Nuclear Pronunciation

[PhiPsiRuss]

How should "Nuclear" be pronounced?

I always thought that it should be pronounced nu-clear.

President Bush, and former President Carter, pronounce it nu-cue-luhr.


This thread has been brought to you by the State of the Union Address.

[rainbowbrightCS]

it is nü-klE-&r per merriam-webster online....

so it is 3 syllables not two.

[sugar and spice]

The State of the Union drinking game says to take a drink whenever Bush says "nukular" and I've already taken at least four or five drinks*.

It's nu-clear by the way.


* of water

[AchtungBaby80]

You all are right...there's no second "u" in "nuclear." I'm a stickler for grammar and pronunciation, but I always used to get picked on by my British friends for saying "a-loo-mi-num" instead of "AL-yoo-min-eum." They said that was the right way...who knows.

[ISUKappa]

Originally posted by russellwarshay
President Bush, and former President Carter, pronounce it nu-cue-luhr.

I wonder if it has something to do with region since they both were from the south? (Not that I'm saying it's correct, just a thought. . .)

[Sister Havana]

Originally posted by russellwarshay
President Bush, and former President Carter, pronounce it nu-cue-luhr.

That drives me nuts too. I can't stand hearing it pronounced "nuculur."

[CarolinaCutie]

Originally posted by ISUKappa
I wonder if it has something to do with region since they both were from the south? (Not that I'm saying it's correct, just a thought. . .)

It's possible, but I don't THINK so... I don't hear it that way much around here. Of course, we don't often discuss anything nuclear! But I was born and raised in the South, and I've always said nu-clear. So I don't know?

[dzandiloo]

Originally posted by ISUKappa
I wonder if it has something to do with region since they both were from the south? (Not that I'm saying it's correct, just a thought. . .)

Well, I know there are alot of people in Texas, so I can't say with 100% certainty that that's not it...but I can say, that as I have lived in north, central and west Texas, I have NEVER heard anyone in those regions (other than 2nd graders) use the nu-cue-ler pronunciation.

It is nu-clear.

[ISUKappa]

Well, then maybe it's just their own thing--like how some people put an "r" in wash (warsh). It drives me bonkers, but my own mother does it! She is a very well-educated, gracious lady, but for some reason, it almost always comes out warsh. (I think she got it from her mother, who does the same thing.)

And I think it's nu-clee-ir (three syllables).

[rainbowbrightCS]

Originally posted by ISUKappa
And I think it's nu-clee-ir (three syllables).

it is 3 syllables. If any one would care to look it up in any dictionary they would see that nuclear is broken up in to 3 parts.

[dzsaigirl]

I lived in TX for 24.5 years and I can say that it doesn't have much to do with being southern.

My husband, who is very intelligent (getting his PhD currently from an ivy league school, in math of all things) says nu-cu-lar.

And I am SUPER picky about that stuff. My dad joked that I couldn't marry him when he first heard him say it! (Dad is engineer at NASA, also very picky!).

So yeah, I personally CANNOT STAND IT, but I'll choose my battles.

This is what REALLY gets me: Some people I work with use the words "formally" and "formerly" as if they are the same thing...oh and this one time a lady said she was going to sue for "libel" thinking that "libel" and "liable" mean the same thing...

[AlphaXi4983]

i agree... its spelled "nuclear" so say it like you see it. i personally feel that someone is uneducated when they say it "nu-cu-lar" and it bothers me so much.

[dzandiloo]

I agree in the 3 syllable thing...here's a note from the definition of nuclear on www.dictionary.com:

Usage Note: The pronunciation (nky-lr), which is generally considered incorrect, is an example of how a familiar phonological pattern can influence an unfamiliar one. The usual pronunciation of the final two syllables of this word is (-kl-r), but this sequence of sounds is rare in English. Much more common is the similar sequence (-ky-lr), which occurs in words like particular, circular, spectacular, and in many scientific words like molecular, ocular, and vascular.

[Sistermadly]

Originally posted by ISUKappa
I wonder if it has something to do with region since they both were from the south? (Not that I'm saying it's correct, just a thought. . .)

I'm southern, and I pronounce it the correct way, not the doofus way.

Oh for the love of god.

That's it folks, another round of Ammo in the Democrat's sack against President Bush, the way he pronounces the word nuclear.

You people seriousily need to get a life. As someone who does pronounce it Nuke-u-lar i will say that i'm from the South and not a doofus.

And Achtung, you're really gonna take pronunciation smack from the Brits? They really don't so much speak the language as they chew it up and spit it out.

Hmmm, i'll say that i think Dean is a doofus cuz his little "war cry" was effeminate.

Kitso
KS 361