Pronouncing Uranus

Percivale · Dec 25, 2020

Why don't we pronounce it like 'you're On us?' That sounds better than the alternatives and is more like the original pronunciation.

Sabertooth · Dec 25, 2020

I have always heard "you're in us," but it is harder to make middle-school jokes with that pronunciation... ⛢

Percivale · Dec 25, 2020

Sabertooth said:
I have always heard "you're in us," but it is harder to make middle-school jokes with that pronunciation... ⛢

You mean urinous? That's what the standard pronunciation sounds like to me.

Tinker Grey · Dec 25, 2020

I was taught the "naughty" one: ur anus. I "can't" say it any other way.

But, changing the pronunciation of words to prevent 5th-graders giggling is a road I don't want to go down.

OldWiseGuy · Dec 25, 2020

So many great jokes that we can't tell here.

pitabread · Dec 25, 2020

Percivale said:
Why don't we pronounce it like 'you're On us?' That sounds better than the alternatives and is more like the original pronunciation.

That's the way I've usually heard it pronounced when one wants to avoid the obvious jokes that the other pronunciation leads to.

lordjeff · Dec 25, 2020

Percivale said:
Why don't we pronounce it like 'you're On us?' That sounds better than the alternatives and is more like the original pronunciation.

Actually you're correct-that is the Latin way & the way used by those in the astronomy field.

Shemjaza · Dec 25, 2020

Tinker Grey · Dec 25, 2020

lordjeff said:
Actually you're correct-that is the Latin way & the way used by those in the astronomy field.

Uranus is Greek.

Aryeh Jay · Dec 25, 2020

Tinker Grey said:
Uranus is Greek.

Nope, nope, I can't. So tempting...

sjastro · Dec 25, 2020

Shemjaza said:

I knew it was a matter of time before Futurama turned up in this thread.
The original name Georgium Sidus should have been retained to avoid any embarrassment.

Theodoric · Dec 25, 2020

I've occasionally heard it pronounced with the emphasis on the first syllable, such as 'EUR-ah-nus"

Don't know if that's correct, but it solves the middle school giggling problem.

lordjeff · Dec 25, 2020

Tinker Grey said:
Uranus is Greek.

Doesn't matter, in some of the sciences a large part of nomenclature was to accent the "pre-penultimate." E.g. nomenclature in American English you would assume accent the 1st syllable. The alternative pronunciation is accent the 2nd syllabe: no-MEN-cla-ture. Another example is the Himalayas, traditionally on the 1st. My prof in stratigraphy did the 2nd hi-MAL-al-ay-as. No one had a hissy fit. Tolerance.

ViaCrucis · Dec 26, 2020

We could just go back to calling it George. Though what's the fun in that?

-CryptoLutheran

Shemjaza · Dec 29, 2020

Heh, in Australian English it sounds more like: you RAIN us

Freodin · Dec 30, 2020

lordjeff said:
Actually you're correct-that is the Latin way & the way used by those in the astronomy field.

Considering that neither Romans nor Greeks pronouced the "U" as a consonant, this is highly unlikely.

It's only in English that the first sylable of this planet is homonymous with "you".

Ophiolite · Dec 30, 2020

lordjeff said:
Doesn't matter, in some of the sciences a large part of nomenclature was to accent the "pre-penultimate." E.g. nomenclature in American English you would assume accent the 1st syllable. The alternative pronunciation is accent the 2nd syllabe: no-MEN-cla-ture. Another example is the Himalayas, traditionally on the 1st. My prof in stratigraphy did the 2nd hi-MAL-al-ay-as. No one had a hissy fit. Tolerance.

When teaching classes with a range of nationalities I always pronounced "Nomenclature" as "Technical Vocabulary".

Larniavc · Dec 30, 2020

Percivale said:
Why don't we pronounce it like 'you're On us?' That sounds better than the alternatives and is more like the original pronunciation.

I’ve always pronounced it Yer-ranus.

Mr. M · Dec 30, 2020

Percivale said:
Why don't we pronounce it like 'you're On us?' That sounds better than the alternatives and is more like the original pronunciation.

Have you not seen the movie, Spaceballs, featuring the spaceship bumper sticker:
I

Uranus

Brightmoon · Jan 10, 2021

Aryeh Jay said:
Nope, nope, I can't. So tempting...

. Thank you for making my day , just laughed til I cried

Pronouncing Uranus

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