Today I learned. Thank you.
Merriam-Webster’s accepts both (“dower” and “doer”), but Cambridge has the “doer” pronunciation for UK and US.
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.
I’ve never heard it pronounced other than like “dower”. Or maybe I have, and thought it was a different word
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.
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.
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.
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?
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? 
That’s the British pronunciation. It kind of makes more sense to me than the American way.
Not in my book. It’s spelled mischievous, not mischevious.
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.
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”.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Let’s not get started on next month. FEB-ru-air-ee or FEB-you-air-ee ?
Clearly, this is the correct answer:
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.
Depending upon with whom one is talking.
Said only with nose pointed skyward and exaggerated enunciation.
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?
I’m pretty svelte, but the hairy legs and prominent crotch bulge kinda ruin the effect.