hard words on TV! Part deux

[sagehen]

>This is one of those words that I'm not really sure how I "usually" pronounce.
>It's probably [spi:Si:z] half the time and [spi:si:z] the other half. It might
>be the other way around.
>
>M-W lists both. The OED lists two pronunciations but not these two. It only
>lists the 'sh' middle consonant. Its alternation is the final vowel/diphthong.
>Either [spi:Si:z] or [spi:SIi:z]. Is the latter a two syllable pronunciation?
>Any other words that would have the [-Ii-] diphthong?
>
>Michael Covarrubias
>
>
>Quoting Jonathan Lighter <wuxxmupp2000 at YAHOO.COM>:
>>
>> GRETCHEN CARLSON: They're the only ones of their species - is it
>> "speeshees"?...
>>
>> BRIAN KILMEADE: "Speeshees."
>>
 ~~~~~~~~~~
Am I missing something here?  I say "Speeshees, "  as do most of the
scientists I know.
The mistake to which this word is most susceptible seems to be assuming it
to be the plural of the singular "specie."
AM, the still older coot (/Fulica americana/).

~@:>   ~@:>   ~@:>   ~@:>

------------------------------------------------------------
The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org