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tmh88
21 Nov 2006, 07:22am
There are a few letters that I've heard a few different pronunciations of, and I was wondering if any of you know which is more commonly used.


Xi - I've heard "zai", "ksi", and "see"
Mu - "me", and "mew"
Nu - "new", and "knee"
shwaip
21 Nov 2006, 07:28am
wikipedia/dictionary.com are your friends.
Nomad
21 Nov 2006, 03:07pm
Mu - "Myoo"
Nu - "Noo"
Xi - "Ks-eye"
muddocktor
21 Nov 2006, 05:29pm
Mu - "Myoo"
Nu - "Noo"
Xi - "Ks-eye"

Agreed on the first 2, but we pronounced Xi as "Zeye" (long I) in college. We had to learn that stupid Greek alphabet when I was a frat boy. ;D
Nomad
21 Nov 2006, 05:38pm
Agreed on the first 2, but we pronounced Xi as "Zeye" (long I) in college. We had to learn that stupid Greek alphabet when I was a frat boy. ;D

I had to learn it for Calculus and precalculus. I'm pretty sure it's Ks, but a lot of people just say Z because it sounds similar. The difference is the Ks is made with the back of your tongue, and the Z with the front.
tmh88
21 Nov 2006, 07:02pm
Agreed on the first 2, but we pronounced Xi as "Zeye" (long I) in college. We had to learn that stupid Greek alphabet when I was a frat boy. ;D


Yea thats why im wondering. I was just initiated into a frat and we had to learn the alphabet and all that crap...anyway its the Nu chapter and they pronounce it "new", but I've also heard people pronounce it "knee", and wikipedia agrees with that.
Nomad
21 Nov 2006, 10:40pm
Yea thats why im wondering. I was just initiated into a frat and we had to learn the alphabet and all that crap...anyway its the Nu chapter and they pronounce it "new", but I've also heard people pronounce it "knee", and wikipedia agrees with that.

Wikipedia isn't the most reliable source for languages, but I think it is referring to the sound the letter makes, not the actually pronunciation of the letter itself.

For example, we have our ABC song, but most of the letters don't sound like that in a word.