How do you pronounce “crayon”?

[ShirikiUtundu]

Philly vernacular: crown

I CAN, but why would I WANT to???

Don’t worry, I pronounce it correctly when in high company, and only say “crown” when hanging out with lowlifes.

Come to think of it, that would be 90% of the time.

Mid-Atlantic born and raised and I grew up using the “crown” pronunciation. At some point, my husband lovingly pointed out that I sounded like a dumb hick and I switched to using the two syllable pronunciation. But, knowing there are people out there saying “cran?” That’s going to haunt me.

ETA: OP, ask your husband how he pronounces “lawyer.” That’s the one that nearly ended my marriage.

I say "cray-on" but as a born Baltimorean (Baltimoron?) I am perfectly comfortable with the "crown" pronunciation.
I have never heard anyone say "cran" - that's ludicrous.

 

[AppleDumpling]

I've course I don't know how people look at the word CAR-A-MEL and drop the syllable in the middle to say "Car-Muhl." And a LOT of people say it that way--very puzzling to me.

It’s weird, I actually say caramel both ways at different times, with no rhyme or reason, or consistency. Some words are just like that. The English language is filled with inconsistencies.

Here’s another. How do you pronounce chocolate? I always drop the middle O, and don’t know anyone who says it as three syllables. IMO, it’s weirder to add syllables than to drop them. For example, people who stretch athlete into three syllables, like ath-a-lete. Drives me nuts.

 

[Summer2018]

This is a new one. Being that the word crayon has two syllables, I didn't know that there was a choice.

 

[Meriweather]

For chocolate....I say choc late......don't know anyone that adds that middle o

I usually say car mel......some times car a mel, but less often

 

[Grand Koalafornian]

Two syllables. My DW used to say it "cran" and I had no idea what she was talking about. She didn't understand how I forgot what crayons were. I teased er enough that she now pronounces it cray-awn.

She also cannot hear the difference between pin and pen, so she has some auditory processing issues.

 

[Christine]

Mid-Atlantic born and raised and I grew up using the “crown” pronunciation. At some point, my husband lovingly pointed out that I sounded like a dumb hick and I switched to using the two syllable pronunciation. But, knowing there are people out there saying “cran?” That’s going to haunt me.

ETA: OP, ask your husband how he pronounces “lawyer.” That’s the one that nearly ended my marriage.

Okay, you said it: dumb hick!! Yes, that's what it sounds like. Sorry that's so judgy of me!

 

[tzolkin]

For example, people who stretch athlete into three syllables, like ath-a-lete. Drives me nuts.

We toured the local high school before moving to North Carolina. Guidance counselor asked about daughter’s extra curricular activities. Since they do not have field hockey here, she really played up their theater department— showed us the theater, told us about the theater classes, theater instructor, theater club, and the local theater in town where some students performed with adult actors. Except, of course, here they call it thee-ay-ter. When we left, daughter said she didn’t know if she could be in any plays because she didn’t think she could handle hearing someone say the word thee-ay-ter again.

 

[DeeBee3]

2 syllables but many people in my own close family say "cran." I think it's just a regional thing.

 

[AustinTink]

Never in my life have I heard crayon pronounced cran. I learn something new every day on the Dis.

The company is Crayola, pronounced Cray-Oh-La. Why wouldn't the crayons be pronounced Cray-Ons?

 

[Dan Murphy]

How do you get crown from crayon?

 

[Mrs. Ciz]

Wouldn't the alternate option be "crowns"? They are cray-ons, but I've literally never heard anyone call them crans...but I've heard crowns a lot...

Yep, lots of people where I live in Virginia call them “crowns”.

 

[Sinder]

My husband and I got into it last night after he pronounced the word “crayon” without saying the “yo” portion. I’ve never heard anyone say it that way before or I must have been wildly ignoring it. I pronounce it like “cray-awn” and he thinks I’m crazy.

Who is right? And how did I not hear this before? Is my marriage in trouble? Is everything built on this one big lie? Rome is burning. Send help.

I say cray on, dh says cran.
We've been married over 25 years

 

[disneychrista]

Both. Interchangeably.

 

[TipsyTraveler]

How do you get crown from crayon?

It’s like pronouncing it with the “y” omitted, and the “a” is said more like a short “ah” or “ow” instead of the long “ay.” Cra-on. There’s the slightest little skip over the middle of the word, so it’s not pronounced exactly like the one-syllable crown, but it’s closer to that than to the two distinct syllables of cray-on.

 

[Dan Murphy]

It’s like pronouncing it with the “y” omitted, and the “a” is said more like a short “ah” or “ow” instead of the long “ay.” Cra-on. There’s the slightest little skip over the middle of the word, so it’s not pronounced exactly like the one-syllable crown, but it’s closer to that than to the two distinct syllables of cray-on.

I see. Is that Boston or Philly?

 

[Mrs. Ciz]

I teach 6-8 English in central Virginia. I always have the students take the New York Times dialect quiz as a class when they learn about dialect. Crayon is usually one of the question on the quiz. Once we’ve discussed the class’s results (which are pretty spot on), I take the quiz myself and show them my results, which confirm that I’m a Southern California girl! They are amazed at how well the quiz works!

Give it a try!
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2014/upshot/dialect-quiz-map.html

 

[PrincessInOz]

My husband and I got into it last night after he pronounced the word “crayon” without saying the “yo” portion. I’ve never heard anyone say it that way before or I must have been wildly ignoring it. I pronounce it like “cray-awn” and he thinks I’m crazy.

Who is right? And how did I not hear this before? Is my marriage in trouble? Is everything built on this one big lie? Rome is burning. Send help.

Yes, cjlong88, there IS a divorce (is this pronounced Dee-vorce or Die-vorce??) dingo.
Much like the to-may-to/to-mah-to or po-tay-to/po-tah-to discussion, there are probably other topics of conversation that you and your hubby should stay clear of so that your marriage stays on track.
Perhaps stick to religion, politics and/or s-e-x (wait....this is the DisBoards. Am I even allowed to mention them???) rather than how the English language is pronounced.

Good luck in sorting out the crayon/crown argument. FWIW....it IS Cray-on.


ps. Beware of that divorce dingo. It may take the baby with the bathwater.

 

[TipsyTraveler]

I see. Is that Boston or Philly?

DC for me.

 

[Dan Murphy]

I teach 6-8 English in central Virginia. I always have the students take the New York Times dialect quiz as a class when they learn about dialect. Crayon is usually one of the question on the quiz. Once we’ve discussed the class’s results (which are pretty spot on), I take the quiz myself and show them my results, which confirm that I’m a Southern California girl! They are amazed at how well the quiz works!

Give it a try!
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2014/upshot/dialect-quiz-map.html

Hit the nail on the head for me. The red area is Chicago.

 

[luvsvacation]

Wow I’m shocked! I thought everyone said cran! I’ve heard a VERY few people say cray-on and I always thought they were just saying it wrong. I seriously thought this post was going to be about cran was correct and a few people mistakenly pronounced it cray-on