Craig raises some interesting questions. Pileated can be pronounced either with a long "I" in the first syllable, or with a short "I" - either is apparently correct, but the long "I" version appears first in my dictionary's guide. Sabine is correctly pronounced SAH-been according to Merriam-Webster, but I've also seen it as SAY-bine, although I myself never remember this and say things like "it sure would be nice to see a SAH-binz gull." Finally, the daunting name of Pyrrhuloxia is easier to say than spell: Pie-row-locks-ee-ah.
Andy Sewell
-----Original Message-----
From: Ohio birds [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Craig Holt
Sent: Monday, December 15, 2008 11:15 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [Ohio-birds] rainy day pronunciation questions
Lousy weather for birding today, so I went to the internet for an answer to a burning question--how exactly do you pronounce Sabine's (as in gull), and pileated (as in woodpecker). The answers I found added up to a choice of about 6 variations. In other words, no real answer. Does the Ohio birding community have a consensus? By the way, if I ever get back out West, how do I say the name of that bird that looks like a gray cardinal (I probably couldn't even spell it)? I remember getting some funny looks down in Texas once when the local birders heard me try to pronounce "paraque". I can't recall ever seeing pronunciations for the names of birds in any field guides--that would be helpful to beginning birders especially. Way back in the Stone Age, we had these things called dictionaries for guidance. They were actually quicker and easier than the Web for some info!! Later, Craig
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