# Yaaarghh! It's pronounced SUB-SID-I-ARY, goddammit!! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 20, 2011, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yaaarghh-its-pronounced-sub-sid-i-ary-goddammit/568284 "2011-01-20T03:44:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2011, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yaaarghh-its-pronounced-sub-sid-i-ary-goddammit/568284/61 "2011-01-25T15:45:19Z")
> [@california\_jobcase](#): > > Don’t get me started on the Food Network and plantains. Until I looked it up just now, I had no idea of the so-called “correct” pronunciation (PLAN-tin). I don’t recall ever _once_ hearing or saying it any other way than plan-TAIN. How long before the way _everybody_ says it _all_ the time becomes the right way? ---
**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:** [January 25, 2011, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yaaarghh-its-pronounced-sub-sid-i-ary-goddammit/568284/62 "2011-01-25T16:42:22Z")
I never saw a plantain until '84 or so. I grew up in east central Indiana and learned the word in elementary school. We used dictionaries daily back then. ---
**Author:** ![kbear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4491bb/32.png) [@kbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kbear)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2011, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yaaarghh-its-pronounced-sub-sid-i-ary-goddammit/568284/63 "2011-01-25T16:49:36Z")
My pilates instructor is always giving me exercises to help with my obelisk muscles. If you know him it’s kind of cute but I’d like to think I could expect better from someone who is supposed to have studied anatomy. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2011, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yaaarghh-its-pronounced-sub-sid-i-ary-goddammit/568284/64 "2011-01-25T22:05:48Z")
I worked for a Japanese company and used polypropylene as often as possible, just to hear them pronounce it. ---
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2011, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yaaarghh-its-pronounced-sub-sid-i-ary-goddammit/568284/65 "2011-01-25T22:32:49Z")
> [@Napkin\_Sandwich](#): > > …and during labor the cervix can either dialate or even sometimes **dilatate**. (I heard both of those from different medical professionals). (My bolding) Dilatate and dilatation are in fact legitimate words, particularly when applied to the birthing process. ---
**Author:** ![Harborwolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Harborwolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harborwolf)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2011, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yaaarghh-its-pronounced-sub-sid-i-ary-goddammit/568284/66 "2011-01-26T00:26:57Z")
Try working in food: bal_sal_mic, eye-talian, chipoltee, chili con kwiso/kwayso. I got into an argument with a coworker over how gnocchi is pronounced. I might not have it right, but I’m pretty sure it’s not pronounced guh-nich-chee. And Mulligatawny? Forget about it. They give up. “Mulliga…mully…moo…what’s that one?” Unrelated to food, my boss says jag-wire instead of jaguar. Drives me up the wall. ---
**Author:** ![jasonh300](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/46a35a/32.png) [@jasonh300](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasonh300)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2011, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yaaarghh-its-pronounced-sub-sid-i-ary-goddammit/568284/67 "2011-01-26T03:40:49Z")
I sell printing supplies and frequently get callers asking for ink and toner **cartlidges**. (I still want to know what’s wrong with “expedite”). ---
**Author:** ![CanvasShoes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/74df32/32.png) [@CanvasShoes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CanvasShoes)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2011, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yaaarghh-its-pronounced-sub-sid-i-ary-goddammit/568284/68 "2011-01-26T04:38:35Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > Reminds me of the chemistry instructor I had back in Naval Nuke Power school back in '81. Kept talking about Cesmium. What did he mean to say? Sorry, I’m under the influence of a migraine, and the answer just isn’t coming to me. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Napkin\_Sandwich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/8dc957/32.png) [@Napkin\_Sandwich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Napkin_Sandwich)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2011, 8:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yaaarghh-its-pronounced-sub-sid-i-ary-goddammit/568284/69 "2011-01-26T08:17:11Z")
> [@kambuckta](#): > > (My bolding) > > Dilatate and dilatation are in fact legitimate words, particularly when applied to the birthing process. Really? I concede that, but I’m holding onto my hatred of dialate. And when people dry reach. I hate dry reaching, but it’s not as uncomfortable as retching. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2011, 11:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yaaarghh-its-pronounced-sub-sid-i-ary-goddammit/568284/70 "2011-01-26T11:31:07Z")
> [@CanvasShoes](#): > > What did he mean to say? Sorry, I’m under the influence of a migraine, and the answer just isn’t coming to me. 🙂 Cesium. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2011, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yaaarghh-its-pronounced-sub-sid-i-ary-goddammit/568284/71 "2011-01-26T12:57:14Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > Could it possible come from the British practice of separating vowels with Rs? For example, “I have no idea about that” becomes "I have no **r** idear about that, instead of the more American “I have no widea 'bout that.” I’ve never heard anyone insert the graped R - AFAIK it usually only arises between similar vowel sounds (‘idea’ ends with the same vowel sound that ‘about’ starts with) ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2011, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yaaarghh-its-pronounced-sub-sid-i-ary-goddammit/568284/72 "2011-01-26T13:49:46Z")
> [@Harborwolf](#): > > Unrelated to food, my boss says jag-wire instead of jaguar. Drives me up the wall. They ran a series of car commercials a while back in which the announcer pronounced it _Jag-you-are_. I guess they don’t wan’t anybody driving a Jaguar who would be vulgar enough to say _Jag-wahr_ like 98.4% of normal people. ---
**Author:** ![CanvasShoes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/74df32/32.png) [@CanvasShoes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CanvasShoes)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2011, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yaaarghh-its-pronounced-sub-sid-i-ary-goddammit/568284/73 "2011-01-26T17:44:46Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > Cesium. Well no wonder, that’s not one that’s familiar to me. I was trying to figure out which one of the ones I deal with on a daily basis it could possibly be. Turns out. NONE Of them. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2011, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yaaarghh-its-pronounced-sub-sid-i-ary-goddammit/568284/74 "2011-01-26T18:34:17Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > I’ve never heard anyone insert the graped R - AFAIK it usually only arises between similar vowel sounds (‘idea’ ends with the same vowel sound that ‘about’ starts with) Come to think of it, I think I’ve only heard it from someone doing a lousy accent. ---
**Author:** ![GrizzRich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7ba0ec/32.png) [@GrizzRich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrizzRich)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2011, 9:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yaaarghh-its-pronounced-sub-sid-i-ary-goddammit/568284/75 "2011-01-29T09:43:59Z")
My father-in-law pronounces “Wii” as “wee two” ---
**Author:** ![Fake\_Tales\_of\_San\_Francisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8491ac/32.png) [@Fake\_Tales\_of\_San\_Francisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fake_Tales_of_San_Francisco)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2011, 11:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yaaarghh-its-pronounced-sub-sid-i-ary-goddammit/568284/76 "2011-01-29T11:05:24Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > Could it possible come from the British practice of separating vowels with Rs? For example, “I have no idea about that” becomes "I have nor idear about that, instead of the more American “I have no widea 'bout that.” Actually, I think most people would add an /w/ between ‘no’ and ‘idea’ unless they were pronouncing each word very carefully. It’s pretty difficult to stop making a sound when your lips end up rounded after the /əʊ/ in ‘no’. Say ‘no idea’ quickly several times in a row and concentrate on the hiatus. Similarly, if you’re going to pronounce the /æ/ or /ə/ in ‘about’, it’s difficult to avoid adding an /r/ in between ‘idea’ and ‘about’ when you’re talking in natural conversation. At the end of the day, they’re just sounds that make it easier to get from one place to another. You might be blessed with a dexterous tongue, vocal cords etc, but I think most of us find connected speech easier and more effective when eliding, linking sounds etc. Not a fan of most the descriptivist posts in this thread to be honest (Big T’s isn’t one of them). Just learn to lighten up. Language is a tool, and its primary concern is communication. If an idea or concept is being effectively communicated then there’s no point giving a damn about the exact pattern of sounds used to communicate it. If pronunciation causes confusion, then it’s a problem of course, and some posts describe that. But seriously. You were thinking of packing up and going home just because of that? Relax a little, it’s just words. Now, if they had an annoying voice I might understand… ---
**Author:** ![Fake\_Tales\_of\_San\_Francisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8491ac/32.png) [@Fake\_Tales\_of\_San\_Francisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fake_Tales_of_San_Francisco)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2011, 11:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yaaarghh-its-pronounced-sub-sid-i-ary-goddammit/568284/77 "2011-01-29T11:12:31Z")
Of course, I meant prescriptivist. :smack: Shoot me now. ---
**Author:** ![RadicalPi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/radicalpi/32/9806_2.png) [@RadicalPi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RadicalPi)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2011, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yaaarghh-its-pronounced-sub-sid-i-ary-goddammit/568284/78 "2011-01-30T03:29:12Z")
> [@Wheelz](#): > > They ran a series of car commercials a while back in which the announcer pronounced it _Jag-you-are_. That’s just the British pronunciation. If I’m not mistaken, the person doing the voice over was British. Nicaragua is pronounced the same way, which I find highly amusing. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2011, 7:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yaaarghh-its-pronounced-sub-sid-i-ary-goddammit/568284/79 "2011-01-30T07:08:19Z")
> [@Wheelz](#): > > They ran a series of car commercials a while back in which the announcer pronounced it _Jag-you-are_. > I guess they don’t wan’t anybody driving a Jaguar who would be vulgar enough to say _Jag-wahr_ like 98.4% of normal people. But a lot of people don’t pronounce the r, either. Jag-wah. Of course, a lot of these same people would say it like this: “Look over theyah! It’s a jagwah!” too 😉 Is it really sub-sid-I-ary? I’ve mostly heard sub-sid-E-ary. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2011, 7:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yaaarghh-its-pronounced-sub-sid-i-ary-goddammit/568284/80 "2011-01-31T07:23:10Z")
How about Renwah, the artist? You know, the one the rest of us call Renoir? Is that a British pronunciation? I could understand that, but not when Americans pronounce it that way. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yaaarghh-its-pronounced-sub-sid-i-ary-goddammit/568284.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yaaarghh-its-pronounced-sub-sid-i-ary-goddammit/568284.md?page=5)