How do you pronounce.......?

[ScottR]

I live far away from home where English is a second language. So I hear all different pronunciations of different words. I always pronounce chaeto as “chay-tow” but I’ve heard people say it as “cheeto” (like the orange things). I saw BRS say it as “kay-tow” I’m assuming the latter is correct. ~~~ also, people write it as cheato all the time, I think ppl see it spelled like this so much they just copy it.

Also, how to pronounce “chromis” - the fish? And is the plural of this the same as the singular?

Thanks!

 

[Phycodurus]

i’ve always pronounced it “KAY-toe” since i equate it to the same stem as in “polychaete worms” and “chaetomorpha” algae. i’m not sure how long the ‘soft’ pronunciation has been around (“chay-tow”).

i pronounce “chromis” with a hard ‘k’ sound as in ‘chromatic.’ I treat the plural same as the singular.

 

[AcroNem]

It's Kay-tow. And it's pronounced Crow-mis. Chromis is a Genus, which In itself won't have a plural, so just say Chromis followed by the species, or if you're referring to blue green Chromis (Chromis viridis) just the genus is fine for normal use

 

[ScottR]

Excellent replies! Thanks!

 

[Phycodurus]

“KEY-toe” may actually be more orthodox in biological literature.

Chaetomorpha / KEY-toe-morpha
Polychate / ˈpä-lē-kēt
Chaetognaths / KEY-toe-naths
chae·toph·o·rous / key-TÄF-(ə)rəs

 

[ScottR]

“KEY-toe” may actually be more orthodox in biological literature.

Chaetomorpha / KEY-toe-morpha
Polychate / ˈpä-lē-kēt
Chaetognaths / KEY-toe-naths
chae·toph·o·rous / key-TÄF-(ə)rəs

I’m an English teacher, so this really interests me.

 

[Phycodurus]

i’m an armchair linguist myself ... etymology fascinates me.

 

[ScottR]

i’m an armchair linguist myself ... etymology fascinates me.

Me too! I took a course in Latin once. Probably the only course that interested me in all my studies. I also teach IPA... but I hate it. I always need to brush up on it.

 

[Hemmdog]

I say chay-tow
Chrome- is(snake hissing s) lol

 

[ScottR]

I say chay-tow
Chrome- is(snake hissing s) lol

I always pronounced it like this. But heard a guy say “chromey” - rhymes with homey ;Hilarious

 

[Phycodurus]

Me too! I took a course in Latin once. Probably the only course that interested me in all my studies. I also teach IPA... but I hate it. I always need to brush up on it.

“Latin’s a dead language,
As dead as it can be.
First it killed the Romans,
Now it’s killing me!”

(sorry, couldn’t resist) ;Hilarious

 

[Hemmdog]

I always pronounced it like this. But heard a guy say “chromey” - rhymes with homey ;Hilarious

Lol, I’ve heard them called that too. Reefer slang I suppose, haha.

 

[ScottR]

“Latin’s a dead language,
As dead as it can be.
First it killed the Romans,
Now it’s killing me!”

(sorry, couldn’t resist) ;Hilarious

Lol. It’s useful to know, as many English words are rooted in Latin. For example polychaeta: poly meaning “many” and chaetae meaning “bristles”. Latin is basically just a hitchhiker. Literally!

 

[L Sean Hubbard]

I too am an English teacher. Etymology is fascinating, but at the end of the day we kinda have to realize that language is never static and pronunciations change over time. The pronunciation (or mispronunciation) of chaeto, could potentially become a linguistic marker signifying ones adherence to the reefing community.

 

[ScottR]

I too am an English teacher. Etymology is fascinating, but at the end of the day we kinda have to realize that language is never static and pronunciations change over time. The pronunciation (or mispronunciation) of chaeto, could potentially become a linguistic marker signifying ones adherence to the reefing community.

Or perhaps a pronunciation gone astray?

 

[Entz]

I have been forcing myself to say kay-tow

I always pronounced it like this. But heard a guy say “chromey” - rhymes with homey ;Hilarious

I am one of those ... Chromey-s like homies

What about Mysis... I have always gone with My-sis . Some do Mee-sis...

 

[Jon Fishman]

i’m an armchair linguist myself ... etymology fascinates me.

You like bugs huh?

 

[madweazl]

I call it chay-tow and I'm always right...

 

[BadFish619]

I say chay-toe. Kinda the way I heard it first and I can't move on to kay-toe now, it's too late

 

[Scotty Buttons]

“KEY-toe” may actually be more orthodox in biological literature.

Chaetomorpha / KEY-toe-morpha
Polychate / ˈpä-lē-kēt
Chaetognaths / KEY-toe-naths
chae·toph·o·rous / key-TÄF-(ə)rəs

I believe all this too be correct, but then again I couldn't even pronounce my own name until I was nine.