Have I been wrong all these years

[tribdog]

I'm listening to an astronomy lecture by Prof. James B. Kaler. He keeps pronouncing Pisces like Pee Cees. I've always pronounced it Pie Cees. How do you pronounce it?

 

[lisab]

Pix Eees.

 

[tribdog]

for the love of all that's holy. Just because I'm the one asking a question you can give me a straight answer.

 

[Ben Niehoff]

I pronounce it "peace case".

 

[tribdog]

that's it. I've had it. I'm going home.

 

[Artman]

I pronounce it the same as you, Tribdog. I don't know what's with all these wise guys around here.

 

[Evo]

It's Pie Sees

 

[LowlyPion]

\ˈpī-(ˌ)sēz also ˈpi-ˌsēz or ˈpis-ˌkās\

 

[binzing]

Lolz...but would be the fun in giving YOU a straight answer?

 

[makethings]

I believe Hershey pronounces it as reese's pieces

 

[Evo]

\ˈpī-(ˌ)sēz also ˈpi-ˌsēz or ˈpis-ˌkās\

I saw that in m-w.com

I have never heard anyone say pih seez or pis kays. I'm afraid I would have to fish slap them.

 

[undrcvrbro]

I saw that in m-w.com

I have never heard anyone say pih seez or pis kays. I'm afraid I would have to fish slap them.

hahahaha. What a royal punishment.

 

[waht]

Sounds like lots of pesos.

 

[CaptainQuasar]

I pronounce it pie-cees when I pronounce it, but since it's a Latin word I would think the "proper" way would be more like pee-skays. I don't think "i" ever rhymes with "eye" in Latin, right?

⚛​

 

[Moonbear]

I saw that in m-w.com

I have never heard anyone say pih seez or pis kays. I'm afraid I would have to fish slap them.

Pronouncing it pis-kays would be the way you'd pronounce it if you were trying to read Latin text. Well, "kays" isn't really a very accurate way of representing it though, since it would suggest pronouncing the "e" as more of an "ai" diphthong. It's more like the "ques" part of "quesadilla". But, if you're speaking English and not Latin, then it's pi-seez (that i is long). Pee seez or pih seez is just wrong.

 

[Moonbear]

I pronounce it pie-cees when I pronounce it, but since it's a Latin word I would think the "proper" way would be more like pee-skays. I don't think "i" ever rhymes with "eye" in Latin, right?

"i" doesn't rhyme with "eye" in latin, but it's also not an "ee" sound either, at least not when embedded between consonants. The "s" in the middle goes with the first syllable...pis. The "c" in the middle goes with the second syllable and is always a hard c in Latin (k)...ces.
pihs-kehs (eh is pronounced just like the Canadians pronounce it ).

 

[lonton]

I pronounce it pee sees, as in he pees and she sees

 

[vanesch]

Just say fish.

 

[arildno]

Just say fish.

Indeed. Look to Norway! (We say "fiskene")