Is “thee-ay-ter” another correct pronunciation of theater?
I ask because my father has recently taken to pronouncing it like that, while the rest of my family pronounces it “thee-ah-ter” (and that’s the only way I’ve ever heard it pronounced). It sounds odd, but I’ve been wondering if it is a correct pronunciation.
My high school drama teacher had a saying, “Thee never ate nobody.”
Still, some people do indeed say “thee-ate-er” (with a soft “th” like in thistle), which I think is the same as what you gave. It’s not at all new. Most folks Down Hyeah say it that way.