i've always pronounced it how you do, but I've heard a lot of people say it as "click". I'm sure that I read the word before I ever heard it spoken, so it makes sense that I'd go with the french-based pronunciation.
OED has a long E (i.e. cleeeek/French pronunciation) but that entry comes from the Second Edition, which has not yet been revised to include non-RP pronunciations. Merriam-Webster has both. My Canadian Oxford is at work so I can't look until Monday.
i've always pronounced it how you do, but I've heard a lot of people say it as "click". I'm sure that I read the word before I ever heard it spoken, so it makes sense that I'd go with the french-based pronunciation.
ReplyDelete"Cleeeeek"
ReplyDeleteMust be a Canadian/American thing?
@karin: now that you mention it, I read it long before I ever heard it as well. It's not actually a word you hear said out loud very often.
ReplyDelete@Paul: I don't know, let's see if any USians (or anyone from other countries other than Canada) care to chime in?
In the US, it's pronounced "click". Here, I have only heard it pronounced "cleek". I was very surprised!
ReplyDeleteOED has a long E (i.e. cleeeek/French pronunciation) but that entry comes from the Second Edition, which has not yet been revised to include non-RP pronunciations. Merriam-Webster has both. My Canadian Oxford is at work so I can't look until Monday.
ReplyDelete