How do you pronounce..?

[drillbit]

Iroko?

Is the i like in iron or idiot? And the first o - is it short or long? Eye-row-ko or eye-r'ko?

I learn so much from books.. And Hate sounding stupid at the wood yard!

 

[Doug B]

eye-row-co

 

[DIY Stew]

Dont really know but what the hell, just go for it and maybe you and all the wood yard staff can have a good laugh. Even if I did know it would probably sound different in Geordie. :lol: :lol: :lol:

Stew

 

[Hitch]

Ive always said Ere-ro-ko.
But then I is from Somerset :lol:


While on the subject, Sapele, how does one say that? (Not meaning to hijack )

 

[Creampuff]

Ive always said Ere-ro-ko.
But then I is from Somerset :lol:


While on the subject, Sapele, how does one say that? (Not meaning to hijack )

I believe it Saa-pee-lee


but dont quote me on that :lol:

 

[Lowlife]

Hate sounding stupid at the wood yard!

Chances are the guy at the yard doesn't know how to pronounce it either so I wouldn't worry too much!

Fwiw I've only ever heard it pronounced ee-row-ko, Sapele is as above, any takers for Wenge? I have always pronounced it wen-gay as if it had an acute over the second "e", but recently I've noticed several guys at work pronouncing it as if the "g" was a "j" and the second "e" silent. I'm fairly certain I'm right, but they probably think they are, and none of use speak whatever African language it comes from so who knows?

 

[JakeS]

The pronunciation guide on Dictionary.com gives a short 'I' and long open 'O's - something like "ih-roo-koo" - if you read the IPA. If it was a long 'i' to sound like 'eye', the IPA would start "aɪ" instead of just "ɪ" - see this guide.

(That said, the few times I've heard it said, it's been "ih-roh-koh" (with the second syllable sounding like 'row' in 'to row a boat' and the third being assonant with the second) or (once) "eye-roh-koh". I heard that working it gives you leprosy and lung cancer or something, so I've steered clear so far!)

The one for Sapele doesn't have IPA, but should be easier to read as a result: "Suh-pee-lee". Wikipedia's entry for Sapele has the IPA which agrees with this pronunciation.

Wenge apparently is indeed "wen-gey"

 

[RogerS]

Some people have a skin allergy to iroko

 

[drillbit]

Interesting responses. Those saying the guy at the wood yard probably knows no better are probably right. Thanks jake for clarifying ... Sounds like I can feel confident with ih-roh-koh.

Any takers for cocobolo, jataoba, and sonokeling?

 

[Tony Spear]

Back in the 70's I visited the mills where Sapele comes from in Delta State Nigeria and as far as I remember it was pronounced Sap el Ee.

Edit: I should have said "where Sapele originally came from and thereby got its name).

 

[Blister]

i ro ko :mrgreen:

 

[brianhabby]

Chances are the guy at the yard doesn't know how to pronounce it either so I wouldn't worry too much!

I once asked at a wood suppliers if they sold any hardwood and the response I got was "All wood's 'ard" with a look that said "What a stupid question?". I haven't been back since!

regards

Brian

 

[Harbo]

Years ago before TV Gardening programmes, I asked in a Garden Centre for a Cotton Easter!

Rod

 

[Lowlife]

...the response I got was "All wood's 'ard" with a look that said "What a stupid question?". I haven't been back since!

We have a few yards like that around here, I try not to use them if I can help it!

As a general rule I prefer to use woodyards that know more about their product than I do, although that's not always easy especially when you want timber for very specific purposes, in my case boatbuilding.

...Cotton Easter

Done that too!