How do you pronounce February?

[Rich with Kids]

I say "Feb-u-ary"

[Laura Corin]

Laura

[Excelsior! Academy]

I have recently changed from Feb-u-ary to Feb-roo-ary to help a new reader learn to spell.

[beansprouts]

I have recently changed from Feb-u-ary to Feb-roo-ary to help a new reader learn to spell.

 

It started out that way for me, and now "Feb-roo-ary" has become my habit.

[Storm Bay]

I answered the one with the r right after the b and the long u, but I taught myself to pronounce it that way when I learned how it was spelled. Before that, there was only that second r.

[Rhondabee]

nt

[Karen sn]

Same here, dd needed to hear it feb-roo-ary in order to spell it. And I say it now out of habit - and I've noticed that when I say it fast, it almost sounds like everyone's feb-u-ary.

[Amy loves Bud]

None of the above - I say Febrary with a long "a" sound.

[Rich with Kids]

None of the above - I say Febrary with a long "a" sound.

 

You must be a native Texan!

[*anj*]

Yes, I say Fe-broo-ary. I also say "li-brair-ee."

 

Laura's British pronunciation made me think that it would be interesting to find out how one's geographic location affects their pronunciation.

[DKinTX]

I'm really surprised at all the Feb-roo-arys...I never hear anyone in real life say it like that. Speaking of February...all of you should go to youtube and listen to Josh Groban sing February (Feb-you-ary) Song...it's so beautiful!

[Suzanne in ABQ]

Me too. I don't think I thought about it at all until dd started trying to read/spell it. That was eight years ago. Now it's a habit.

[Guest Lorna]

Feb-you-ray

 

Now you can hear my Scottish accent coming through. :o

[Laura Corin]

Feb-you-ray

 

Now you can hear my Scottish accent coming through. :o

 

I've always enjoyed Scots diction.

 

Laura

[Laura Corin]

Yes, I say Fe-broo-ary. I also say "li-brair-ee."

 

Laura's British pronunciation made me think that it would be interesting to find out how one's geographic location affects their pronunciation.

 

Laboratory. I think I say it Lab-O-ra-tree. Dh says it LAB-ro-tree. The trouble is that, after twenty years together, we have become unsure of what pronunciation actually goes with our respective accents and origins. Oh, I say lie-bruh-ree.

 

I'm from southern England, if that helps - Lorna has replied separately with her own British accent.

 

Laura

[Storm Bay]

I've always enjoyed Scots diction.

 

Laura

 

So have I. What's really interesting is how others hear your accent. I once watched a readers theatre presentation in the States (US) where an American was imitating a Canadian accent and it sounded so wrong to me. However, a binational/dual citizen friend of mine (I was still 100 percent Canadian citizen then) told me that that's what Canadians sound like to Amercians. Of course, there are a variety of Canadian accents. How many times have I heard Americans insist that Canadians say about in this really weird way that's not how we say it at all! I'll bet Canadians have done the same, since we think all Americans have a drawl (at least, my friends and I did);)

 

As for England, I've heard many different English accents, and where I live in New England now almost every town has its own accent.

[beansprouts]

So which pronunciation is correct?

[Plaid Dad]

So which pronunciation is correct?

 

Merriam-Webster lists feb-you-ary first, with feb-roo-ary as an alternative pronunciation.

[Kay in Cal]

Though I would disagree with them ;-)

 

There was a really interesting article I read (and lost!) online a few years back about "geek" culture and pronounciation. It was written at a sci-fi con, I believe, and one of the observations was that geeks tend to voice un-voiced consonants (we say "foLk" not "foke" for example). I would guess "Feb-RU-ary" would fall into that category as well. I think both my parents drop the R, but the analysis was that since much geek culture is print based they develop habits of pronounciation that differ from their birth families. Just reminded me of that...

[Amy loves Bud]

You must be a native Texan!

 

How'd you guess? :D

[Amy loves Bud]

Like this - Abote? I promise my dear Canadian friend says it that way. Really. I adore her accent, eh!

 

She thinks I have a drawl, but she's wrong. She's the one with the accent!

[beansprouts]

one of the observations was that geeks tend to voice un-voiced consonants (we say "foLk" not "foke" for example).

 

(I would say "foLk", not "foke".) :o

[Plaid Dad]

I may have to turn in my geek badge. I only say "foLk" when I'm speaking German! ;)

[profmom]

Merriam-Webster lists feb-you-ary first, with feb-roo-ary as an alternative pronunciation.

 

I'm so surprised! I assumed that feb-roo-ary was correct and have been saying it that way on purpose for a long time. I learned not to trust my parents' pronunciations as a child -- libary, far (fire), warsh, etc.

 

I learned about the first "r" in February by misspelling it in a spelling bee in elementary school! Several of us in a row missed it!

[Laura Corin]

Calvin says Feb-you-ree and Hobbes says Feb-ruh-ree. The perils of a two-accent family.

 

Laura

[Unicorn.]

Well, I guess I'm really odd. (I heard that!) I say Feb-you-wary. Or sometimes Feb-yuh-wary. Gotta have that W! :0)

[Storm Bay]

Merriam-Webster lists feb-you-ary first, with feb-roo-ary as an alternative pronunciation.

 

In my experience, American dictionaries put the American pronunciation first, and the others as alternatives. Since I grew up in Canada, I'm biased the other way.;) However, my Canadian parents say Feb-you-ary, so I'll go with Merriam-Webster on that--I'm guessing I taught myself the alternative one to remember how to spell it.

 

The funniest time dh and I have ever had with different pronunciations came when I was teaching my younger two about plant sprouts--dicots and monocots because my eldest had planted a sprouted apple seed she found and it had come up. Dh has a degree in forestry and I a minor in biology, so in this instance both of us have educated pronunciations. But when he heard me say the full word (dicotyledon--I think that's the spelling) he just about died laughing. When he said it his way, I nearly rolled over laughing. Naturally, I went up to check Dictionary.com with him gently teasing me over this (I'm always the one here to look this up.) Dictionary.com must be American, too, because I found my pronunciation second.:)