# To what extent is "cavalry" pronounced "calvary" in the US? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 21, 2013, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-what-extent-is-cavalry-pronounced-calvary-in-the-us/650928 "2013-02-21T00:51:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**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:** [April 3, 2020, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-what-extent-is-cavalry-pronounced-calvary-in-the-us/650928/82 "2020-04-03T15:08:52Z")
> [@california\_jobcase](#): > > I’ve heard it just about as often as I’ve heard cummerbund mispronounced cumberbun, but not as often as I’ve heard plantain mispronounced plantane. I’d never heard that “plantane” was a mispronunciation. [Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/plantain) seems to say that “plantin” is the correct pronunciation for the plant but “plantane” is the correct pronunciation for the fruit. But if “plantane” were a mispronunciation, it would be a completely different variety from “calvary” or “cumberbun.” One is the kind where the person has looked at how the word is spelled and is pronouncing it based on that, without having heard it said correctly. The other is the kind where the person has **not** looked carefully at how it is spelled, and is instead basing their pronunciation either on a careless misreading of the spelling or on having heard other people say the word (wrongly). ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2020, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-what-extent-is-cavalry-pronounced-calvary-in-the-us/650928/83 "2020-04-03T15:36:07Z")
Funny thing, I just heard someone make the cavalry/Calvary mispronunciation yesterday. I had a strong urge to correct him, but I figured it wasn’t the right hill to die on. ---
**Author:** ![Kovitlac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/2bfe46/32.png) [@Kovitlac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kovitlac)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2020, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-what-extent-is-cavalry-pronounced-calvary-in-the-us/650928/84 "2020-04-03T15:48:40Z")
> [@Peremensoe](#): > > I’m not sure how you’re pronouncing “calves,” but to me that looks like a way to induce, not avoid, the mispronunciation. Because he isn’t picturing the world ‘calves’ - he’s pronouncing it, which is like, ‘cahves’. ---
**Author:** ![Ashtura](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ashtura/32/2963_2.png) [@Ashtura](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ashtura)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2020, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-what-extent-is-cavalry-pronounced-calvary-in-the-us/650928/85 "2020-04-03T16:35:24Z")
It’s kind of a “for all intensive purposes” thing. My guess is it is most common in people that don’t read a lot. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2020, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-what-extent-is-cavalry-pronounced-calvary-in-the-us/650928/86 "2020-04-03T16:55:05Z")
> [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#): > > There’s a reason the military generally shortens it to jus “cav”. “Cavalry” is just a hard word to pronounce without conscious effort. As a former member of the 1st Cav Division I never get the two words mixed up. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2020, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-what-extent-is-cavalry-pronounced-calvary-in-the-us/650928/87 "2020-04-03T18:33:52Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > [Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/plantain) seems to say that “plantin” is the correct pronunciation for the plant but “plantane” is the correct pronunciation for the fruit. A glance at their entry for cavalry suggests good ole MW isn’t going to hold a lot of weight with this crowd. I don’t think someone is ignorant if they say “send in the calvary”. If someone else jumps in with “you dumdum it’s cavalry” though, rude certainly springs to mind. Metathesis happens. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2020, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-what-extent-is-cavalry-pronounced-calvary-in-the-us/650928/88 "2020-04-03T18:40:05Z")
As a sidenote, MW gives both pronunciations for plaintain the fruit, not just ‘plantane’. ---
**Author:** ![california\_jobcase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@california\_jobcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/california_jobcase)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2020, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-what-extent-is-cavalry-pronounced-calvary-in-the-us/650928/89 "2020-04-03T18:47:03Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > I’d never heard that “plantane” was a mispronunciation. > > [Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/plantain) seems to say that “plantin” is the correct pronunciation for the plant but “plantane” is the correct pronunciation for the fruit. > > But if “plantane” were a mispronunciation, it would be a completely different variety from “calvary” or “cumberbun.” > > One is the kind where the person has looked at how the word is spelled and is pronouncing it based on that, without having heard it said correctly. > > The other is the kind where the person has **not** looked carefully at how it is spelled, and is instead basing their pronunciation either on a careless misreading of the spelling or on having heard other people say the word (wrongly). That dictionary also gives ˈplan-tᵊn as a pronunciation, and most of the rest of these dictionaries give it as the only one. [https://www.onelook.com/?w=plantain&ls=a](https://www.onelook.com/?w=plantain&ls=a) When I was a kid our teachers were high priestesses of the Funk and Wagnall’s. I remember when we looked plantains up because they were mentioned in a story we were reading. We also looked up kiln. Teacher wanted to make sure we knew the N was silent in that word. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2020, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-what-extent-is-cavalry-pronounced-calvary-in-the-us/650928/90 "2020-04-03T18:48:19Z")
> [@Ravenman](#): > > Funny thing, I just heard someone make the cavalry/Calvary mispronunciation yesterday. > > I had a strong urge to correct him, but I figured it wasn’t the right hill to die on. Aaagh!!! I see what you did there.😛 ---
**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:** [April 3, 2020, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-what-extent-is-cavalry-pronounced-calvary-in-the-us/650928/91 "2020-04-03T19:12:08Z")
> [@california\_jobcase](#): > > We also looked up kiln. Teacher wanted to make sure we knew the N was silent in that word. Wait—whaaat? “Kill”? ---
**Author:** ![california\_jobcase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@california\_jobcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/california_jobcase)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2020, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-what-extent-is-cavalry-pronounced-calvary-in-the-us/650928/92 "2020-04-03T19:36:50Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > Wait—whaaat? “Kill”? Yep. Any print dictionary from the seventies back has the first pronunciation as “kil”. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2020, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-what-extent-is-cavalry-pronounced-calvary-in-the-us/650928/93 "2020-04-03T19:37:36Z")
Never had a problem with “cavalry” myself. Used to let it slide as mispronunciation but I began seeing people \*writing \*it as “calvary”. This is to me suggestive of people who learned to read by “look-say” and decide it must be the same word, and that those of us saying “cavalry” are the ones saying nucular. ---
**Author:** ![california\_jobcase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@california\_jobcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/california_jobcase)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2020, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-what-extent-is-cavalry-pronounced-calvary-in-the-us/650928/94 "2020-04-03T19:41:51Z")
Double post error. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2020, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-what-extent-is-cavalry-pronounced-calvary-in-the-us/650928/95 "2020-04-03T20:00:14Z")
I hear plenty of people calling mounted soldiers “calvary”, but I’ve never heard anyone refer to the local basketball team as “the Calvs” or “the Cals”. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2020, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-what-extent-is-cavalry-pronounced-calvary-in-the-us/650928/96 "2020-04-04T00:29:45Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > As a former member of the 1st Cav Division I never get the two words mixed up. Well, you just pronounced cavalry “Cav”… that’s really mixed up. > [@Ravenman](#): > > Funny thing, I just heard someone make the cavalry/Calvary mispronunciation yesterday. > > I had a strong urge to correct him, but I figured it wasn’t the right hill to die on. Ha. Good decision, since he may have had a company of mounted horsemen on call… now excuse me, I hear hoofbeats on the porch, it may be Loach and his 1st _Cav_ friends… ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2020, 10:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-what-extent-is-cavalry-pronounced-calvary-in-the-us/650928/97 "2020-04-04T10:35:24Z")
Might ‘calvary’ seem slightly easier to pronounce than ‘cavalry’? Perhaps this is an example of _Metathesis_, the type of sound change for which Lyle Campbell offers as examples: parabola [Latin] \> palabra [Spanish] Gabriel \> Grabiel [Spanish dialect] brid [OE] \> bird [English] (This certainly seems more likely to me than that people confuse ‘cavalry’ with the [famous hilltop near Malibu Beach.](https://youtu.be/8IfmiKnZi3E?t=238)) ---
**Author:** ![Fretful\_Porpentine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fretful_porpentine/32/2873_2.png) [@Fretful\_Porpentine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fretful_Porpentine)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2020, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-what-extent-is-cavalry-pronounced-calvary-in-the-us/650928/98 "2020-04-04T13:31:30Z")
I always get those two words mixed up. I mean, I know the difference, but I’d have to think about it (“OK, “chevalier” has the V first, so the guys on horseback must be “cavalry,” and “Calvary” has to be the other one”), and on the one or two occasions when I’ve been on the point of saying one of those words out loud during a class lecture, I’ve had an “oh shit” moment when I realized I didn’t have time to think about it. (I’m in the Bible belt, my students would know the difference.) ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2020, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-what-extent-is-cavalry-pronounced-calvary-in-the-us/650928/99 "2020-04-04T17:19:31Z")
There’s a town in NW Ohio (near my snowbird mother’s summer residence) which suffers from this syndrome: Catawba. Everyone pronounces it “Cat-a-bwa” tho. Just try saying it the way it is spelled, and get back to me after your lips and tongue are no longer all knotted. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2020, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-what-extent-is-cavalry-pronounced-calvary-in-the-us/650928/100 "2020-04-05T17:08:08Z")
I listened to one of those Leisure Learning tapes about military history, and even the professor (whose name I don’t recall) kept referring to the “calvary”. In a way, I was hoping the same professor would do the series on the history of Christianity to see if he got that one right. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malleus_incus_stapes/32/3293_2.png) [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2020, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-what-extent-is-cavalry-pronounced-calvary-in-the-us/650928/101 "2020-04-05T22:28:19Z")
I have a tendency to mix up the order of v-l/l-v words in general. Cavalry, salivate… there was a third one I can’t remember at the moment, too. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-what-extent-is-cavalry-pronounced-calvary-in-the-us/650928.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-what-extent-is-cavalry-pronounced-calvary-in-the-us/650928.md?page=6)