Pronunciation of Viagra

[Dennis R. Preston]

Yongwei,

Well, that depends on how you pronounce "Niagra." If you pronounce "Niagra"
like I do (with two syllables), that would be a bad model for the
pronunciations of "Viagra" I hear. If you pronounce "Niagara" with three
syllables (like most people I hear), that's a good model for the most
common pronunciations of "Viagra." If you pronounce "Niagara" with four
syllables (like some spelling pronouncers) that would also appear to be a
strange model for "Viagra" (but I suspect it is out there).

dInIs (who really does say /nægr@ fohz/; where @=schwa and oh="open o" [as
in "law")

>Dear everybody,
>
>Does anybody of you know how to pronounce Viagra? Should it be
>pronounced llike Niagara? Thanks for your help.
>
>best,
>
>Yongwei Gao
>Fudan University, Shanghai
>China

Dennis R. Preston
Department of Linguistics and Languages
Michigan State University
East Lansing MI 48824-1027 USA
preston at pilot.msu.edu
Office: (517)353-0740
Fax: (517)432-2736