Scientific Names...AHH

[rmorse]

Hey all,

HOW THE HELL DO YOU PRONOUNCE SCIENTIFIC NAMES??? I am just starting to learn them, but it feels so awkward trying to pronounce them. Every time I say one, I feel like an idiot. How do people know how to pronounce them? Or should I just say it in a confident-like manner, and when they correct me, say "No, you are the one who is wrong"?

 

[dmed]

Latin names are for the most part pronounced as they are spelled.

If you say them quickly and with authority, it will generally disguise any slight pronunciation errors.

 

[benzjamin13]

i don't care much for pronouncing things correctly or else it'll drive me mad. I've decided to pronounce things how I think they sound. People will get it. Like some people pronounce "Bichirs"...Bikers, bi-chers, bit-chers. "Betta"...bet-a, bay-ta. Any fish ending with an "i"...i or e. Don't matter to me.

 

[rmorse]

I guess I am just OCD about the pronunciation...Like Eheim. Is it eehime, or iihime?

 

[BushFishRox]

I dont even bother lol...

I tell them the common name then if they ask I tell them how to spell the scientific name I suck at trying to pronounce names.

 

[chesterthehero]

every scientific name i have ever pronounced has gone line this "blahblahblah... or whatever its called"

 

[FSM]

I guess I am just OCD about the pronunciation...Like Eheim. Is it eehime, or iihime?

Eh hime is how I say it.

Most scientific names are pretty easy.

 

[killerfish]

i just try and say it and if i think i may be wrong i go " or how ever you say it " or " i'm not sure how t pronounce it but "

 

[Peanut_Power]

Most of them are pretty easy to pronounce. The annoying thing is that everyone seems to think their methods of pronounciation are correct. Thats when it gets complicated. Most of the time though the people you are talking to wouldn't know what you are talking about to begin with, so as long as you are comfortable saying it, what does it matter?

 

[BushFishRox]

The only one I know for sure is the Leopard Teen-o-pom-a (ctenopoma)