Tuna
February 1, 2007 | Filed under Travel
I just had a flashback.
During my time in Shanghai, I frequented a lot of bars, clubs, nightspots, etc. These ranged from the those that had incredibly Chinese atmospheres (where foreigners were frowned upon), to expat hangouts. At one of the latter (Windows Too), I would inevitably meet a lot of foreigners – Europeans, Americans, Latinos. We would talk, dance, drink…philosophise.
On one of these occasions, I met an Chinese-American named Wayne. We held a long and earnest discussion for well over an hour…about the correct way to pronounce “tuna”. I think I won in the end.
I mean why would Americans say it as “TOOnah”? It’s clearly “CHOOnah”!
19 Responses to Tuna
Leave a Reply
I reserve the right to edit or delete your comment as I see fit, though I only delete comments from anonymous commenters, or people with multiple aliases. Using a genuine name/email combination will ensure that your comment is approved.
Well I say “TOOnah.” But then again, pronunciation’s not my thing.
Kycoo on February 1, 2007 #
My dictionary says its choona, but if you had asked me, I would have said toona. But you can forgive me because I pronounce French better than any of you guys.
Julie on February 1, 2007 #
Why would it be “choona” if there is no CH in the word? ;)
If there is anything that annoys me more in the world it’s the “correct” pronunciation for words, I’ve had enough of those arguments to last me a lifetime! :P
Manda on February 1, 2007 #
i’ve NEVER heard it pronounced “choonah”!!! even went and looked it up.
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/tuna
i’m pretty sure over here it’s clearly tuna with a “t” and if you said it with a “ch” it would be as weird and *wrong* as…i don’t know…trying to pronounce the “t” in tsunami :P
marilyn on February 1, 2007 #
Are you quite sure you were sober at the time, when you held the tuna contest ;) ?
Reply: Oh come now, as if sobriety really matters in situations like this? :P
Jennii on February 1, 2007 #
I’m guessing you were drunk? :P
I may be an idiot, because I have no idea how “ch” fits into the word. Is this related to French?
Belinda on February 1, 2007 #
I’m going to have to side with everyone else and say “too.” I really don’t understand how “ch” could get into tuna. I have no idea what you argued on the side of “CHOOnah,” but I’d love to know. :P
Josh on February 1, 2007 #
I didn’t know that. I’ve always pronounced it as “toonah” and no one’s threatened to kill me yet. :)
So it’s supposed to be spoken as “choonah” just like “schoodent” (student)? ^_^
Shari on February 1, 2007 #
I say “Tuna” but then again I’m infamous for mispronouncing even the simplest of words. But up until today, I’ve never heard any body call it choona. Hmm.
Rafia on February 1, 2007 #
“I may be an idiot, because I have no idea how “ch” fits into the word. Is this related to French?”
Certainly not. We never pronounce “tch” a t before a u (or any t, for that matter). Besides, the French word is “thon”, in which “th” is pronounced like a plain t.
And I read wrong. My dictionary says it’s “tioona”. So I guess it can become “tchoona” if you pronounce it quickly.
Julie on February 1, 2007 #
Once upon a time, a long time ago, tuna was actually pronounced “tyoona”. Unfortunately, people couldn’t be bothered actually pronouncing it like that. This is where the split happened. North Americans said, “Let’s leave out that annoying wy sound!” and so they did. Everyone else said, “Hey, the letter T is pronounced ‘ch’ already in those words like train and tree! Let’s use that sound for this word that is too bothersome to pronounce!” So they did.
The end.
Jessica on February 1, 2007 #
Silly person. It’s quite obviously choona. I can’t believe all the rest of you that have replied don’t say it like that! Maybe it’s just me…
Although an hour, Amanda? If you weren’t sober…. Well it just seems a weird thing to discuss! :P
Amber on February 1, 2007 #
@ Amber: No, I’m on the choona boat too…
Rhiannon on February 1, 2007 #
you have me sitting here behind my computer pronouncing tuna out loud, just to see how I pronounce it. I say choona..
but thinking of it, it both sounds reasonable…
Chans on February 1, 2007 #
CHOONA! CHOOOOONAAA! :)
Oh and being British and I’m also for sCHOOdent instead of sTUdent, elemenTREE instead of elemeTEREE, seconDREE instead of seconDAIRY, facTREE instead of facTEREE, well, you get the idea. But I can’t really talk that way here in the Philippines, they’ll think I have some sort of speech disorder :-P
Kat on February 2, 2007 #
It’s obviously “Choona”. Americans just got it wrong ¬_¬
The British know where it’s at.
Just like we pronounce Data “Dayta” and they say “Dada”
Pfft.
Doran on February 2, 2007 #
I’m a TOO-nah girl myself :P Like Kat said, American pronunciation is what’s normally used in the Philippines.
I love listening to different accents, though. I find it fascinating.
Nikki on February 2, 2007 #
@ Doran
I’m American and I say “toonah” and “dayta” *shruggs*
marilyn on February 2, 2007 #
I come from the same general area as both you and Rhiannon, but I say toonah. I say it often too. I eat a lot of it. /random fact.
The whole prounounciation discussion is fun… except in the case of Australia vs. New Zealand and the Great Fish and Chip debate.
Say anything about it and I will cut you! :P
Reply: Sex bits of fish and chops thanks luv!
Nellie on February 2, 2007 #