American pronunciation of ''semi''

[James Smith]

> Are there any speakers of American English who could
> help sort out an
> argument* on the pronunciation of "semi"?
> In British English it rhymes with "Demi" - the
> actress...

Yeah, but how do you pronounce Demi's name?  I've
heard at least three variations on that! d at -'mi,
'd at -mi, 'de-mi.

> Does this
> pronunciation occur in AmE?
>
> Is the standard pronunciation one that rhymes with
> "gem" + "I"?

I assume you're referring to "semi" used as a noun
rather than as a prefix, e.g., "A semi crashed on the
freeway this morning."  I pronounce it and usually
hear it pronounced 'sem-ee, which is how it is listed
in my dictionary.  The other pronunciation I hear is
'se-mi, with the syllables more distinctly separated
and almost equally stressed. I've never really made
note of when this second variation is used or by whom.

> I have also heard a pronunciation rhyming with
> "see"+"my"? Is this on
> the increase?

 Never heard this pronunciation!


JIM
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