Pronunciations for our hobby...

[Mr Cob]

I have heard these terms pronounced in so many different ways that I decided to take some time and find out the correct ways by first recognizing that these are mostly Latin originated terms. I used the guide mentioned in my references to determine the correct way to pronounce each. I then found a text to speech generator that resembled the correct pronunciations.

Listed in alphabetical order with the term first, followed with the phonetic pronunciation of each. In parenthesis I have noted some of the common mispronunciations and included a link below some of the terms that includes sound for the pronunciation.

Acropora: uh-KROP-or-uh (not "akro-pohra" "ak-row-POR-uh")
http://www.howjsay.com/index.php?word=Acropora&submit=Submit

Actinic: ak-TIN-ik

Aiptasia: ape-TAY-zee-ah

Algae: AL-jee
http://www.howjsay.com/index.php?word=Algae&submit=Submit

Aquarium: uh-KWAIR-ee-uhm
http://www.howjsay.com/index.php?word=aquarium

Caulerpa: kuh-LER-pah

Chaetomorpha: kee-toe-MOR-fa (not "chee-to" "kay-to" "chay-to")
http://www.howjsay.com/index.php?word=Chaetomorpha&submit=Submit

Copepod: cope-EH-pod
http://www.howjsay.com/index.php?word=Copepod

Cyano: sigh-ANN-oh

Halide: HAL-ahyd
http://www.howjsay.com/index.php?word=halide

Palythoa: pal-ee-THO-uh

Percula: perk-YOU-lah
http://www.howjsay.com/index.php?word=Percula&submit=Submit (w/out the "O")

Pseudo...: SOO-do...
http://www.howjsay.com/index.php?word=Pseudo&submit=Submit

Refugium: reh-fuj-EE-um

Ricordia: rik-or-DEE-uh

Sarcophyton: sar-co-FI-ton

Seriatopora: s-air-ee-ah-toe-PORE-ah

Stomatella: sto-muh-TELL-uh

Tridacnid: tri-DACK-nid

TUNZE: toon-zah (not "Tun-zee" "tuns")

Xenia: zee-NEE-uh

Zoanthid: zoe-ANN-thid
http://www.howjsay.com/index.php?word=Zoanthid&submit=Submit

Zooxanthellae: zoa-zann-THA-lee
http://www.howjsay.com/index.php?word=Zooxanthellae&submit=Submit


References...
Awesome Guide to "Pronunciation of Biological Latin":
http://www.saltspring.com/capewest/pron.htm (http://www.saltspring.com/capewest/pron.htm)

Research gathered from:
dictionary.reference.com (http://dictionary.reference.com)
www.howjsay.com (http://www.howjsay.com)
www.sareefkeeping.com (http://www.sareefkeeping.com)
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page)
www.nano-reef.com (http://www.nano-reef.com)
www.maast.org (http://www.maast.org)

[Mr Cob]

Note: I'm not a latin major or even an English major but I know most of these are latin names and have latin pronunciations. If we know where they originated, we can then begin to understand how to pronounce them. As if we didn't already have enough to learn.

Please feel free to add any that I may have forgotten provided you make sure it's correct. I spent a lot of time trying to put this together correctly. If you do find some errors, please let me know and we can update the list.

This should be a good reference for pronunciations.

[Jonthefishguy]

This is a very good idea, however pronounciation is based on what software you use and not entirely on its actual phonetical sound. Not every TEXT TO SPEECH software pronounces every word the same especially ACROPORA which scientists still cant agree on the correct pronounciation. Other speech software will pronounce ACROPORA as AKERPERA.

[Mr Cob]

Correct. I added the software "sound" links after doing the HARD research...so if you follow the "sound likes" you should get the correct pronunciations. I also only added the ones (text to speech) that I thought were correct.

The research was based on the correct latin pronunciations...not what the the text to speech guy sounded like! That would be too easy and non-scientific!

[Pennies2Cents]

great newsletter info.. thanks Rob! :)

[SABOB]

Thanks,I think I have mispronounced almost every word on your list.Oh well,I'm probably the only one!!!!!

[Mr Cob]

great newsletter info.. thanks Rob! :)


Cool!!!

I'm still working on the syllables to stress for each.

Tips:
Words with...
2 syllables: stressed on the first syllable
3+ syllables: stressed on the second to last syllable
...there are some exceptions though.

[jroescher]

Refugium: Reh-fuj-EE-um

Here in Texas it would be pronounced Reh-fur-EE-um.

Like Refugio, TX.

[Mr Cob]

Refugium: Reh-fuj-EE-um

Here in Texas it would be pronounced Reh-fur-EE-um.

Like Refugio, TX.

As BigBird would say "I don't care who you are, that right der is funny".

[camaroracer214]

i've heard many people pronounce algae as allergy.

[jc]

What about Tunze or halide?

[Mr Cob]

Halide was added. "TUNZE" is German so I'm figuring this one out still.

[Mr Cob]

TUNZE: Toon-zah (German)

[ErikH]

Zoo Zan Tha Lay? I thought that was the correct pronunciation?

[Mr Cob]

Zoo Zan Tha Lay? I thought that was the correct pronunciation?

I think that is new latin. Which would be:
zoo - zan - tho - ella

Same thing with Chaetomorpha... the "chae" is like "kee" and not like "chay"

I updated the list to reflect the correct phonetic ending of "lee"