Turquoise

[matty2670]

I'm from the south of the country and say the above word with the "qu" pronounced as in the word "queen." i.e. "TURKWOISE" However, my girlfriend from up north swears blind you don't pronounce the "qu" sound, and the word is correctly pronounced "TURKOISE." I know it's not important, but we both think we're right! Any opinions?

[Tit-4-Tat]

Definitely with the qu sound. I have never heard it pronounced otherwise. I know they have some weird ideas up north but that is going too far.

[matty2670]

I know what you mean, most of the time I can't actually understand a word she says... I keep telling her we speak proper 'darn souf'

[Grunty]

Anyone who eats chip butties and donkeystones their doorstep can't be expected to learn English as well.

[Quizmonster]

Chambers Dictionary offers three acceptable possibilities with the ending as kwaz, kwoiz and kwoz. As you can see, there is a 'w' sound in all three.

[Clayhead]

Turquoise is probably a southern colour anyway.

[THECORBYLOON]

It's a French word so would "turkoiz" not be closer to the "correct" pronunciation?

[heathfield]

It's originally a French word meaning 'Turkish'. Try saying that without pronouncing the 'k'!

[THECORBYLOON]

The word "bouquet" is French and folk say "bookay" and not "bookwet" so why should "turkoiz" be wrong?

[joko]

people also say korter instead of kwarter

surely it comes from the stone, which is mostly found in the us, i think.
i wonder how they pronounce it...?


i don't know where your girl comes from but i have never heard a northener say it the way she does...

[Beria]

I'm Scottish and say it like your girlfriend.

[Kingaroo]

Here in the US, I've pretty much only heard TURK-OIZ. I had a roommate who said TURK-WAHZ, which I thought ridiculously pretentious.

French OISE is definitely WAHZ -- see Nicoise, Francoise, framboise. I'm sure she was trying to sound French.

[clarissa75]

Well, I'm from The Mighty North and have taken time out from walking a whippet to tell you that I have only ever heard it pronounced as you do. Where the bejesus is your girlfriend from??

[matty2670]

She's from Durham. They're all a bit strange up there. There's something called 'First Footing' where you take round a piece of coal(?) to a neighbour's house on New Years Eve. They also produce 'Paste Eggs'(??) at Easter, which involves staining hard boiled eggs with vinegar. They also love something called 'Dip' which involves soaking a piece of bread in gravy, etc, etc... All a bit disturbing, to be honest.