How Do You Pronounce "Carnauba"?

Rob Tomlin

Rob Tomlin

Lotus Exige S
Anybody know for sure how you pronounce "Carnauba".



I think it is safe to say that a majority of people pronounce it "Car-new-bah".



However, I recall someone in the detailing business tell me several years ago that it is prounounced "Car-now-bah".



So, which is it?



Extremely important issue, for sure!



:p
 
I think you have to say it with an accent like Ricardo Montalban when he said "fine Corinthian leather" :rofl



Seriously...Merriam Webster Online has two pronounciations...one "car-gnaw-bah", the other "car-now-bah"...which means I've been pronouncing it wrong all these years ("car-new-bah") :doh I hate when that happens!
 
Thats why I asked the question.



My guess is that most people here have probably been pronouncing it incorrectly.
 
Actually, listening to the audio clip on Yahoo, it would appear that the correct pronunciation is "Car-No-ba", not Car-now-ba.
 
I'm pretty sure there were commercials when I was a kid (yes, they had TV's then) for car waxes or furniture polishes where they said "car-new-bah". I'm sure that's where we all got it from. Besides, maybe Merriam Webster pronounced it that way back then....these things change...when I was a kid it was Peking, not Beijing, etc. At least that's the story I'm sticking to...
 
Those are the exact same words that I used, and nothing came up!



Really!



:nixweiss



Edit: In fact, I just tried it again, and nothing came up. However, I did search "titles only", so that may be the difference.
 
Well, I've made the decision to pronounce it "Kar-Now-bah" from now on.



This includes when I read the word Carnauba on this forum. Old habits are hard to break!
 
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