How do you pronounce 'melee?'

[Joker]

Do you say 'me-lay' or 'may-lay?'

 

[weem]

Neither? I say me-lee

 

[dontmazemebro]

may-lay

 

[ppaladin123]

may-lay

This is pretty much the only accepted pronunciation. English spelling is odd, isn't it?

 

[Aus_Snow]

Meh [as in met] - lay [as in late]. Without any gap whatsoever between the two.

 

[weem]

may-lay

So the correct way essentially? hehe

I didn't know for sure, but I was almost positive mine was the wrong way - which I have since confirmed Should have known as I am pretty much the only one who pronounces it that way (that I play with at least).

 

[jbear]

Meh [as in met] - lay [as in late]. Without any gap whatsoever between the two.

Yep, this. Mel as in Mel Brooks,Lay as in eggs.

 

[Aus_Snow]

Yep, this. Mel as in Mel Brooks,Lay as in eggs.

Just looked it up, and 'mel-ay' (to put it a little more neatly) is certainly one of the accepted ways, in modern English.

Moreover, it's a French word, and - unless I'm mistaken - that way is also much closer to how the French would say it.

 

[Tallifer]

When reading historical texts, I would say me- LAY because that is the French word which is being used. In those texts it means a confused mass of men fighting each other.

When playing fantasy roleplaying games, I say MEE-lee, because it is then a game term meaning hand-to-hand combat.

Much like when I read a Latin text, I pronounce things classically (YOO-lee-oos KIE-sar); but when I use Latin names and phrases in English speech or writing I pronounce it like English (JOO-lee-us SEE-zer).

 

[XCorvis]

This is pretty much the only accepted pronunciation. English spelling is odd, isn't it?

That's because it's French.