Pronunciation of kefir

[Galen Buttitta]

It is pronounced keh-FEAR in "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" S6E5,
"Bedfellows".


On Fri, Jun 20, 2014 at 1:01 PM, Tom Zurinskas <truespel at hotmail.com> wrote:

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> -----------------------
> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       Tom Zurinskas <truespel at HOTMAIL.COM>
> Subject:      Re: Pronunciation of kefir
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Click on the speaker icon at m-w.com and I hear keh-FEAR.  In truespel
> it's=
>  ~keffeer=2C with stress coming on the vowel after a double consonant
> (else=
>  stress is first syllable by default).  I think that having a double
> conson=
> ant prior to stress is a technique in other language spellings.  So if
> "kef=
> ir" were spelled "keffir" it would be a slight indicator of second
> syllable=
>  stress.
>
> Tom Zurinskas=2C Conn 20 yrs=2C Tenn 3=2C NJ 33=2C now FL 12.See how
> Englis=
> h spelling links to sounds at http://justpaste.it/ayk
>
>
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> > Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> > Poster:       Laurence Horn <laurence.horn at YALE.EDU>
> > Subject:      Re: Pronunciation of kefir
> >
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> ------
> >=20
> > On Jun 19=2C 2014=2C at 6:56 PM=2C Benjamin Barrett wrote:
> >=20
> > > Based on Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kefir)=2C I've been
> s=
> aying this word with the accent on the second syllable. This is what
> Oxford=
>  gives (
> http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/kefir?q=3Dkefi=
> r).
> >=20
> > I was going to say I pronounce it /'laesi:/=2C but I see that's actually
> =
> a different yogurty drink.  I haven't heard or uttered "kefir" that often=
> =2C but I'd have gone with the second syllable stress too=2C or possibly
> an=
>  equi-stressed /'kE'fi:r/.  Definitely not "Kiefer"=2C unless I was
> request=
> ing the actor.
> >=20
> > LH
> > >
> > > On the occasion or two when I've asked grocery store employees where
> it=
> 's located=2C they've had trouble understanding me=2C though I attribute
> mo=
> re with unfamiliarity with the product than my syllable.
> > >
> > > The other day=2C I talked to a dairy farmer who has begun producing it=
> =2C and even after I said kuh FIIR=2C he said KEE fuhr.
> > >
> > > Webster's (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kefir) has
> decided=
>  any of three pronunciations are acceptable.
> > >
> > > I found a discussion about the pronunciation at
> http://lifeway.net/Comm=
> unity/Blog/tabid/266/entryid/30/KEE-fuhr-or-keh-FEER.aspx=2C where there
> is=
>  a link to a casual poll that concluded the first accent is most commonly
> a=
> ccented. One person chimes in noting that Kiefer Sutherland's name has
> noth=
> ing to do with it=2C but that certainly could shape what the standard
> becom=
> es.
> > >
> > > My guess is that Kiefer will win out among all but the most diehard
> "pu=
> rists."
> > >
> > > Benjamin Barrett
> > > Formerly of Seattle=2C WA
> > >
> > > Learn Ainu! https://sites.google.com/site/aynuitak1/videos
> > >
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> >=20
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