# quick italian pronounciation question

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-italian-pronounciation-question/286764>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [January 26, 2005, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-italian-pronounciation-question/286764 "2005-01-26T14:58:28Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![scm1001](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c4cdca/32.png) [@scm1001](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scm1001)\
**Post date:** [January 26, 2005, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-italian-pronounciation-question/286764/1 "2005-01-26T14:58:28Z")

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I am going to Sicily in three weeks. Tring to pick up a bit of italian from a phrase book. I presume the italians pronounce their island “seecheelia” rather than we would in our anglicised way “sisilia” based on “ci” sounding as “chi”. Just dont want to make a fool of myself any more than usual.

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**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 26, 2005, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-italian-pronounciation-question/286764/2 "2005-01-26T15:15:29Z")

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You are correct. see-CHEE-lyaah. Any other questions?

Ooh, I should start a thread called “Ask the Italian Gal.”

_Domandate della Ragazza Italiana_

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**Author:** ![scm1001](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c4cdca/32.png) [@scm1001](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scm1001)\
**Post date:** [January 26, 2005, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-italian-pronounciation-question/286764/3 "2005-01-26T22:01:00Z")

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grazie, johanna