Pry-us -vs- Pree-us

Prius supposedly comes from the Latin word for "to go before". My Latin is quite rusty, but for English words that are derived from Latin and end with "-ius"(radius, aquarius, etc.), the suffix is pronounced "ee-us". But I did notice on Sunday, when we were had drinks at the home of friends who are from the UK, that they referred to my car as a "Pry-us".

 

What do they know. Who taught them English, anyway?
;-)

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(KTPhil @ May 16 2007, 12:40 PM) [snapback]443448[/snapback]</div>

What makes you think they speak English at all?

Tom

 

Well how do the folks that pronounce it "prye-us" pronounce the plural form?

"Prye-eye?" "Prye-ee?"

 

Polish is quite similar to Latin in terms of pronounciation. We say Preeus here with this difference that "ee" is short.

How do they say it in Japan?

- Piotr

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(1x1 @ May 16 2007, 05:22 PM) [snapback]443414[/snapback]</div>

No we don't. Jeremy Clarkson (the TV motoring journalist) does, but I think he's just doing it to wind people up. And Toyota GB definitely pronounce it "Pree-us" in their adverts.

Mind you, there are so few of them about, I expect most people who have heard of the car have only ever seen the word in print, so wouldn't have any idea of what the pronunciation is supposed to be.

"Pree-us" would be standard Latin pronunciation. "Pry-us" would be the pronunciation if it was spelt "Praeus".

 

When i was still looking for a car, i told my friend i want a "prius".
when i got my car and showed it to her, she said,"that looks very good for a pre-used car"

Anyway ill just call it my "hybrid car","my dogs car", or "spaceship".

 

mmmmm..... don't know who you've been listening to, but in this part of the UK it is defintely pree-us not prye-us.

and.... they aren't that rare, usually see a couple of others on my daily commute.

 

Definitely saw a bunch of Pri in London when I was there, not uncommon at all, nearly as many of them as Smart cars - I never heard anyone actually pronounce it though. I work with a guy from South Africa who does say it as "Pry - us" though.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(bulek @ May 17 2007, 02:00 AM) [snapback]443468[/snapback]</div>

Japanese people don't know Latin.

We call it "plee-oo-sue".

Ken@Japan

PS. It's difficult to pronounce R sound for Japanese.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ken1784 @ May 16 2007, 02:35 PM) [snapback]443535[/snapback]</div>

Interesting, then, that they use the name "Prius" in Japan. Don't most Toyotas, Hondas and Nissans have different model names in Japan than their equivalents in the U.S.?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(tiger roach @ May 16 2007, 09:58 AM) [snapback]443464[/snapback]</div>

I would pick Pree-eye. As we pronounce radii. I've never had Latin though.

Dave M.

 

When we first got our car, I was telling a friend about it and one of them thought it was a used car that I got from a friend named Priya (which is actually the name of one of my friends).

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(1x1 @ May 16 2007, 09:22 AM) [snapback]443414[/snapback]</div>

I pronounce it Preeus like "free us" from all the horrible gas guzzlers. My wife's nephew (17 years old) pronounces it this way, "Cool!".

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(KMO @ May 16 2007, 12:11 PM) [snapback]443474[/snapback]</div>

The origin of a word is hardly relevant to its modern pronunciation in English. Think of Paris. Few English speakers would say Paree. There are numerous other examples. I'm reminded of Churchill who used to emphasise that the Cinque ports should be pronounced "sink" not like the French "cinq" (five) because the Cinque ports are in England.

I'm inclined to vote for the "Pry-us" pronunciation because it seems to come easier and sounds better to me but in the end the correct pronunciation will be that of the majority of English speakers and nobody has yet done a definitive study of this.

Lawyers will of course say "pree-us" because they're used to the Latin word used in law, but then they're a pedantic lot.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ken1784 @ May 16 2007, 11:35 AM) [snapback]443535[/snapback]</div>

Unless they are trying to pronounce "L" then it will come out as an "R" sound.

It is time we get some new officials. I can hardly wait to vote in the upcoming erections

 

say when talking about "erections" doesn't that go in the FHOP forum?

 

I had someone come up in a parking lot and ask how I liked my new "Primus" (pronounced pry-mus). how about that?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(CJs Mom @ May 17 2007, 02:34 PM) [snapback]444351[/snapback]</div>

That's funny. I had an older gentleman ask if mine was one of those new 'Pyruses' , Yarrrr!