How do you pronounce NIKON?

<p>Hi,</p>

<p>We pronounce "nee-kawn" in Finland. Very short and solid almost hard word.</p>

<p>BR.</p>

<p>Esa Kivivuori</p>

<p>You supposed to pronounce as the Japans pronounce it, because it is a japan is name and as any name is a privet property. You are not supposed to twisted all over a non english name as you usually doing, because you don't like to be twisted out your name too. If everybody can learn how to pronounce a foreign name, like Shakespeare, then you, whom an english or english speaking person, you too, has to learn those foreign names. Not very difficult, even for an english. You just have to do it. Like the name; Shakespeare is pronounced in the same way as you doing it at home in England. Being it in Italy, Hungary, German, China, Japan or maybe a Martian speaking you mother-tongue, but pronouncing a foreign name in the proper way. It is so obvious, I don't understand why people don't get it. To learn the proper English grammar, it is an other mated. Sorry.</p>

<p>I can not believe how much discussion this question has caused.</p>

<p>The TV ads in the USA say Nigh - kon and Nick - core. It's obviously the way Nikon USA wants us to pronounce it in this country.</p>

<p>Nikon's TV ads in the USA say "nigh-con", and 100% of the photographers that I've ever known over 45 years called them that. And when you call Nikon's repair facility they pronounce it that way. End of story. But the TV ads do suggest trying their line of wonderful "knee cor" lenses. I've always called them "nigh-cor" lenses.</p>

<p>Some of this discussion is historically rooted in what has been called the "great vowel shift" in the development of the English language. While English has always used the Roman alphabet, the pronunciation of English vowels has departed from their original form in that alphabet, and from the way those vowels are sounded in other languages that use the Roman alphabet.</p>

<p>See, for instance, http://www.courses.fas.harvard.edu/~chaucer/vowels.html.</p>

<p>There have been currents within the English speaking world about pronunciation, for generations, and of course differing elements even within England itself, which is now finds itself a minority of those who speak the language. It's a bit amusing to watch those who think they know what "authority" should command correctness or obedience in the pronunciation of English. Some even suggested that the alphabet should be changed, to reflect actual usage, or to coordinate with other languages.</p>

<p>To me, I prefer to think of it as part of the richness of the history of the language and a reflection of the variances among its speakers on every continent of the planet.</p>

<p> </p>

<p>Here, in Italy, we pronunce Nikon it as it is written: Ni-kon.<br>

Easy, no doubt! </p>

<p>Vincenzo,</p>

<p>That is exactly the point.</p>

<p>In English, unlike the continental languages, words are not necessarily pronounced as they are written in the Roman alphabet, and very often not as that printed word would be pronounced, say, in Italy. By a quirk of history, the pronunciations in English of vowels in the alphabet changed while the alphabet used to represent those sounds did not change. One would have to go back in time several centuries to find pronunciations in that alphabet in Britain to match what is still heard on the continent. This is true throughout the English speaking world, but it varies some in various locations by the dates of emmigration from England and by the speech patterns in different locations in England, say two or three hundred years ago, from which people left. To complicate things, some pronunciations and usage in England also have changed while its language was being exported over a few centuries.</p>

<p>In English, more than one pronunciation can be possible if only going by the written word. And, in this case, by common usage, in English there are several pronunciations found for the written word "Nikon."</p>

<p>So, when an English speaker sees "Ni-kon" in print, one can only guess at what it will sound like unless knowing what part of the world one is in, more or less. If you mean the <em>Italian</em> pronunciation of that printed word, then most of us know pretty much what you mean.</p>

<p>Fun, eh?</p>

<p> </p>

<p>Ty, as native german speaker I can assure you that the german names adidas and porsche are not pronounced as you suggest.<br>

Adidas = both 'a' as in 'past', and the 's' at the end is pronounced, as in 'gas'<br>

Porsche = 'e' at end is short and as in 'test', not as in 'knee'. Amphasize is on first syllable.</p>

<p>As a native Japanese, we call it Ni-Kon, as Vincenzo says. That's the correct answer, if the question is what the "right" pronunciation is. <br>

Used to be "Nippon Ko-gaku (Japan Optical Technologies - if it has to be translated)", so "Ni" came from "Nippon (the other name of the country)" and "Ko" came from "Ko-gaku" and the last "n" came from nowhere :-). So, there is no way "Ni" becomes "nai", from the origin standpoint, but each language has its rule and custom and I think it is okay to pronounce it however people like. When it's written, Nikon is Nikon :-)</p>

<blockquote>

<p>and I think it is okay to pronounce it however people like.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>In the international school here in Singapore, we face this all the time, with kids coming from as many as 30 countries.<br>

Although the popular notion is that proper nouns can be pronounced in any way - IMO that logic is faulty.<br>

A name has been assigned by the name-giver to give it a unique identity. The name has either a meaning attached or an association or an origin attached to it. If the phonetics change, it may no longer communicate the identity we are referring to. <br>

So in a native language of some place I might say Dhaaaveed and be calling out to David - or Maaath for Matt - but would that elicit a response from the person I would be calling out to?<br>

IMO there is a right way to pronounce a name and the rest are wrong ways even if they are accepted and used by large numbers.<br>

And in the case of Nikon - it has got to be the way intended by its makers : Ni-kon.</p>

<p> </p>

<p>I can't watch anything on the internet where an American accent says "nigh-con". It's like a nail scraping down a chalkboard or a wire brush on concrete. Sorry to say, there are other Americanisms which have the same effect on me.<br>

A mate once made me endure some awful Star Trek film where Kirk makes egg-something for Picard and says "pass me the orrrr-egg-ann-owe" at which point I fell on the floor laughing and made him play it back. Now I suspect we get it wrong in England too and that Italians cringe when we say "ori-gaaan-owe".</p>

<p>Always a tough one accepting the language of others when our own pronunciations are ingrained for many years. At idle moments I find myself speculating whether Americans say "Peeentax", "Pine-tax", "Pennax" and so on.<br>

However, American accents have a rightness about them in rock and pop music whereas English misses the mark, just to balance things up.<br>

As cutely observed earlier though, I don't think these companies care if we are getting our wallets out, lots of laughs!</p>

<p>Ok, my first answer was just for fun, but it's true that we italian pronunce word as they're written.<br>

In any case, I use to say <em>Ni-kon</em> talking to an italian, but to an American I say <em>Nai-kon. </em>I'm trying to find words that I do know the pronunciation which still apply to the word Nikon and "pine" or "time" should work. Do they apply?</p>

<p>Americans are challenged when it comes to pronouncing foreign words and the corporations know it, so they make it easy on us.<br>

Hyundai doesn't even pronounce the "y" here in their ads.</p>

<p>Heres how they say it in Japan:<br>

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/29/Nikon.ogg</p>

 

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<p>Hyundai doesn't even pronounce the "y" here in their ads.</p>

</blockquote>

<h4>that remnided me of an example that may be relevant here. i used to work with a company that had direct dealings with hyundai australia, and we would often entertain and be entertained by hydundai execs from korea. in australia, hyundai is pronounced "hi-oon-di", however we were instructed by hyundai australia to always say "he-oon-day" as they do in korea. now all of the television commercials will pronouce it in the same way they do in korea, even though the incorrect pronounciation is firmly established here in oz</h4>

<p>This is not an important issue, indeed one of the least I've ever read on this site.</p>

<p>For the record, I'm in the 2/3 camp - definitely not 1 anyway - and that comes from Aussie, England, continental Europe, and Asia experience including Japan. And yes I do believe one should try to pronounce things right, with the country of origin as the reference. (Though again there are a million things that are more important to try to do than this in life).</p>

<p>But as long as I'm talking photography with someone - even if their pronunciation of a camera brand makes me giggle and/or cringe just a touch - I'm happy.</p>

<p>Sorry couldn't wade thru 10 pages of this but the automobile is pronounced (in USA) knee-sahn. Nissan. So Nikon should be pronounced........</p>

<p>John - Nissan is, I believe ubiquitously, "nih-san" (short "i", as in "miss") in the UK. I think I've detected the US pronunciation on television. This may be why everyone I know says "nih-con" (or "nick-on", if you prefer) rather than "knee-con" or the apparently (according to this thread) Americanised "nigh-con".</p>

<p>If it was spelled in Japanese as I pronounce it and as most pronounce it here in the states, it would be Naikan.</p>

<p>Nikon = knee cone<br>

Nikkor = kneek core<br>

Chevrolet = Chev oh ray (:</p>

<p> </p>

<p>Nigh Khan</p>

<p>Well, as a Brit, here's my 2 pennorth ("pence worth" for non-Brits) -<br>

I lived 5 years in Japan and 12 years all told in Asia. Everywhere, with the exception of Philippines<br>

used #2. Philippines, probably cos of heavy American influence used #1<br>

And we Brits for some weird reason seem to prefer Nikon as in Knickers.<br>

I now live in Brazil where the portuguese speaking camera bugs use #2 Knee Kon</p>

<p>Who cares - in any language it is highly regarded stuff!</p>

<p>Ask the Nights who say Ni!</p>