Here’s a something I’ve been wondering about since I started going to genealogy conferences about five years ago:
Why do some people pronounce our favorite pastime with a short e, like JEN-ealogy?
I’ve always pronounced the word with a long “e” as in “gene.” But I’ve heard some esteemed conference speakers pronounce it with a short e, as in “jen.”
The screengrab from Merriam-Webster.com, above, indicates that my pronunciation is the preferred one. And, in fact, if you go to the website and click on the little speaker icon, you’ll hear the word pronounced that way. But the website also points to another alternate pronunciation, which I don’t think I’ve ever heard: jeen-ee-AL-ogy with a short “a”.
So I’ve put together a little poll: How do you say the word?
I’m looking forward to seeing the results!
I’m with you — “long” e, as in “gene.” But then, why not geeeenetics? Fortunately, I’ve had this important issue to occupy my brain through some too-long genealogy presentations.
You crack me up, Marion. I bet a linguist would tell you why you and I say jeenealogy but jenetics.
I wondered that too, and was thinking maybe I have been pronouncing it wrong all this time when the big conference speakers pronounce it the other way. Glad to know my way is more common and therefore right.
They might argue that their way isn’t wrong, but is nice to be in what seems like the majority, Shasta!
Lisa Louise Cooke looked into this years ago. See talked about it in Episode 37 of her Family History: Genealogy Made Easy podcast. The conclusion was it’s pronounced the way you pronounce it with a long e. Here’s a link where you can find the show – https://lisalouisecooke.com/family-history-podcast/
Thank you for that link and episode number, Patty!
I thought I was the only one! I used jeen-ee-ology. I guess it’s like missouree/missourah or chi-caw-go/chi-cah-go; probably a regional thing.
Perhaps it is! Missouree/Missourah most certainly is. (I live on the Misouree side of the state.)
Same as you and Marian – Long e, like “gene.”
Thanks for commenting! I love seeing gene in my comments today because it’s the 88th birthday of my father, Gene Adams. Maybe that’s why this topic came to mind today.
Tomato, toe-ma-toe Genealogy is a great hobby or occupation! Genie not Jenny
Interesting to see that the online dictionaries all say the word is pronounced gene-e-ology or gene-e-al-ogy. None of them use the jen-analogy pronunciation.
Maybe the word was influenced by auto correct as my comment was. Haha! Jen-e-ology.
It could be just my own experience, but I’ve notice that the only ones who pronounce the word as jen-e-ology are usually members of the LDS church. Non-Mormons tend to use geen-e-alogy. Just FTR, I’m not a Mormon, but I know a lot of ’em.
That’s a great observation! I’m going to see if I can pay attention to that distinction. Thanks for your comment!