I would just like to point out that there is no “r” in the military rank called “colonel.”
Nor is there an “f” in lieutenant.
I pronounce it “COO-pon”. The same way that little love God’s name is pronounced: “COO-pid”.
So how does she pronounce “stupid”? “Stoo-pid” or “Styou-pid”?
I didn’t realize anybody pronounced it Q-pon, but then I’m British so maybe it’s just an American thing. I don’t know how it started, there’s no justification for it in the word. Cu- is certainly pronounced Q- in many words, at least by some ( cute, culinary, cucumber, cure, etc) but cou- has no other examples of Q- pronunciation that I know of other than this. We don’t say Q-gar for cougar, Q-th for couth or unQ-th for uncouth for instance.
Still there’s no logic in language and on checking I see that OED gives Q-pon as the only American pronunciation and coo-pon for the British one.
cue - pon
I had to think for a minute.
I’ve heard it pronounced coo - Pon with a soft O. Not coo like a baby’s sound.
Another Brit here, who says “coo-pon”. Don’t think I’ve ever heard “Q-pon” from a compatriot.
nm
First of all, how do you pronounce coup, as in coup d’état? Guess what? it’s Koo. Guess what else is a french word? Coupon. Therefore it is correctly pronounced koo-pon. Only American idiots bastardize it because they can’t bother to learn about other cultures. (I admit I am usually one of those idiots, but not in this, The Most Important Of World Issues Ever)
It ain’t right with the drawl either. Nothing is right with the drawl.
DAMMIT! :smack:
Coupon, from the French word coupe, meaning cut, because you CUT THE DAMN THING OUT OF THE NEWSPAPER.
Q-pon would appear to be a case of hypercorrection.
Well guess what else? Every language alters the pronunciation of borrowed words at least somewhat. The United States is Estados Unidos in Mexico. Ramen is Lo-Mein in China. etc., etc. Anyway, the French word coupon is not pronounced q-pon, but neither is it pronounced koo-pon.
Growing up in the 60s, it was rarely pronounced coo-pon unless spoken by children, nearly always q-pon,. In the same vein the red tomato sauce was called catsup by every major company except Del Monte. The “kiddie” pronunciations seemed to start taking over in the late 70s, and early 80s, catsup succumbing to the infamous “ketchup is a vegetable” definition, which prompted all the major catsup manufacturers to change the spelling to ketchup, so as to be eligible to sell to school cafeterias.
Koo-pon would appear to be a case of what I call the “kiddification” of spoken language.
Both, oddly enough.
Just like with data (day-tuh, da-tuh), I occasionally switch with no rhyme or reason.
Koo-pon would be the default in these parts. I’ve never heard any local say kew-pon.
Never heard of Grey Pyoopon mustard.
Or is it Gray?
I grew up saying “Q-pon” because that’s how my parents said it and then I learned the correct way and that is what I say. But language is the ultimate democracy so there are really no wrong answers just less and more popular ones.
I have to wonder if those who say “kyoo-pon” also insisted on calling French fries “freedom fries”. 