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From: David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no>
Newsgroups: comp.lang.misc
Subject: Re: Pronunciation of tuple
Date: Fri, 16 Aug 2024 11:34:00 +0200
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On 15/08/2024 21:58, Stefan Ram wrote:
> James Harris <james.harris.1@gmail.com> wrote or quoted:
>> The term "tuple" appears a fair bit in programming but its pronunciation
>> is a source of some controversy.
> 
>    There's low-key more backing for the [uː] you think is right.
> 
>    I've heard folks say it (in vids) with both [uː] and [ʌ].

I don't think there is any consistency or pattern here - both are used.

I suspect a major reason for this is that the word "tuple" is not in 
common usage outside of programming.  So a large proportion of people 
first come across it in written form, and pick whatever pronunciation 
seems to work when they first say the word.

There is also no authoritative reference, unlike for terms like "Linux" 
where there is a clearly correct pronunciation (based on the 
pronunciation of the OS "Minix" and the way Linus Torvalds pronounces 
his name - the Finnish way, not the common American way.  Linus created 
Linux - he gets to decide the correct pronunciation for the word).


> 
>    Word pronunciations can be hella irregular, with exceptions like the
>    "u" in "busy," "business," and "bury." So, the "u" in "tuple" might
>    be a gnarly exception too.
> 
>    (Another similar debate is how to say "router.")

That one is a lot clearer.  In British English, the word "route" is 
pronounced the same as "root".  In American English, it is pronounced 
the same as "rout" (rhyming with "out").  So obviously the correct 
pronunciation is like "root-er" :-)