How do you pronouce "OCEANIA?"

Here's a rather dumb, trivia-like question...

How do you pronounce Oceania?

It's spelled.. "OCEAN-IA"... So if it's pronounced as spelled,

then it Should be "O-SHUN-AYE-UH" or "O-SHUN-EE-UH."

But I have a feeling people say "OSHEE-ANA." Which is not actually correct when you look at the word itself.

Which is it?

I say O she anna

others may differ

I say O she anna

 

others may differ

Me too. But that would be spelled OCEANA... without the "I."

When we had lunch on the Marina in Southampton with FDR and another man from Oceania in Miami (sorry) and the someone (sorry again) from Oceania in Southampton, FDR and the other Miami man called it O-she-ana and the Local man called it O-she-an-I-a

I think in the UK we tend to call it O-she-an-i-a to avoid confusion with P & O's ship named Oceana (P & O is part of Carnival's British arm)

You say Tomato and I say Tomarrrto :)

We were told years ago to pronounce it Oceana but it is spelled with an "i"

to avoid conflict with the ship named Oceana

Never heard it pronounced with the "i" except by newbees:D

I do not think they care as long as you pay ontime :D

We were told years ago to pronounce it Oceana but it is spelled with an "i"

to avoid conflict with the ship named Oceana

Never heard it pronounced with the "i" except by newbees:D

Obviously you didn't bother reading my response.

I am not a 'newbee'....

My recollection is that the company was originally supposed to be Oceana, but P&O had a problem because of their ship. They felt it would lead to confusion and it probably would have. So, FDR stuck an "i" into the spelling to get around the problem, but by then everyone was calling it Oceana.

When people ask me what cruise line we sail on and I say Oceana, I often wonder if they then try to search it out and have trouble finding it.

And, Lynn, you're right. Paying on time absolves you of all sins.

Marilyn, that's the way I remember it as well. And while it was stated in some places (I'm talking quite a while ago) that the pronunciation should be O-shee-ann-I-a, most crew members that I've encountered (including cruise directors on their TV intro when you first arrive in your room) say O-she-anna, as I do.

I guess I chose that pronunciation (long before I heard anyone actually say the name) was because it started out as Oceana ... that didn't last long but it was imprinted on what remains of my brain ....

And Lyn is right, too: as long as the check clears they don't really care what you call it.

Mura

OP here: Thanks... I thought there might be a story behind this.

I love it when things make sense. And I thought there must be a reason people pronounced it differently than it was spelled.

Thanks for clarifying the evolution of the spelling re: the conflict with the other line's ship, and hence the same pronunciation!

Last summer we were on Regatta and among the other guests was Joe Watters, the co-founder of Oceania (along with FDR) and former chairman of the line. I asked the question and as I remember it his response was that they originally wanted to call it Oceana but wouldn't be allowed to market it in Europe because of the cruise ship of the same name. They settled on Oceania but FDR "decreed" it would be pronounced "oh-she-ana" because he always wanted a line with that name. His ships - his call, spelling be damned.

All of the above makes perfect sense to me.

However if we Brits say Osh-ee-a-na, our friends and acquaintances think we are talking about P & O's Oceana. Therefore we have to say Osh-ee-a-n-ee-a.

In order not to appear to be a newbee when on board we have to remember to leave the "i" out.

Whatever the Company's called, we like it, and the ships are not a bit like P & O's vessels.

i do not think they care as long as you pay ontime :d

like!

Go to

and others to hear how Oceania pronounces "Oh she ah na"

Ira

Go to

,

and others to hear how Oceania pronounces "Oh she ah na"

 

Ira

OP here: Well, that pretty well nails it! If Mary Hart says OH-SHE-ANA, then that's the gold standard!

Thanks.

OP, I appreciate you and the question.

Respondents, thanks for answering and the history. This is truly confusing to a newcomer. I thought my booking agent didn't know how to pronounce the cruise line name! :D

Here's a rather dumb, trivia-like question...

 

How do you pronounce Oceania?

 

It's spelled.. "OCEAN-IA"... So if it's pronounced as spelled,

 

then it Should be "O-SHUN-AYE-UH" or "O-SHUN-EE-UH."

 

But I have a feeling people say "OSHEE-ANA." Which is not actually correct when you look at the word itself.

 

Which is it?

It depends on which part of the UK one us from.

For example - I say ALL (slight pause) RIGHT

Other parts of UK say - let us prepare the face and actions.

The first syllable becomes AAAH followed by an immediate WAAA, but to achieve the correct sound, the whole phrase must pushed through the nasal cavity, with mouth fully open. Becoming similar to a screechy ARR-WAAAAA

You can now attempt this with OCEANIA, which could be pronounced, again with the duducious use of nasal cavity, and mouth open, to achieve a screechy ARCHYARNIAR.

I pronounce it Dee-lish-us.

I pronounce it Dee-lish-us.

A person after my own stomach.

It depends on which part of the UK one us from.

For example - I say ALL (slight pause) RIGHT

Other parts of UK say - let us prepare the face and actions.

The first syllable becomes AAAH followed by an immediate WAAA, but to achieve the correct sound, the whole phrase must pushed through the nasal cavity, with mouth fully open. Becoming similar to a screechy ARR-WAAAAA

 

You can now attempt this with OCEANIA, which could be pronounced, again with the duducious use of nasal cavity, and mouth open, to achieve a screechy ARCHYARNIAR.

My BIL reminded me of the various pronunciation of ORIANA

Let's all practice. :D

Again mouth open, syllables pushed through the nasal cavity.

First syllable say - ARR

Second syllable are - WEE

Third syllable say - ARR

Forth syllable say - NAAR

Now join all four syllables together and pronounce as one word. ;):D

Sounds good? Recognise it?

I've carefully repeated all of the above iterations and decided that after a drink or two ALL would sound the same!