Something I've Always Wondered...

[jiminykrikkit]

I say them differently too, interesting. They just sound better that way.

Now I'm "hearing" them in my head, as read by the official voice of the guy that narrates the video on DME. And he says them differently too. Not sure if he really does, or if he even says them both/at all, but in my head he says them differently.

 

[bookgirl]

As examples I offer from several European articles the following words:

Proper European spelled
realization realisation
customize customize

As you can see in the European spelling the beloved letter "Z" doesn't get his proper respect.

It's actually William the Conquors fault. Old English actually spelled many words the same as Americans do now, but when the Normans invaded, they changed many Engish words to the French and/or German spelling so that's where the ize/ise, s/z, c/s, re/er, and ou/o/our/or spellings came from.

Of course William wouldn't have known, he was illiterate, and he didn't speak English.

 

[canyoncam]

My BIL used to give me grief because I pronounced it like the resort Ca-RIBB-e-an but he said it is spelled such that the emphasis should be on the b's like the ride Ca-ri-BB-ean. Became very difficult to talk to him while planning our first Ca-RIBB-e-an cruise together since we seemed to be talking of two different places

 

[BudgieMama]

As examples I offer from several European articles the following words:

Proper European spelled
realization realisation
customize customize

As you can see in the European spelling the beloved letter "Z" doesn't get his proper respect.

Yeah, that's because the use of the s is correct in British English. Realise is correct in British English and realize is correct in American English. The z spelling is only the "proper" spelling in some versions of English, and your way is not the only way. To suggest that other forms of English are not "proper" is rather rude.

 

[MataHari22]

I say it differently depending on what I am saying. IDK why I do it, but I do. Drives some people nuts. If I am referring to PotC ride or movies, I pronounce it ka-rih-BEE-uhn. But, if I am referring to the cruise line, the resort or the islands, I pronounce it, kuh-RIB-ee-uhn.

 

[GaryDis]

I may need to ask my linguist friends about this, but I suspect it has something to do with cadence. Having two stressed "bee" syllables near each other in the CBR name doesn't sound right to me. For POTC, they both sort of sound ok.

 

[Fizban]

Yeah, that's because the use of the s is correct in British English. Realise is correct in British English and realize is correct in American English. The z spelling is only the "proper" spelling in some versions of English, and your way is not the only way. To suggest that other forms of English are not "proper" is rather rude.

You do know that my comments were tongue in cheek? But I still say it's mater and tater and if you don't believe in that then you don't believe in the fun things in life! But why don't the European folk like the letter "z" ?

Again more humor.

 

[princesspaige]

It's like when women pronounce my name as "Eww Gross", whereas I pronounce it "Jason"

Oh my goodness, I laughed so loud I scared my cat.

 

[pooch]

Both are correct, kind of like THE (thee) and THE (thuh). It's a regional, cultural thing. Sometimes it matters if the speaker is British or North American and sometimes it's just what ever has been used enough to be the accepted norm.

But people of the region itself use the CariBBean I believe so technically I think they get to be correct. LOL

But the (thee) and the (thuh) although both correct, are not interchangeable. It is pronounced thee before a word beginning with a vowel as in the (thee) end of the world. It is pronounced thuh before a word beginning with a consonant as in the (thuh) case of the (thuh) mispronounced words!!!

 

[Robo]

Disney's CaRIBbean Beach Resort....Caribbean being an adjective.

No, it's not an adjective.
It is still a noun. It is a name.

The "Beach" is not being described as Caribbean ("Oh, Betty, that beach looks so Caribbean, tonight!")

The name of the resort is "Caribbean Beach."

 

[Fizban]

No, it's not an adjective.
It is still a noun. It is a name.

The "Beach" is not being described as Caribbean ("Oh, Betty, that beach looks so Caribbean, tonight!")

The name of the resort is "Caribbean Beach."

Correct Robo! It is a proper noun!

 

[jec6613]

There are actually three pronunciations for those who have a decent dictionary

ker-ə-ˈbē-ən
ka-rə-bē-ən
kə-ˈri-bē-ən

The, "Most correct," is the second, as Caribbean is the adjective form of Carib, whihc is pronounced only one way:

'ka-rəb

 

[bumbershoot]

I understood that! But my head exploded.

So sorry for the explosion.

I say it differently depending on what I am saying. IDK why I do it, but I do. Drives some people nuts.

Yes.

with the cruise line I have the emphasis on RIB.

Let's see, Pirates of the CariBEean.

CariBEan Beach Resort

Royal CaRIBean

Going on a CariBEan cruise.


OK so the cruiseline is the outlier there. Weird. Just sounds right when I say it, to me. Oh well!

 

[marthachick]

The proper pronunciation is "Mater" .

My 3 year old nephew says 'matoes'.

 

[Fizban]

My 3 year old nephew says 'matoes'.

Also acceptable

 

[Aurora0427]

It's like when women pronounce my name as "Eww Gross", whereas I pronounce it "Jason"

Best post ever.

 

[aVASTGrl]

Yeah, that's because the use of the s is correct in British English. Realise is correct in British English and realize is correct in American English. The z spelling is only the "proper" spelling in some versions of English, and your way is not the only way. To suggest that other forms of English are not "proper" is rather rude.

As examples I offer from several European articles the following words:

Proper European spelled
realization realisation
customize customize

As you can see in the European spelling the beloved letter "Z" doesn't get his proper respect.

It's actually William the Conquors fault. Old English actually spelled many words the same as Americans do now, but when the Normans invaded, they changed many Engish words to the French and/or German spelling so that's where the ize/ise, s/z, c/s, re/er, and ou/o/our/or spellings came from.

Of course William wouldn't have known, he was illiterate, and he didn't speak English.

Yeah, that's because the use of the s is correct in British English. Realise is correct in British English and realize is correct in American English. The z spelling is only the "proper" spelling in some versions of English, and your way is not the only way. To suggest that other forms of English are not "proper" is rather rude.

I love these debates, especially since I'm an American who uses the "British" spelling of words: 's' in place of 'z', 'ou' in words like colour...the only reason I can come up with is that my parents must have given me British children's books when I was learning to read!

As for the original topic, I pronounce Caribbean in the ways the OP specified. Actually, the only time I say CariBBEan is when referencing the ride; I visit the CaRIBbean, eat CaRIBbean food, and go on CaRIBbean cruises

 

[BigAlsGal]

I say it the way Billy Ocean says it. Lol!

 

[Robo]

I say it the way Billy Ocean says it. Lol!

"Care-uh-bwuen queen!"