Why is the phi in alpha phi pronounced fee and not fye

[amanda6035]

Originally Posted by AOE2AlphaPhi

Actually, I was told that it was the proper pronunciation of Phi following a vowel, but I've heard something else too. I think there's another thread about it on here somewhere.

this is what I've always heard too. Same with the letter Xi. Alpha *Zee* Delta, but for example, two chapters near here are Delta Xi and Zeta Xi and the Xi is pronouced *zye* for both of those.

I'd be interested to know how the girls in the local Zeta Xi Delta pronounce their Xi...

[Drolefille]

Paging MysticCat!

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by Drolefille

Paging MysticCat!

You called? Just when I was headed to bed, too, so I'll stick to the short explanation.

Which is, basically, rufio and honeychile are right. It has nothing to do with coming after a vowel, (or technically, after the name of a vowel) -- that's a Greek Urban legend. The name of F is spelled Fi in Greek, and the Iota, like "i" in most European languages other than English, represents an "ee" sound, not an "eye" sound. So, "FEE" is the Greek pronunciation. Always. "FYE" is an anglicized, mainly American, pronunciation. The Alpha Phis chose to use the Greek pronunciations, while most of the rest of us use anglicized pronunciations.

And in case anyone is wondering, the correct pronuncitions of the names of the letters X, P, C and Y are "KSEE" (pronoucing both the K and the S), "PEE," "CHEE" (with the "ch" like in Scottish "loch") and "PSEE" (pronouncing both the P and the S).

Now, that really was short for me.

[AlwaysSAI]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

You called? Just when I was headed to bed, too, so I'll stick to the short explanation.

Which is, basically, rufio and honeychile are right. It has nothing to do with coming after a vowel, (or technically, after the name of a vowel) -- that's a Greek Urban legend. The name of F is spelled Fi in Greek, and the Iota, like "i" in most European languages other than English, represents an "ee" sound, not an "eye" sound. So, "FEE" is the Greek pronunciation. Always. "FYE" is an anglicized, mainly American, pronunciation. The Alpha Phis chose to use the Greek pronunciations, while most of the rest of us use anglicized pronunciations.

And in case anyone is wondering, the correct pronuncitions of the names of the letters X, P, C and Y are "KSEE" (pronoucing both the K and the S), "PEE," "CHEE" (with the "ch" like in Scottish "loch") and "PSEE" (pronouncing both the P and the S).

Now, that really was short for me.

See, I knew about I(ee)ota, but I didn't know about X, P, C and Y. So, it's really, Chee Omega. And Kappa Kappa Ksee. And Phee Sigma Pee. You know a friend of mine told me that P but I thought he was just making a joke cuz he's a little anti greek.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by AlwaysSAI

See, I knew about I(ee)ota . . .

Well, of course you did, my dear SAI. Although in Greek, the Iota and the Omega form a "rising diphthong" (two vowel sounds pronounced together with the emphasis on the second vowel sound), so that the Iota becomes a gliding semivowel and the word is pronounced "YOTA."

Now, if that wasn't enough Greek letter trivia of the day:

Did you know that Omega and Omicron simply mean "Big O" or "Great O" (O mega) and "Little O" (O mikron)?

[amanda6035]

Soooo....

according to what you guys are saying, my chapter is calling our chapter designation "wrong"? Hahah. Iota Theta, but we pronounce it eye-oh-ta.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by amanda6035

Soooo....

according to what you guys are saying, my chapter is calling our chapter designation "wrong"? Hahah. Iota Theta, but we pronounce it eye-oh-ta.

Nah. You may not be using accepted Greek pronunciation, but (like most GLOs), you're using accepted anglicized/American pronunciation.

Most GLOs pronounce it "eye-o-ta." As AlwaysSAI alludes to, however, SAI does not.

[honeychile]

Originally Posted by AlwaysSAI

See, I knew about I(ee)ota, but I didn't know about X, P, C and Y. So, it's really, Chee Omega. And Kappa Kappa Ksee. And Phee Sigma Pee. You know a friend of mine told me that P but I thought he was just making a joke cuz he's a little anti greek.

Not necessarily. If your GLO is accustomed to using the English pronounciation, then that's fine. If they prefer the Greek, that's fine, too. Think of it as an accent - just because you know an (American) sweater is an (English) jumper, it would sound affected if you said "jump-ah", wouldn't it?

[AlwaysSAI]

Originally Posted by honeychile

Not necessarily. If your GLO is accustomed to using the English pronounciation, then that's fine. If they prefer the Greek, that's fine, too. Think of it as an accent - just because you know an (American) sweater is an (English) jumper, it would sound affected if you said "jump-ah", wouldn't it?

I was refering to speaking it correctly, in greek. I understand the anglecan-asion of it, but like, to really speak the greek.

[AOII Angel]

Originally Posted by AlwaysSAI

See, I knew about I(ee)ota, but I didn't know about X, P, C and Y. So, it's really, Chee Omega. And Kappa Kappa Ksee. And Phee Sigma Pee. You know a friend of mine told me that P but I thought he was just making a joke cuz he's a little anti greek.

Iota sounds more like Yota than EEota. Alpha Omicron Pee sounds funny, so I'm glad we use the anglicized version!

[AOII Angel]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

Well, of course you did, my dear SAI. Although in Greek, the Iota and the Omega form a "rising diphthong" (two vowel sounds pronounced together with the emphasis on the second vowel sound), so that the Iota becomes a gliding semivowel and the word is pronounced "YOTA."

Now, if that wasn't enough Greek letter trivia of the day:

Did you know that Omega and Omicron simply mean "Big O" or "Great O" (O mega) and "Little O" (O mikron)?

Originally Posted by AOII Angel

Iota sounds more like Yota than EEota. Alpha Omicron Pee sounds funny, so I'm glad we use the anglicized version!

Somehow I missed your post, Mystic Cat! I probably just didn't see that there was a whole second page of posts. Wow...it's amazing how often this subject comes up!!

[TSteven]

Originally Posted by AZ-AlphaXi

The official pronunciation of Alpha Xi Delta is Alpha KSEE Delta .. but usually said Alpha ZEE Delta and as far as I know every chapter of Alpha Xi Delta says ZEE ... some do say Zye for their chapter name - as in Zeta Zye for the chapter at Auburn but it was Zee chapter at the University of Kentucky.

Boy, did I ever learn that pronunciation!

The Sigma Alpha Iota chapter at the hometown university hosts an all campus sing competition. While the judges are tallying their votes, the SAIs perform and would end their performance with a very lovely - and quite slow - song about their sisterhood. At the end of the song, they sing "Sigma Alpha Iota" and would always draw out Iota. More or less as in "E-O-TA". At first, I figured it was all the Southern accents. Later I was informed by SAI friends of the correct pronunciation.

Originally Posted by amanda6035

this is what I've always heard too. Same with the letter Xi. Alpha *Zee* Delta, but for example,

Are you saying when you say Alpha Xi Delta you pronounce Zee not Xi? Just asking becasue at my school they say Alpha Xi Delta but when saying the letters they say it as AZD but write AXD. Always had wondered why they said Zee instead of Xi. Same with Alpha Phi.

[amanda6035]

Originally Posted by PhiKapSkulls

Are you saying when you say Alpha Xi Delta you pronounce Zee not Xi? Just asking becasue at my school they say Alpha Xi Delta but when saying the letters they say it as AZD but write AXD. Always had wondered why they said Zee instead of Xi. Same with Alpha Phi.

ummm....we pronounce the Xi as "zee" not "zye."

Yes, we say AZD, because Xi is pronounced Zee. AZD is the pronounced the same was a AXiD (Ay Zee Dee) but we are not Alpha 'Zeta' Delta so when we write it out we write wither AXD or AXiD. (or better yet, use the actual greek letters).


ETA: Wanted to share my FAVORITE Alpha Xi song....It'll clear some of this up (haha)

*To the tune of the Oscar Mayer song...*

My sorority has a first name.....It's A-L-P-H-A
My sorority has a last name.....It's D-E-L-T-A
The middle name is hard, you see
It's spelled X-I, pronounced ZEEEEEEE
*fast* A-L-P-H-A-X-I, D-E-L-T-A, goodbye!

[AnchorAlumna]

For chapter namess, we sometimes pronounce Xi "Zye" and sometimes "Zee." And many of our our Michigan chapter members seem to pronounce their chapter name name "Beta Eks-zye." Doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason to it.

MystiCat, thanks so much for the lesson. Fascinating!