pronounce chiropodist

[isthatright]

What is the (UK) correct pronunciation for chiropodist, I say Kir-opody and my sis says shi-ropody.

Thanks

[Count_Emmup]

The "Concise Oxford Dictionary" refers only to the 'k' pronunciation, but I believe others allow 'sh' as an alternative.

[Quizmonster]

Chambers Dictionary offers both, with the 'k' version primarily, whilst The Oxford English Dictionary offers only the 'k'. Given the earlier answer, it seems the 'k' is preferred, though the 'sh' is acceptable.
It is perhaps worth noting that, in the case of other 'chiro' words - such as chiropractic, chiropractor, chirology etc - all have the 'k' sound.

[toeslayer]

The word first entered the English language in the 18th century, when a corn operator by the name of David Low wrote the definitive text on care of the feet. Low practised in Davis Street, London and plagiarising L'Art de Soigner les Pieds (1781), a best selling treatise on corn cutting, written by Nicholas Laurent Lafrost.

To avoid detection he translated the script and renamed the works Chiropodologia. Unfortunately for semantic purists he made a fatal error by combining both Greek and Latin prefixes. Chiro is a Greek prefix meaning hand and foot; and Pod the Latin prefix for foot. No one is really sure whether the new study was treatment of the hand by the foot or visa versa. Most scholars have accepted Lowe intended to promote care of the foot by the hand. 'Ch' is written as an x in Greek and pronounced with a silent h. So if it is all Greek to you so far the word should be pronounced 'iropodist.' X when translated to English becomes a harsh sounding 'K'. The proper and correct pronunciation is therefore 'k - iropodist'. We witness the same translation in Xmas which is not a modern abbreviation for the convenience of greetings card manufacturers but instead a celebration of K mass, i.e. the mass of Christ.