How do you pronounce "Minotaur"?

[Morrus]

I've always heard (and consequently said) it as "Mine-oh-tore" but listening to Wil Wheaton reading the audiobook of Ready Player One, he says "Minn-uh-tarr", which sounds really weird to my ears. It didn't even occur to me that that pronunciation might exist until today.

I'm guessing this is just a regional (UK/US) difference. How do you say it?

 

[The Crimson Binome]

We mostly go for it the way that Wil says it, but your way is not unheard of. It just depends on how dramatic they want to sound.

You can fight twelve minn-uh-tarrs, no problem, but the mighty mine-oh-tore is another level of danger entirely!

 

[aramis erak]

I've always heard (and consequently said) it as "Mine-oh-tore" but listening to Wil Wheaton reading the audiobook of Ready Player One, he says "Minn-uh-tarr", which sounds really weird to my ears. It didn't even occur to me that that pronunciation might exist until today.

I'm guessing this is just a regional (UK/US) difference. How do you say it?

Minn-uh-tar or Min-oh-taur, emphasis on 1st syllable.

Occasionally, Mee-no-tar, which is more consistent with the latin.

 

[LordEntrails]

I think I've heard it and used it mostly like Sealorn says. Usually minn-uh-tarrs, unless you are fighting THE ONE Mine-oh-tore

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

"Mine-o-tarr"

 

[steeldragons]

Minnow-tar.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

Minn-o-tore, but my wife says minn-uh-tarr, and I have friends who say those, as well as mine-o-tore, mine-uh-taur, etc. some of us aren't even consistent, and pronounce it different ways depending on what is most cromulent in a given sentence.

 

[delericho]

I say Minn-oh-tore. Which I'm pretty sure is wrong.

Occasionally, Mee-no-tar, which is more consistent with the latin.

Um, doesn't it come from Greek? Specifically, Minos the king of Crete?

 

[Dioltach]

Um, doesn't it come from Greek? Specifically, Minos the king of Crete?

Yes, or to be more precise, from Minou tauros: Minos's bull.
My Oxford Concise English Dictionary gives "min-eh-taw" as the preferred pronunciation, and "my-neh-taw" as the alternative (avoiding precise phonetic symbols here). I've always used the second, though.

 

[JeffB]

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