How Do You Pronounce It?

[angelfish2]

Burgee is bur-GEE...the "G" being hard.

[Tim R.]

If you study the spelling, the correct pronunciation should be the BEE version.

Carib-bean.

Otherwise it would be spelled Car-ribean.

[denverd0n]

Well, if you're breaking it up by syllables, it's Car-ib-be-an. Four syllables. The question is whether the emphasis goes on the 2nd or the 3rd syllable.

While the dictionary says either is acceptable, the consensus of those who live there seems to be on the 3rd. And, if Bob Marley puts the emphasis on the 3rd syllable, that's more than good enough for me.

[sailorboy1]

since Marley is part of the decision process does it matter it you have toked up or not?

[Cheechako]

For me it seems to vary depending on what sentence I'm using it in!

[dianaofburlingt]

And there is the 'Turks-and-CAKE-ohs' (common) vis 'Turks-and-Cay-EE-sos' (linguistically correct) debate....

[Cheechako]

Never heard them called the latter, but who knows what someone might call it with the various Caribe dialects! Things like Mo Bettah... (much better)... but does that mean it's correct because a home town Caribe pronounces it that way?

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by dianaofburlingt

And there is the 'Turks-and-CAKE-ohs' (common) vis 'Turks-and-Cay-EE-sos' (linguistically correct) debate....

I'm curious. It would be linguistically correct in what language?

I thought Caicos was a Spanish corruption of a native Indian word so if using the Spanish pronunciation the ai would be a dipthong pronounced approximately like "aye" with a little more "e" sound at the end so CAYE cos.

Since the Spanish wiped out all the Indians in that part of the islands there's no one around to express an opinion on their pronunciation.

When I was there everyone I met said KAY cos.

Here's another one. The island of Antigua, Spanish word meaning old, pronounced anTEEgwa. But everyone I've met that lives there says anTEEguh

[dpons]

Well, if you consider that most of the current population in the Caribbean, by far, speaks Spanish and French and that both tongues pronounce it REE, I would choose that version as the most reasonable.

[Wotname]

Depends on what you want to rhyme it with

[FSMike]

"I've got a Kar-uh-bee-uhn soul
I can barely control
and some Texas hidden here in my heart"
Jimmy Buffet

Good enough for me.