kilometer
A thousand meters. A metric measurment used for mid to long distances. Approximately 5/8 or .625 of a mile.
A word which is - more often than not - BUTCHERED by alledgedly educated media speakers and now the general population.
The correct pronunciation is based on the FACT that the first part of the word is 'kilo' meaning 1000 and uttered as 'keelo.' The second part is 'meter', uttered 'meeter.' Thus the true pronunciation of this 'whopper' - give me a break - is 'keelomeeter' with the 'o' pronounced as it is generally uttered in the alphabet as opposed to the long 'awww' sound. The explanation for this is best offered through understanding prefixes and suffixes as well as investigating how other related metric measurements are uttered. 'Centimeter' for example is NOT uttered 'cent-IM-itter' just as 'millimeter' is NOT uttered 'mill-IM-itter.' These two words are usually NOT BUTCHERED and are found said properly as 'sEnta-mEEter' or 'sEnti-meeter' - with the 'i' pronounced as in the word 'it.' And 'milli-meeter' - 'i' pronounced as in the word 'it.' Or 'milleemeeter.'
A word which is - more often than not - BUTCHERED by alledgedly educated media speakers and now the general population.
The correct pronunciation is based on the FACT that the first part of the word is 'kilo' meaning 1000 and uttered as 'keelo.' The second part is 'meter', uttered 'meeter.' Thus the true pronunciation of this 'whopper' - give me a break - is 'keelomeeter' with the 'o' pronounced as it is generally uttered in the alphabet as opposed to the long 'awww' sound. The explanation for this is best offered through understanding prefixes and suffixes as well as investigating how other related metric measurements are uttered. 'Centimeter' for example is NOT uttered 'cent-IM-itter' just as 'millimeter' is NOT uttered 'mill-IM-itter.' These two words are usually NOT BUTCHERED and are found said properly as 'sEnta-mEEter' or 'sEnti-meeter' - with the 'i' pronounced as in the word 'it.' And 'milli-meeter' - 'i' pronounced as in the word 'it.' Or 'milleemeeter.'
Example:
A typical example of the BUTCHERING of the word 'kilometer':
Trucker Bob: "I drove 'bout 500 'killawwwmitters' til I stuck it in the sleeper. So tired, forgot I never had a sleeper and woke up in the godamned reefer...sheeet!
Fed-up etymologist: "Excuse me dude, but it is pronounced 'keelomeeter' *long 'o' as in 'toe'* could you please get it right and pass it on?"
Trucker Bob: *walking over to etymologist and dumping half eaten bacon and eggs on his head* "I don't take kindly to bein' corrected by some teacher-boy home-ohhh-secksull!"
Fed-up etymologist: *who also happens to be a runner-up in an ultimate fighting light-heavyweight t.v. championship, Ninjas the trucker in the throat and throws him INTO the floor while stating* "Perhaps today is a good day to learn shit-for-brains." *drags him outside and stuffs him into his reefer*.
A typical example of the BUTCHERING of the word 'kilometer':
Trucker Bob: "I drove 'bout 500 'killawwwmitters' til I stuck it in the sleeper. So tired, forgot I never had a sleeper and woke up in the godamned reefer...sheeet!
Fed-up etymologist: "Excuse me dude, but it is pronounced 'keelomeeter' *long 'o' as in 'toe'* could you please get it right and pass it on?"
Trucker Bob: *walking over to etymologist and dumping half eaten bacon and eggs on his head* "I don't take kindly to bein' corrected by some teacher-boy home-ohhh-secksull!"
Fed-up etymologist: *who also happens to be a runner-up in an ultimate fighting light-heavyweight t.v. championship, Ninjas the trucker in the throat and throws him INTO the floor while stating* "Perhaps today is a good day to learn shit-for-brains." *drags him outside and stuffs him into his reefer*.