Gyro

[Heather]

We then went on to have the usual discussion as to what the proper pronounciation of "gyro" is. Honestly, I had to reference answers.com which I believe has it wrong.

Well, what was the consensus?

Here's the Wiktionary definition, with not-so-helpful notes on pronunciation.

[dcfoodie]

Well, what was the consensus?

Here's the Wiktionary definition, with not-so-helpful notes on pronunciation.

I'm leaning towards JEER-oh.

[DanielK]

I'm leaning towards JEER-oh.

My Greek colleague pronounces it EER-oh, but that first syllable is trilled and doesn't have an easy English transliteration.

[Heather]

My Greek colleague pronounces it EER-oh, but that first syllable is trilled and doesn't have an easy English transliteration.

That's how my Greek sister-in-law pronounces it.

[bilrus]

There used to be a sign in the window at Reston Kabob that said "Its pronounced Yeer-o."

But when you would ask for one that way at the counter they would say, "OK, so you want a Jie-ro platter?"

[Jacques Gastreaux]

We then went on to have the usual discussion as to what the proper pronounciation of "gyro" is. Honestly, I had to reference answers.com which I believe has it wrong.

Here are the three ways to pronounce "gyro" that I have heard:

1. Ji Row

2. Gear o

3. Year o

I think the 3rd one is correct but you won't appear to be a doofus if you use the 2nd.

[Al Dente]

I pronounce it "shaved meat log".

[ol_ironstomach]

BTW, Alton Brown's "Good Eats" gyro recipe is pretty tasty, doubly so if you're camping, and the shavings pan-fry nicely.

[JPW]

My Greek colleague pronounces it EER-oh, but that first syllable is trilled and doesn't have an easy English transliteration.

I always leaned towards the school that if you're not Greek it's JI-roh. If you're Greek you should pronounce it correctly.

Corollary -- If you're not Italian-American, don't say Pra-shoot. There's another syllable that belongs on the end-o.

[Waitman]

I n the Athens neighborhood om Monasteraki, considered by many to be ground zero for serious gyro eaters, it's pronounce YEE-ro, but there's an odd little Greek thing that makes the first consonant sound something like a cross between an "g" and a "y".

In shopping malls and on the boarwalk, I believe JY ro is preferrred.

[crackers]

Here is more on correct pronunciations of that Italian ham stuff. Also

calzone (cal-TSO-nay) becoming cal-ZONE and pasta e fagioli (PAH-stah eh faj-YOH-lee) becoming pasta fasul (fa-ZOOL).

[mdt]

Here is more on correct pronunciations of that Italian ham stuff. Also

pasta e fagioli (PAH-stah eh faj-YOH-lee) becoming pasta fasul (fa-ZOOL)

The fa-ZOOL pronunciation is more like the dialect I heard growing up. Of course all my relatives (here and there) drop the last syllable of just about every multi-syllabic word. I found it humourous to visit with someone that only know schoolbook Italian and had a hard time understanding much.

[giant shrimp]

Here is more on correct pronunciations of that Italian ham stuff. Also

i always used to end calzone with a nay, but stopped doing it because it seemed nobody else was pronouncing the e. from now on, i'm following how dante used to order them.

[jparrott]

Isn't fa-ZOOL Sicilian?

And I always thought it was Yeh-ro.

Reminds me of the best non-Chomsky joke around the (way happening) Linguistics department at my school: "What's the difference between a language and a dialect?"

"An army."

[laniloa]

Here is more on correct pronunciations of that Italian ham stuff.

I'm almost at the point of having lived outside NY for half my life.

I say y'all, lanai and pa-can (instead of pee-can).

I've never said caw-fee.

I can't imagine I will ever say anything but mozzerell (almost slurred into one syllable) or pro-shoot. And the guys at the Greek diner would have laughed me out of the place had I said anything other then eer-oh.

[Heather]

Anyone know a place to get one in Silver Spring?

[JPW]

Anyone know a place to get one in Silver Spring?

Seem to recall that Taste of Jerusalem has one on the menu, but I could be wrong.

Best one around SS that I have had was the Greek restaurant in the little strip at the corner of Georgia and Rt 28. in Olney, but I bet there has to be a decent one around Wheaton somewhere.

[Heather]

Thanks Joe. Marathon Deli had a Wheaton store but it closed a while ago. I'll check Taste of Jerusalem.

Marathon in College Park isn't that far from us, but it's in the opposite direction of my afternoon errands.