You Say To-MAY-to, I Say To-MAH-to...

Just curious - how do you say "Caribbean"? I've heard it pronounced Ca-RIB-ean, and I've heard it pronounced Cari-BEE-an. I usually use the second version, but how does everyone else say it? Is it pronounced differently in other countries? Guess I'm just bored waiting for my cruise :D

Just curious - how do you say "Caribbean"? I've heard it pronounced Ca-RIB-ean, and I've heard it pronounced Cari-BEE-an. I usually use the second version, but how does everyone else say it? Is it pronounced differently in other countries? Guess I'm just bored waiting for my cruise :D

Care-uh-bee-un or Cuh-rib-ee-an. Either is correct. Go with whatever feel comfortable to you.

Just curious - how do you say "Caribbean"? I've heard it pronounced Ca-RIB-ean, and I've heard it pronounced Cari-BEE-an. I usually use the second version, but how does everyone else say it? Is it pronounced differently in other countries? Guess I'm just bored waiting for my cruise :D

You won't hear it pronounced Cari-BEE-an on Royal Ca-RIB-ean.:D

Cara-be-in

My friends in the islands pronounce it Ca RIB ean. I defer to them, they live there.:)

I use the second "BEE"

My friends in the islands pronounce it Ca RIB ean. I defer to them, they live there.:)

This is how I say it. :)

Cari-BEE-an from me ...

and any time I hear anyone use the other pronunciation, even that particular cruise line mentioned by iheartbda, I always correct it in my head ...

Depends on what comes before and after......Car rib E an...most of the time, But, it's Pirates of the CarRIB ean...for me!

Care i BEE un

In terms of Royal caribbean I say Car-RIB-E-an, but for the Islands and Pirate off I say Ca-ra-BEE-an. The latter is how it's usually pronounced in Australia.

From Wikipedia:

"The two most prevalent pronunciations of "Caribbean" are KAIR-ə-BEE-ən, with the primary accent on the third syllable, and kə-RIB-ee-ən, with the accent on the second. The former pronunciation is the older of the two, although the stressed-second-syllable variant has been established for over seventy-five years.It has been suggested that speakers of British English prefer KAIR-ə-BEE-ən while North American speakers more typically use kə-RIB-ee-ən, although not all sources agree. Usage is split within Caribbean English itself"

From Wikipedia:

 

"The two most prevalent pronunciations of "Caribbean" are KAIR-ə-BEE-ən, with the primary accent on the third syllable, and kə-RIB-ee-ən, with the accent on the second. The former pronunciation is the older of the two, although the stressed-second-syllable variant has been established for over seventy-five years.It has been suggested that speakers of British English prefer KAIR-ə-BEE-ən while North American speakers more typically use kə-RIB-ee-ən, although not all sources agree. Usage is split within Caribbean English itself"

Correct. I've never heard a Brit say ka-RIB-ee-an:cool:

Both are correct and I use both - sometimes one, sometimes the other. :cool:

I have always said it as caRIBean - maybe because I'm from the Pacific Northwest (near British Columbia) and we don't talk with any kind of drawl or accent, and caRIBean is the fastest way to say the word. My midwest in-laws make fun of how fast I say my words but it's normal to me.

Jack Sparrow says cair ah BEE an, so that's how I say it :D

we don't talk with any kind of drawl or accent

Everyone talks with an accent. :)

Everyone talks with an accent. :)

Except me :rolleyes:

While either way is correct, I prefer ca-RIB-ean because it is a word derived from the name of the indigenous indians there called the Island Caribs pronounced caRIBS.

You won't hear it pronounced Cari-BEE-an on Royal Ca-RIB-ean.:D

I only heard it pronounced Cari BEEan on Independence OTS, but that was probably because she sailed from the UK for years.

Car-RIB-ean

There are so many words that are pronounced differently just depending on where you live or where you are from.

Simple. There are 2 "B"s, so you separate the syllables between the two:

CaRIB-bean

Hey I actually looked this up. The dictionary said either way.

From Wikipedia:

 

"The two most prevalent pronunciations of "Caribbean" are KAIR-ə-BEE-ən, with the primary accent on the third syllable, and kə-RIB-ee-ən, with the accent on the second. The former pronunciation is the older of the two, although the stressed-second-syllable variant has been established for over seventy-five years.It has been suggested that speakers of British English prefer KAIR-ə-BEE-ən while North American speakers more typically use kə-RIB-ee-ən, although not all sources agree. Usage is split within Caribbean English itself"

Yes. ^^ This. :)

I have always said it as caRIBean - maybe because I'm from the Pacific Northwest (near British Columbia) and we don't talk with any kind of drawl or accent, and caRIBean is the fastest way to say the word. My midwest in-laws make fun of how fast I say my words but it's normal to me.

Canadian, eh . . .