Dumb question
 

Hi, I have kind of a stupid question, but I'm a little confused. I'm a DPhiE at U of Pgh and we dont have an Alpha Phi chapter there, but I was just visting friends at West Chester University and a couple of the girls I had just met were discussing how they really wanted to pledge Alpha Phi in the fall. They were all pronouncing it "Fee" rather than "Figh" and I wondered why this was, or if they were just mistaken because they're not yet Greek. I was too embarassed to ask them as I had just met them, I am on the shy side anyway, and, as the only Greek there, I felt like I should have known!!! But I would appreciate any answers you could give me!! Thanks :D

In Greek, Phi is pronounced "fee," not "fi" after a vowel, so the correct Greek pronunciation is Alpha Fee!

Actually, it is because according to Dr. Coddington, our Founder's advisor, and a professor of ancient greek and latin, "Fee" is the proper classical greek pronounciation. It was on his advise that Alpha Phi was, and is today, pronounced "Alpha Fee."

So does this mean that sorority's like Alpha Epsilon Phi should be pronouncing it Fee as well? Because we have AEPhi on my campus and they are usually just referred to as "Phis" (Fi's)

Sorry for all the questions, I've just never heard this before!

I think that Alpha Phi is the only sorority where Phi is pronounced Fee.

It is an individual organization's choice whether to pronounce it "Fee" or "Fi." Like I said above, "Fee" is the classical greek pronounciation. That doesn't mean other groups are wrong, it just means we followed the advise of Dr. Coddington.