# When did people start pronouncing it as 'di-VISS-ive'? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 24, 2008, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-people-start-pronouncing-it-as-di-viss-ive/442491 "2008-03-24T02:11:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cagey\_Drifter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@Cagey\_Drifter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cagey_Drifter)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2008, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-people-start-pronouncing-it-as-di-viss-ive/442491/1 "2008-03-24T02:11:31Z")
Seriously, it’s getting on my nerves. I’ve never heard this pronunciation of “divisive” before this election season. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2008, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-people-start-pronouncing-it-as-di-viss-ive/442491/2 "2008-03-24T03:58:34Z")
Probably the same people who say “ex-PEER-i-ment.” ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2008, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-people-start-pronouncing-it-as-di-viss-ive/442491/3 "2008-03-24T04:12:35Z")
My American Heritage 3rd edition, 1992, gives _di vi’ siv,_ long i, as the only pronunciation. My Encarta 1st edition, 2001, gives _di vissiv_ as the only pronunciation. Somebody will now blame it on the Clintons. But it ain’t new. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2008, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-people-start-pronouncing-it-as-di-viss-ive/442491/4 "2008-03-24T04:29:12Z")
Is div-EYE-siv out now? ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2008, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-people-start-pronouncing-it-as-di-viss-ive/442491/5 "2008-03-24T05:23:21Z")
I say it ‘dih-VIH-ziv’. That’s not in there at all, is it? ---
**Author:** ![Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/96bed5/32.png) [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patty_O_Furniture)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2008, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-people-start-pronouncing-it-as-di-viss-ive/442491/6 "2008-03-24T12:31:23Z")
I can see this issue is going to cause disunity and dissension among the dopers. ---
**Author:** ![raindog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@raindog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raindog)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2008, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-people-start-pronouncing-it-as-di-viss-ive/442491/7 "2008-03-24T13:04:44Z")
[QUOTE=Patty O’Furniture] I can see this issue is going to cause disunity and dissension among the dopers. [/QUOTE] and divisiveness too. ---
**Author:** ![BarnOwl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e95f7d/32.png) [@BarnOwl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BarnOwl)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2008, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-people-start-pronouncing-it-as-di-viss-ive/442491/8 "2008-03-24T13:22:16Z")
[QUOTE=Cagey Drifter] Seriously, it’s getting on my nerves. I’ve never heard this pronunciation of “divisive” before this election season. [/QUOTE] There are two accepted pronunciations. Your way and that strange way. See/hear for yourself: [http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/divisive](http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/divisive) ---
**Author:** ![NinetyWt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/cc9497/32.png) [@NinetyWt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinetyWt)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2008, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-people-start-pronouncing-it-as-di-viss-ive/442491/9 "2008-03-24T16:39:15Z")
[QUOTE=Sunspace] I say it ‘dih-VIH-ziv’. That’s not in there at all, is it? [/QUOTE] Yah, but you talk all weird an’ stuff. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2008, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-people-start-pronouncing-it-as-di-viss-ive/442491/10 "2008-03-24T16:54:10Z")
So how do you non-English speakers pronounce **division**? ---
**Author:** ![filmyak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/94ad74/32.png) [@filmyak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filmyak)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2008, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-people-start-pronouncing-it-as-di-viss-ive/442491/11 "2008-03-24T17:30:37Z")
Add Subtract Multiply Divide Not dihvihd div-eye-sive sounds great. The other way sucks. That’s my official ruling. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2008, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-people-start-pronouncing-it-as-di-viss-ive/442491/12 "2008-03-24T19:47:32Z")
I also say ‘dih-VIZH-n’. I do say ‘dih-VIDE’ though. [QUOTE=NinetyWt] Yah, but you talk all weird an’ stuff. [/QUOTE] Me tok normall. Its u gaiz that havv th’ aksents. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2008, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-people-start-pronouncing-it-as-di-viss-ive/442491/13 "2008-03-24T20:04:52Z")
Funny, I was just thinking about this the other day. I say di-VIE-sive. Reminds me of the Clarence Thomas/Anita Hill episode when people argued about whether it was ha-RASS-ment or HAR-ass-ment. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2008, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-people-start-pronouncing-it-as-di-viss-ive/442491/14 "2008-03-24T23:31:42Z")
[QUOTE=John Mace] Funny, I was just thinking about this the other day. I say di-VIE-sive. Reminds me of the Clarence Thomas/Anita Hill episode when people argued about whether it was ha-RASS-ment or HAR-ass-ment. [/QUOTE] For me it’s die-vie-sive. I couldn’t even figure out what word the OP meant at first! Who’s been saying di-viss-ive, the candidates or their critics? I haven’t heard that pronunciation yet. ---
**Author:** ![Cagey\_Drifter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@Cagey\_Drifter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cagey_Drifter)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2008, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-people-start-pronouncing-it-as-di-viss-ive/442491/15 "2008-03-25T00:22:28Z")
[QUOTE=John Mace] Funny, I was just thinking about this the other day. I say di-VIE-sive. Reminds me of the Clarence Thomas/Anita Hill episode when people argued about whether it was ha-RASS-ment or HAR-ass-ment. [/QUOTE] To which some wise guy once replied, “Well, if it’s her ass, then it should be harassment.” ---
**Author:** ![Cagey\_Drifter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@Cagey\_Drifter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cagey_Drifter)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2008, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-people-start-pronouncing-it-as-di-viss-ive/442491/16 "2008-03-25T00:24:19Z")
[QUOTE=elfkin477] For me it’s die-vie-sive. I couldn’t even figure out what word the OP meant at first! Who’s been saying di-viss-ive, the candidates or their critics? I haven’t heard that pronunciation yet. [/QUOTE] I’ve heard it from Obama, Hillary Clinton, and hundreds of talking heads on TV.