: shed-jule Versatile: ver-sa-tile Oregano: or-eh-gah-no Aunt: ahnt Route: root Caramel: ca-ram-el Secretary: sec-re-tree Greasy: gree-see Carribbean: Cah-rib-bee-an and my own additions: - Advertisement: ad-ver-tis-ment Submariner: sub-mar-in-er Neclace: neck-lis Vase: vahz ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2005, 6:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciation-poll-how-do-you-say/334233/33 "2005-12-07T06:24:45Z")
> [@LoganDear](#): > > di - VYE - sive > > AHM - ij > > NYE - jer > > to-MAY-toe > > SKEDJ-yule > > JEN-yoo-in > > VER-suh-tile I’m with that, except that NYE-jer is the river and the birdseed, and nee-ZHER is the country. The folks who live there say it that way, and I have to respect that. ---
**Author:** ![soulmurk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b782af/32.png) [@soulmurk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/soulmurk)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2005, 7:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciation-poll-how-do-you-say/334233/34 "2005-12-07T07:25:47Z")
LAH-yer? CAR-mul? ISS-yew? Some’ve y’all talk funny. > [@Ellis Dee](#): > > Quote: > > > [@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? I do 😛 But I’m a displaced Easterner who had to have the “correct” pronunciation of Oregon beaten into me. I still catch heat for CAW-fee and SAW-sidge. I’ve heard commercials for the local ski resort touting the speed of their gon-DOE-la. ---
**Author:** ![BwanaBob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bwanabob/32/2985_2.png) [@BwanaBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BwanaBob)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2005, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciation-poll-how-do-you-say/334233/35 "2005-12-07T13:36:10Z")
> [@Bippy the Beardless](#): > > marry, Mary, merry : Apparently most 'mericans pronounce all three the same. For all the crap we New Yorkers take, at least we pronounce these three words differently (and correctly) 😉 ---
**Author:** ![irishgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8edcca/32.png) [@irishgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/irishgirl)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2005, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciation-poll-how-do-you-say/334233/36 "2005-12-07T14:11:37Z")
I have borrowed other people’s lists. Processes: PRO- sess-es Divisive: dih-VYE-siv, never heard it any other way. Homage: the director’s film was an OM-ahj to the work of Hitchcock in which two characters pay HOM-ij to a saint. Niger: Nee-ZHER, because that’s the way they say it there. Tourist: toor-ist Tomato: tuh-mah-toe Schedule: shed-yule Versatile: ver-sa-tile Oregano: or-eh-GAH-no Coupon: KOO-pon Aunt: AH-nt Lawyer: LOY-er Route: root Caramel: ca-ram-el Secretary: SEC-ruh-tree Greasy: gree-see Genuine: JEN-yoo-ein Urinal: YOUR-eye-nal Aluminium: Al-you-MIN-ee-um Carribbean: Cah-rih-bee-an Advertisement: ad-VER-tiss-ment Amateur: AM-ah-Tyur Submariner: sub-MAH-rin-er Necklace: neck-liss Potato: Po-TAY-Toe Vase: vahz Tissue: TISH-you Marry: MAH-ree Mary: MAIR-ee Merry: MEH-ree vitamin: VIT-a-min Picture: PICK-tyur In parts of Northern Ireland “mummy” is “moy” and “cow” is “koo” so I got off easy. ---
**Author:** ![BarnOwl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e95f7d/32.png) [@BarnOwl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BarnOwl)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2005, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciation-poll-how-do-you-say/334233/37 "2005-12-07T14:20:06Z")
Et cetera - ECK-setra, or ETT-setter-a Nuclear - NOO-clee-er, or the, uh, other way February - FEB-roo-ary, FEB-yoo-ary Species - SPEE-sees, or SPEE-shees; some even say SPEE-shee - and not in the numismatic sense Often - OFF-in or OFT-in ---
**Author:** ![Eleanor\_of\_Aquitaine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a88e4f/32.png) [@Eleanor\_of\_Aquitaine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eleanor_of_Aquitaine)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2005, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciation-poll-how-do-you-say/334233/38 "2005-12-07T15:58:12Z")
Usually I pronounce Aunt “Ant”, but when I was a kid my great aunts were “ain’ts”: “Ain’t Lois” and “Ain’t Volie”. Probably it’s a southern US thing. Mary/marry/merry are mostly pronounced the same here - MAIR-ee. Except my grandmother pronounces the name Mary as “May-ree”. ---
**Author:** ![Sal\_Ammoniac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8dc957/32.png) [@Sal\_Ammoniac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sal_Ammoniac)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2005, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciation-poll-how-do-you-say/334233/39 "2005-12-07T16:31:32Z")
> [@Bippy the Beardless](#): > > How about > > marry, Mary, merry : Apparently most 'mericans pronounce all three the same. It’s said to be characteristic of people around Boston that they pronounce these three differently. “Marry” would have a short “a” sound, like “cat.” “Merry” has a short “e,” like “pet.” “Mary” is sort of like “Mayree.” Here’s a just-invented tongue-twister: Say “marry merry Mary” three times fast, with a Boston accent. Me, I pronounce all three the same. Don’t say “merry” much, though. ---
**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 7, 2005, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciation-poll-how-do-you-say/334233/40 "2005-12-07T17:20:43Z")
A few more… Lawyer: LOY-er. Carribbean: CARE-ih-BEE-ann, though I hear people saying kuh-RIB-ee-un. Advertisement: AD-ver-TIZE-ment. Amateur: AM-ah-chur. Submariner: sub-MAIR-in-er. Necklace: NECK-liss. Potato: Puh-TAY-doh. Vase: vahz. Tissue: TISH-oo. Mary, marry, merry: MAIR-ree. These three are pronounced the same for me. Picture: PICK-chur. Et cetera: ECK-setra. Nuclear: NOO-clee-er. February: FEB-yoo-ary. Species - SPEE-shees. Often - OFF-in. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciation-poll-how-do-you-say/334233.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciation-poll-how-do-you-say/334233.md?page=3)