American pronunciation of ''semi''

[Natalie Maynor]

Jim said:
> Yeah, but how do you pronounce Demi's name?

In my part of the world it rhymes with Jimmy -- as does semi in my
own speech and the speech of many people around me.  I also hear
the [sImaI] sometimes.  And I guess I must hear both of those with
[E] instead of [I] at times, although my Southern ears tend to hear
pre-nasal [E] as [I].

> > I have also heard a pronunciation rhyming with
> > "see"+"my"? Is this on
> > the increase?
>
>  Never heard this pronunciation!

Nor have I.
   --Natalie Maynor (maynor at ra.msstate.edu)