# Pronunciations even experts disagree on **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 8, 2023, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciations-even-experts-disagree-on/977898 "2023-01-08T23:50:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 10
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2023, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciations-even-experts-disagree-on/977898/181 "2023-01-15T19:32:39Z")
> [@RivkahChaya](#): > > “Dour” has a diphthong, but it sounds almost like “door.” Today I learned. Thank you. ---
**Author:** ![alovem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b38774/32.png) [@alovem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alovem)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2023, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciations-even-experts-disagree-on/977898/182 "2023-01-15T20:02:13Z")
Merriam-Webster’s accepts both (“dower” and “doer”), but Cambridge has the “doer” pronunciation for UK and US. ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2023, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciations-even-experts-disagree-on/977898/183 "2023-01-15T20:05:16Z")
> [@Bootb](#): > > Is Charon pronounced “Karen” or “Sharon”? People differ. The ancient Greek “chi” is really khi. In English it’s supposed to be /k/. But nobody learns ancient Greek any more, and French is sexier anyway, amiright I recently saw a production of _Antony and Cleopatra_ in which Charmian’s ancient Greek name is said /ˈʃɑrmiən/ instead of /ˈkɑrmiən/. No historical basis, but it’s fashionable, I guess. ---
**Author:** ![Guapo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ed655f/32.png) [@Guapo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guapo)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2023, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciations-even-experts-disagree-on/977898/184 "2023-01-15T21:38:43Z")
I’ve never heard it pronounced other than like “dower”. Or maybe I have, and thought it was a different word ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2023, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciations-even-experts-disagree-on/977898/185 "2023-01-15T22:13:29Z")
I’m curious how any UK or Canadian dopers pronounce the women’s name “Dahlia.” I heard it first in connection with the movie _Blue Dahlia_, and the murder victim “Black Dahlia.” So when I saw it in PG Wodehouse, because Bertie has an aunt Dahlia, I heard it the same way in my head “DAHL-ya.” Then, years later, I got an Audible version of a Wodehouse, and was surprised to hear it pronounced “DAYL-ya.” FWIW, I like the UK version better. ---
**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:** [January 16, 2023, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciations-even-experts-disagree-on/977898/186 "2023-01-16T00:13:03Z")
Around here (Chicago)I’ve only ever heard “dour” to rhyme with “sour.” I won’t change it, as nobody here would know what the hell I was talking about otherwise. ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2023, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciations-even-experts-disagree-on/977898/187 "2023-01-16T00:58:19Z")
I think I pronounce it to rhyme with “sour”, but it’s not a very common word in conversation. I’m actually not sure if I’ve ever heard it spoken. ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2023, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciations-even-experts-disagree-on/977898/188 "2023-01-16T01:12:46Z")
> [@RivkahChaya](#): > > I’m curious how any UK or Canadian dopers pronounce the women’s name “Dahlia.” I heard it first in connection with the movie _Blue Dahlia_, and the murder victim “Black Dahlia.” So when I saw it in PG Wodehouse, because Bertie has an aunt Dahlia, I heard it the same way in my head “DAHL-ya.” Then, years later, I got an Audible version of a Wodehouse, and was surprised to hear it pronounced “DAYL-ya.” I don’t think I have ever encountered it as a name in real life in the U.K., but we certainly say the flower the second way. Do you say the flower as well as the personal name the first way? ---
**Author:** ![Mark\_Finn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/34f0e0/32.png) [@Mark\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mark_Finn)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2023, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciations-even-experts-disagree-on/977898/189 "2023-01-16T05:57:03Z")
I heard a BBC news announcer pronounce “controversy” with the accent on the second syllable. I always accent the first syllable. “Mis-CHEE-vee-us” - is this a permissible pronunciation? ROWT or ROOT (for “route”)? I always use ROOT unless it’s referring to a computer “router” which i pronounce ROW-ter. Do you get your kicks on ROWT 66? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2023, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciations-even-experts-disagree-on/977898/190 "2023-01-16T06:08:35Z")
> [@Mark\_Finn](#): > > I heard a BBC news announcer pronounce “controversy” with the accent on the second syllable. I always accent the first syllable. That’s the British pronunciation. It kind of makes more sense to me than the American way. > [@Mark\_Finn](#): > > “Mis-CHEE-vee-us” - is this a permissible pronunciation? Not in my book. It’s spelled misch **i** evous, not mischev **i** ous. > [@Mark\_Finn](#): > > ROWT or ROOT (for “route”)? Both are equally correct, and I go back and forth. Speaking of conTROversy, my Venezuelan almost-B-I-L pronounces the word “subsequent” as “sub-'SEE-quent”. I find it very quaintly endearing. I have no idea if that’s the way it’s actually pronounced anyplace. ---
**Author:** ![MacSpon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/34f0e0/32.png) [@MacSpon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacSpon)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2023, 8:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciations-even-experts-disagree-on/977898/191 "2023-01-16T08:18:22Z")
> [@markn\_1](#): > > “80486” is (was) always pronounced “eighty-(pause)-four-eighty-six”, not “eight-oh-four-eight-six” or any other variant. Funnily enough, I _do_ always say “eight-oh-four-eight-six.” No idea how _rara avis_ I may be. There’s a mainframe system called CICS which is very commonly used, um, wherever people still use mainframes. Here in New Zealand, it’s invariably pronounced “kicks”, but I hear tell that in the US, it’s always spelled out, “see-eye-cee-ess”. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2023, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciations-even-experts-disagree-on/977898/192 "2023-01-16T15:02:53Z")
> [@needscoffee](#): > > > [@Mark\_Finn](#): > > > > “Mis-CHEE-vee-us” - is this a permissible pronunciation? > > Not in my book. It’s spelled misch **i** evous, not mischev **i** ous. Right. But it’s extremely common, so it’s one of those words that makes me wonder how common a mispronunciation or a misspelling has to be before it’s considered an acceptable variant. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2023, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciations-even-experts-disagree-on/977898/193 "2023-01-16T15:05:29Z")
> [@MacSpon](#): > > Here in New Zealand, it’s invariably pronounced “kicks”, but I hear tell that in the US, it’s always spelled out, “see-eye-cee-ess”. I’ve heard “kicks” here in the US, but that’s definitely the minority pronunciation. Or at least it was when I was dealing with mainframes semi-regularly 30+ years ago. Nowadays? I have no clue. ---
**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:** [January 16, 2023, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciations-even-experts-disagree-on/977898/194 "2023-01-16T15:17:32Z")
One of my favorite cooking channels on YouTube is Chinese Cooking Demystified. However, one thing that always causes me to flinch is the guy (Chris) constantly pronounces “component” as “COM-po-nent” instead of “com-PO-nent.” I have no idea where that pronunciation comes from – it doesn’t seem to be listed in either US or UK dictionaries. ---
**Author:** ![Tibby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tibby/32/17030_2.png) [@Tibby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tibby)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2023, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciations-even-experts-disagree-on/977898/195 "2023-01-16T15:30:59Z")
I’ve always spelled mischievus mischievous correctly, but most often pronounced it _mis-CHEE-vee-us_. I was mortified when I learned this pronunciation was incorrect. I reeled back my mind, remembering all the times I said the word wrong, and grimaced a lot while doing so. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2023, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciations-even-experts-disagree-on/977898/196 "2023-01-16T18:26:13Z")
Let’s not get started on next month. FEB-ru-air-ee or FEB-you-air-ee ? ---
**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:** [January 16, 2023, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciations-even-experts-disagree-on/977898/197 "2023-01-16T19:02:25Z")
Clearly, this is the correct answer: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/skUfQYr47QQ/maxresdefault.jpg "How To Pronounce February") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skUfQYr47QQ) 😉 For me, it’s 15 % your first pronunciation, 85% the second, depending on with whom I’m talking, I mean who I’m talking to. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2023, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciations-even-experts-disagree-on/977898/198 "2023-01-16T19:22:35Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > depending on with whom I’m talking Depending _up_on with whom one is talking. Said only with nose pointed skyward and exaggerated enunciation. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Tibby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tibby/32/17030_2.png) [@Tibby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tibby)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2023, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciations-even-experts-disagree-on/977898/199 "2023-01-16T19:57:02Z")
Ouch, you sound like an English teacher I had eons ago. I had a crush on her, despite her pedantry. …uh, this doesn’t mean I have a crush on you. Not yet, anyway. How do you look in a little black dress? ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2023, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciations-even-experts-disagree-on/977898/200 "2023-01-16T20:32:24Z")
> [@Tibby](#): > > How do you look in a little black dress? I’m pretty svelte, but the hairy legs and prominent crotch bulge kinda ruin the effect. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciations-even-experts-disagree-on/977898.md?page=9) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pronunciations-even-experts-disagree-on/977898.md?page=11)