How the heck do you pronounce ukulele?
Before I became interested in the uke, I didn’t even question the way that I was pronouncing the word. Living in Southern Indiana (Columbus), I’d always heard it pronounced as: yoo-ka-lay-lee. Imagine my surprise when I found out that I have been saying it wrong all these years 
The correct Hawaiian pronunciation is actually: oo-koo-lay-lay. Who knew right? I do have to admit that it’s been really hard for me to retrain how I say it. Saying it the correct way makes me feel a little silly and almost pretentious. I’m also finding that I tend to merge my old way of saying it with the right way, coming up my own hybrid version as: yoo-koo-lay-lee.
So I’m posing this question to all that would like to answer: How do you pronounce the word ukulele and does it bother you when you hear other people pronounce it incorrectly?
I pronounce it yoo-ka-lay-lee. I think people who insist on ook-koo-lay-lay are being snobs – like ordering a ‘cappuccino’ in an Italian accent.
What’s really insane is people who pronounce ‘uke’ ook.
Woodshed:
Now I don’t feel so bad
I agree with Woodshed. yoo-ka-lay-lee is the accepted American pronunciation and has been since the twenties. This is how the english language absorbs new words. The Hawaiian way is not the “correct” way, it is only the correct way for their culture. It sounds precious for a mainlander to use it. I respect the Hawaiian language, but I speak english.
If you’re on the mainland, say yoo-ka-lay-lee. If you’re in Hawaii, say oo-koo-lay-lay. Even if you’re a mainlander. It’s awkward at first, but it’s worth the effort. No one will think you are being precious, only that you respect their culture. But really only when you’re in Hawaii, because, yes, people will think it is very strange if you say oo-koo-lay-lay on the mainland. Unless you’re Hawaiian
This reminds me of Australia and the didgeridoo. Didgeridoo is ‘white man’s’ name for it and though it has many names, one traditional name is Yidaki. I differentiate between the two as being two different types of instruments, though the same, with very different qualities. ‘Didgeridoo’ giving much more of a contemporary sound and Yidaki giving much more of a traditional sound…..both with very different playing styles.
I realize that this is a ukulele site so let’s tie it all together now
I wonder: could the same be said of ukuleles and ookeleles? .Is there a OOk-ulele that is more ‘tradional’ in sound and playing style versus a Ukulele that is more contemporary?
Also, when in Australia and going to Cairns, Australia, pronounce it ‘Cans’ or they won’t know what the heck you’re talking about
For the longest time, I pronounce ukulele as yoo-koo-lay-lee just like the mainland people did. Then when I heard Jake Shimabukuro say Ook-koo-leh-leh I changed the way I said it. I figured Jake, one of the world’s best uke players, would know what he was talking about.
I’m from Guam and most uke players say it ookoolehleh also. I pronounce uke as “yook”. When people say ‘ook’ thats when i cringe hahaha. To each his own though, it doesn’t matter what you call it we can all still make music together right?
I hardly think that people who say it the hawaiian way are snobs though. Thats a bit much to say. Unless they try to correct the way you say it then that would be crossing the line.
Didgeridoo from Yidaki? that isn’t even close to the same word! I’ve been to ‘Cans’ Australia. The ‘OZZYs’ there are very friendly.
whats with the inability to make paragraph breaks? lol
Well i sorta agree with strummer but we prenounce it as oo-koo-lele.
oh and by the way, i live on kauai.
I don’t care much how people pronounce it. I know what they mean either way and I would hate to be “that guy” who corrects people’s pronunciation. There is the Hawaiian way and there the a wider, more common usage. Take you pick. If I was going to be “that guy” I would have to gripe about every other word spoken in the US and Canada by so called “English” speakers. But I am not going to go around correcting people who use common pronunciation when everyone knows exactly what they mean, and almost no one knows there is another “correct” way to say a word. Like schedule. Or vitamin. Or aluminum. Or…
ok so to all who r reading this-i am not from hawai’i, but “yook” really is the incorrect way…altho english is my first language, i think that all of us have ruined the language and cultures of other countries..im from american samoa and americans say samoa “suh moh uh” when really its “sah mo ah” also, knowing some of the hawaiian elders who have grown up hawaiian, they cringe at yook ooh lay lee. personally, i think yook ooh lay lee sounds like a dirty word, and while i dont like the american way, hawai’i is a part of america, so shouldnt we all just say it respectfully instead of making urselfs look like haole (white/american) tourists? maybe something to think about
PolyGurl wrote: :
PolyGurl, keep in mind that the entire English language is made up of words from other languages, and most of them are not pronounced the same way in English as they are in their previous settings. That is not wrong–it’s the way English works. To insist that other English speakers disregard this shows disrespect for them and for English, much in the same way you are accusing them of disrespect for saying “yook” (an English word) instead of “ook” (a Hawaiian word).
Is it ruining the Spanish culture to say “guitar” instead of “guitarra” when speaking English? Is it damaging the Bantu language to say “banjo” instead of “mbanza” when speaking English? When speaking English, am I allowed to say “piano” rather than “piano e forte”, or would that be dissing the Italians?
Or does your rule apply only to Pacific Islands languages?
How about you stop criticizing others for their use of language, find your shift key, and look up the word “urselfs” in an English dictionary?
Actually, because I’m from Norway I have a very weird way to say it.
I say “ooh-kooh-leh-leh”. HAH! So for me every pronounciation is a good one.
I agree with PolyGirl. I am part Native Hawaiian by blood, and it always makes me cringe hearing yoo-koo-lay-lee. I think you can say it however you want, but Pacific Islands, myself included, are generally defensive when it comes to their culture. The way you pronounce ukulele usually seperates the haoles from the locals.
LOL. I was born in Hawaii so I say ooh-kooh-lay-lay and I always have. Whenever I hear someone saying yoo-ka-lay-lee or whatever, I want to laugh. It just sounds dumb to me.
Alright well, here’s the thing. Yes, the english language has a tendency of altering pronounciation, but it’s usually because that’s the way it’s spelled (from what i can think of anyway). French words’ “s” is pronounced when they shouldnt and stuff like that. In this case, ukulele is pronouced how it’s spelled, so how the hell did it become “yu-ka-lay-lee?” Furthermore, it’s less for the benefit of all you haoles up there that don’t really care, but you’ll be taken more seriously as a player by true ukulele players, and by everyone here. However, i never really was bothered by shortening it to “uke” (pronouced y-ook)cuz, well idk, but it isnt as strange to the ears as yukalaylee. Anyway, I’d recommend you say it to the correct way instead of the accepted way.