Any linguists here?

What is the correct pronunciation of "Iraq"? And "Iran" for that matter.

We keep hearing Eye-rack and Eye-ran, but those aren't the pronunciations we learned in school.

Anybody know?

but I always think in terms of "ear-on" and "ear-rock"

almost nasally, high up in the mid roof of the mouth, by native speakers where we would say "rack" and "ran" pretty much interdentally, close to the front of the mouth and much lower.

it reveals that there are many pronunciations. Eye-rack, Eer-rok...

but then again, I am no linguist. Although, I do know one who has a PhD in linguistics. I could ask her maybe... ?

Both start with a high-front vowel, followed by a rolled R, followed by a low-mid vowel. the "q" represents Arabic's uvular plosive, pronounced like "k" but farther back in the mouth

Kurds, Marsh Arabs, Western Iraqis, and Baghdadis all have their various dialects and accents. When you look at Iran, there's like five languages there, and a hell of a lot more regional differentiation.

However you say it is generally as good as any of the natives would do, honestly.

Not lately. :shrug:

not to go for that one, and yet you didn't.

Really.

Aren't you ashamed of yourself now?

:toast:

http://popwatch.ew.com/popwatch/2009/06/daniel-craig-po.html

And yes, this IS for real. Limited offering for Ice Cream Week in the UK by Del Monte.

... to stoop low as often as I can. :silly:

:rofl: :fistbump:

As Nevadans, we loathe hearing "neh-VAH as in father-duh" (it's "neh-VA as in apple-duh" people) come from anyone whose first language isn't Spanish (considering "neh-VAH as in father-duh" IS the correct pronunciation for the Spanish name Nevada, but I digress... ;-) so I can understand Iraqis and Iranians (and Spanish-speakers) being bothered by outsiders getting the pronunciations wrong.

Iraq = I as in ick-rock as in Rock-n-Roll
Iran = I as in ick-ron as in Ron Howard
There's also a more nasally-sound thrown in there, along with some r rolling too. I only know this because there's a lot of similarity between Arabic and Hebrew. No, I'm not a Jew, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn.

Edit: Or, you could read Odin2005's post. :P

We go to Paris, not Paree. Munich, not Munchen. Mexico, not Meheeko. We anglicize names of places all the time, and there's no need to be any different regarding places in Asia. Fareed Zakaria calls this out as trying to have "global cool."

I was born in Iraq, and I don't call it "eee-raqh." I admit "EYE-rak" is a bit painful. I tend to use a short 'i' as in "irascible" or "irradiate."

Sorry, had to use a "Las Vegas in it's mobster days" cliche. :evilgrin:

Ear-ran or Ear-ron = Iran

... position on the war by how they pronounce "Iraq".

i.e. "eye"= pro-war

"ear" = antiwar.

I⋅raq  /ɪˈræk, ɪˈrɑk/ Show Spelled Pronunciation

I⋅ran  /ɪˈræn, ɪˈrɑn, aɪˈræn/ Show Spelled Pronunciation