Why do Americans pronounce Iraq 'Eye-rack'?

Question

Does it seem crazy that they invade a country, before learning to pronounce its name correctly? And for all those that think 'Eye-rack' is the correct pronunciation, just ask an Englishman (they named it), or better still an Eye-Rack-E!

Wow! There are quite a few eye-diots out there. People in Eyes-rael or Eye-taly, people would probably call Americans eye-gnorant or eye-literate!

Answer 1

Maybe you should tell the world the correct pronuncation

Answer 2

If you're English, then you surely jest. HAHAHAHA! Are you kidding me? Rules? English pronunciation? There aren't 2 points further than 10 miles anywhere on the planet where English speakers pronounce words the same way. How could they?

Most English words are constructed by taking a random handful of letters from the Latin alphabet and throwing them up in the air. Once they land, a lottery determines which should be enunciated and which not. A separate drawing decides which way to pronounce each individual letter. By this process you can get the word "forecastle" to sound like "folk -sl" (OK, in Scotland they say "fook-sl". ...see what I mean?)

Yes, an Englishman probably did name it. It was probably the same guy who named a place "Nausel", but wrote it St. Austel.

I have to go now, time for my EYE-talian lesson.

Answer 3

Hehehe!! I like this question!! I've complained about Iraq being pronounced 'eye-rack' before, but no-one listened!!

I think the person who said "We dont care how its pronounced." gave you half of the definitive American answer! The other half is the fact that accents change everything both in America AND in the UK! But even making allowances for strong accents, 'eye-rack' is going a bit too far...!

When Bush says it, you can presume that he's thinking of one of his new methods of torture, probably the most recent one to be installed in Abu-Graib!!
; )

Answer 4

Well first of all, it's not like every American citizen went and invaded the country personally.
Second of all, it's not like every American citizen pronounces it like and doesn't know the correct pronunciation..

I don't understand why the pronuciation is that big of a deal, and why you are all making it sound like all of the Americans wanted this war, because we all certainly don't. Not everyone voted for George Bush, and on behalf of those that didn't, please don't assume we're all ignorant idiots..

Answer 5

I don't. I pronounce it Ih-rock. My mother pronounces it wrong, but that's because she's pretty much deaf. She pronounces quite a few things wrong. I think it is SO funny when people pronounce Iraq like that. I just want to ask them "Are you from Mississippi?" jk, jk. I've got family in that god awful state. I hate Mississippi.

Answer 6

First off, I don't support the war either.

But secondly, not all Americans pronounce it that way. I think a majority of those that do, have a southern drawl (which is what a lot of the leaders---such as the President---have).

Answer 7

I pronounce it Eye-rock
how is it supposed to be said, I talked to a guy from Britain and he says it "eye-rock" also

Answer 8

Yeah, Eye-ran gets the same pronounciation. When I say them correctly I sometimes get these blank stares.

Answer 9

Of course, British English should be the proper standard for the whole world ;-) but hey, maybe Americans don't speak English anymore, they speak American.

Answer 10

I think it's pronounced many different ways in America- no newscaster can agree on how to pronounce it.

Answer 11

it begins with a very light "I" like in Islam.
may be when they say;Eye-rack for a crack in the American eye.......
do you know that Iraq in Arabic starts with the letter" ع "
pronounced "ain" which means "eye".....