Pronounciation

[FeroX]

How the bloody hell do you say Polypterus properly? Oh, and "bichir" too, I firmly believe I've been saying them wrong, especially bichir. I've been saying "bisheer" and don't even attempt Polypterus. So how can I stop sounding like an idiot?

 

[GuppyDude]

Your probably going to get about 50 different pronunciations here.

Bichir i say "*****-er" (swearing for educational purposes)

And polypterus i say "poly-perteris"

But I'm about as clueless as you are. This thread might get interesting.

 

[invader]

I say "biker" and I pronounce Polypterus like "Paul-lip-ter-us."

 

[n3ont3tra]

^^ me too ^^

 

[dthoffsett]

WHY BICHIR?

When Europeans (French) discovered the genus Polypterus in 1809 it had already been known along the Nile since the time of the pharoahs. The local peoples referred to them as bichirs (unknown pronunciation and spelling). While unable to come up with an exact meaning for the word it was most likely a descriptive term (''whip'' has been suggested) for this type of fish.

The French most likely pronounced it as phonetically as possible to the orginal native word and came up with bee-sheer as a pronunciation and spelled 'bichir'. Since this would be the name of these fish for
several years until they were scientifically described and put into the proper family it became an accepted common name.

However the correct English pronunciation is up for grabs. Several dictionaries all have their own pronunciation including the below:
bee cher
beech er
biker
bercheer
bi cher
bir chir is common in England
Also known by the common name lobed fin pike,dinosaur eel.
The name Polypterus : poly=many + pterus=fins and is pronounced po-lyp'-terus.

Found that information here: <a href="http/www.####.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-16899.html" target="_blank">http/www.####.com/forums/a...hp/t-16899.html</a>

 

[Dorkhedeos]

I say biker just because its the easiest to say and everybody else around here says it. As for bir chir, i dont know where the extra r came from

 

[madgap]

Awww nice one.I love these sorts of topices. May I ask, What do people say for iguana?
Some say Ig-Wana and otheres Ig-you-ana.

And Yeast. Some people say Yest and others say Yeest

 

[shroob]

Pol-ip-terus