How is linux pronounced?

[nothingspecial]

Here`s the thing.
The amount of people who are more experienced with Linux than me that I know to talk to (face to face over a beer) is one.
He`s my brother in law and he gave me this stupid computer. He`s a programmer by trade and has used linux for years at home.
He calls it LIE-NUCKS as in fly, try, apple pie etc etc.


Almost without exception everyone else who knows about computers (and these are all windows experts - people in computer shops, the IT people at work etc) who I`ve met or know,call it LINN-UCKS as in pin, bin etc.


So I call it LIE-NUCKS as does my wife,kids and friends I`ve introduced it to. But am I pronouncing it correctly?
Can I smirk with disdain in the computer shop when assistants call it LINN-UCKS?
Or, am I the one with egg on my face?

[blazercist]

Technically, I believe you are pronouncing it correctly given its derived from Linus which is pronounce LIE-NUS, but in reality its just a matter of preference. I for instance like LINN-UCKS better so thats how I pronounce it.

[billgoldberg]

Here`s the thing.
The amount of people who are more experienced with Linux than me that I know to talk to (face to face over a beer) is one.
He`s my brother in law and he gave me this stupid computer. He`s a programmer by trade and has used linux for years at home.
He calls it LIE-NUCKS as in fly, try, apple pie etc etc.


Almost without exception everyone else who knows about computers (and these are all windows experts - people in computer shops, the IT people at work etc) who I`ve met or know,call it LINN-UCKS as in pin, bin etc.


So I call it LIE-NUCKS as does my wife,kids and friends I`ve introduced it to. But am I pronouncing it correctly?
Can I smirk with disdain in the computer shop when assistants call it LINN-UCKS?
Or, am I the one with egg on my face?

There isn't a correct way to say it.

I call it linn-ucks

It doesn't really matter.

Same for Ubuntu.

Is it Oeboentoe or You-BUNT-OE?

[ooobuntooo]

I say Linn-ucks. Some people I know say Li-necks.

[Canis familiaris]

It is pronounce as "Lee-nucks" rather than "Lie-nucks" that people tend to think AFIAK.

[abgemacht]

Here's an interesting tidbit on how Linus says it:

http://www.unixguide.net/linux/faq/08.11.shtml

Personally, I pronounce it Lin-ix.

[klange]

According to Torvalds, it's "Lin ecks". I believe this specific pronunciation comes from "Minix".

(And it's "ooh boon too", btw)

@abgemacht: Interesting article, I'll have to find my source...

As a note, it's a short ee sound, which isn't well represented in the English language. The short i, as in 'in' or 'it' is the best replacement, and also best fits the spelling. Just like Unix, Minix, etc., the x is usually pronounced completely.

[Lod]

In the Netherlands it's pronounced as thea: L-ea-nux

[billgoldberg]

In the Netherlands it's pronounced as thea: L-ea-nux

Same here.

I never say it english, that would just be stupid.

[conundrumx]

"lin ucks"

"ew baun to"

Maybe I'm weird.

[nothingspecial]

Thanks all for clearing this up. ;)

[Oldsoldier2003]

as long as you dont pronouonce it "windows" most people won't mind :)

[intense.ego]

I used to pronounce it LIE-NUCKS, but then I read that it is actually LIN-NUCKS, so that's what I've been calling it since. However, the true pronunciation is debatable.

Ubuntu, on the other hand, only has ONE pronunciation because it is a Zulu word and that is how they pronounce it. It is pronounced OO-BOON-TOO.

[Giant Speck]

I pronounce it LIN-ICKS and UH-BUN-TOO, where the U in BUN sounds like the U in PUT (the action of placing something, nut putt putt golf).

The stresses are in bold.

[LaRoza]

Same here.

I never say it english, that would just be stupid.

There is no way to say it in English. It is a single word with a single official pronounciation. I pronounce it incorrectly (I just say "Linus", as in "lie-nus", which isn't even how you say "Linus"'s name in his language, but I rarely speak to people in person so it doesn't matter)

[tom66]

Here are some sound files, should clear it up:

http://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/SillySounds/

I believe those are him pronouncing it but I can't test them (speaker glitch, either Firefox or VLC gets the speaker... or something). I found them on Wikipedia.

[Northsider]

I think this has been beaten to death, but I say Linn-ucks (linn like 'tin')

[RedPandaFox]

Linn-ex
Ooo-bun-two

But thats just me with my Aussi accent too :)

[macogw]

Technically, I believe you are pronouncing it correctly given its derived from Linus which is pronounce LIE-NUS, but in reality its just a matter of preference. I for instance like LINN-UCKS better so thats how I pronounce it.

Ah, but you assume Linus is a native-English speaker. He is not; thus, his name is pronounced lee-noos, and Linux is pronounced lee-nooks. He says it's ok to say linn-ooks or linn-uks for English-speakers too since short i (like in the word "tin") is closer to the "ee" sound in his name than a long i (as in "tie") is.

[schauerlich]

Linn-icks
Oo-boon-too.

[mellowd]

Li-NIX (as in the-fix, the L and NIX are stressed)

oo-bOOn-too (stressed on the middle OO)

[RonanZer0]

well i say ubuntu like UH BUHN TOO
also i say linux like li nix

[overdrank]

http://img147.imageshack.us/img147/5451/necromancing.jpg
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[sisco311]

EDIT:
overdrank beat me to it. :)

http://ompldr.org/tYzBtcQ (http://ompldr.org/vYzBtcQ)

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