What's the correct pronunciation of Niger

[Loosehead]

It's in the news at the moment. I have heard a couple of different attempts, one rhymes with Tiger another one is Nijare with a soft J similar to how the french would say Je.

[Chillum]

I've always pronounced it like Nigel, but with an r not a l, obviously.

[delboy3]

As Niger was formerly a French colony, I would opt for the French version.

[Grunty]

The Oxford English agrees with Chillum, but delboy's seems more logical.  Suppose it's optional really like a lot of other words such as garage etc.

[bernardo]

I've always said it as "nee-ZHAIR" in the French style.  My dictionary (the Oxford Reference Dictionary) specifically gives "NIGH-jur" as the pronunciation of the river, and "nee-ZHAIR" as the pronunciation of the country.

I think that there was a question a while ago about what the correct adjective is for the country/nationality, and the answer was "Nigerien" (i.e. also as the French style).

[jno]

saying neezhair halps distinguish it from Nigeria.

[nfn]

nighjeer

[brachiopod]

Agree that NIGH-JUR is the West African river, and NEE-ZHAIR the country.