Does anyone pronounce 'niche' to rhyme with pitch?

[WithOnlyTheMemories]

Doing an online crossword today and the clue was 'rhymes with sheesh or pitch depending who you ask'

The answer (spoilers sorry) was niche. I couldn't believe anyone pronounced this to rhyme with pitch so I googled and the site I found seemed to say that the 'nitch' pronunciation was the most common.

Is that correct? If so, how have I never heard that in my 4 decades on this earth?

Isn't it regional? I say choritho like a knob because I first heard it used as a young adult when I was on holiday in Andalucia (also pronounced like a knob, and dah loo thee ah). But since then I'm sure I have heard it pronounced as choreeso in Spain.

I have heard it but I think maybe more of an American thing? Probably the same people who say Tom-Aye-toes instead of tomato

It’s a French word though, so entirely normal to attempt a French pronunciation. How would you say croissant or pain au chocolat?

Not if it's built into the wall of a church with a statue on it. Definitely nitch territory there 😂

An alcove is something a person could stand in, a niche is a where you would put a small, treasured item.

If 'niche' is applied to a hobby or area of knowledge, it implies it is a small group of people that partake. An alcove hobby would be equivalent to an 'outing' MN hobby.

Edited to add: On reflection, an 'outing' MN hobby would require several aircraft hangars to accommodate everyone.

It’s an American crossword. Maybe that’s how people pronounce it in the states?

People who say nitch also tend to say click for clique.

Philistines, in other words.

yeah Choritho and Choriso both acceptable Spanish pronunciation. The th v s is regional (th mostly European pronunciation, s more common in LAm. Choritso (commonly used in the UK) is wrong.

The americans also say paaarsta, aloominum and 'erbs, and I heard the abomination 'st-row-ganoff' the other day, so what do they know?!

This seems to be the consensus but my spouse and in-laws are Americans who would say neesh, so it must not be universal.

Very likely - I don’t think I’ve ever heard it in the UK. But I’m going to check with an American niece - mind you she has a PhD and an English mother, so may well pronounce it our (proper!) way.

Pitch pronunciation is clearly enough of a bone of contention in the US to be used to define a word in a crossword clue.

Not to mention ‘premEER’ for ‘premiere’.

Exactly, business podcasts about finding your nitch!

I hate it when I hear Americans say aloominum

Can’t they see that they’re missing out the vital “l’

it’s Aluminium

And don’t even get me started on erbs. It may be a silent h in French at the beginning of a word, but not in English

Well yes, that’s the whole point of the clue. Some say it one way, some say it the other 🙄

Well yes, thanks for that, but I asked because I have never heard it nitch so was surprised by the clue that some people say it one way, some people the other.

It's a French word. So while we don't prance around doing our best Allo Allo accent while we say it, we stay true to the original word by saying neesh and cleek (clique).
Pronouncing it like you're a 4 year old is an American thing.

Do they say ren-dez voos rather than ron-day voo, too? 🙄

Mainly Americans - I’m in many business groups and it’s a pet peeve that has me internally screaming - it’s nicheeeeeeeee not - Nit-ch

It's an American game, isn't it, so it references clues from a US perspective.

It’s the American pronunciation. Which is obviously wrong.

US pronunciation is becoming pervasive. My kids (bear in mind we are in the South East of England) say 'wrath' to rhyme with 'math' and not 'froth'. I mean English doesn't make sense but I'm sad to lose some traditional pronunciation.

But it's spelt 'aluminum' in US English so the I isn't that vital.

We say “neesh”.

Mr Banks says it in Mary Poppins.