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Original poster

how do you pronounce tortoise

199 replies

GenieGenealogy · 31/08/2025 11:25

(Please, no posts about vowel sounds and rhotic accents and the rest of it which has been hashed over so many times).

I was listening to a podcast from a company called Tortoise Media. The host - who is from London - says "tor-tuss". I am Scottish and would never in a million years say it that way, it's tor-toys to rhyme with turquoise. Is this a regional thing? And if other people are saying "tor-tuss" why is the colour not tur-qwuss?

OP posts:
Mandarinaduck · 31/08/2025 12:08

South-west
Tor-tuss

Anewuser · 31/08/2025 12:08

South west = Tor-tuss

Have worked in a school for 14 years and not yet had the need to spell tortoise.

user2848502016 · 31/08/2025 12:09

Tor-toys here, North Wales

Absentmindedsmile · 31/08/2025 12:10

Isiotrot, we say sometimes

DublinLaLaLa · 31/08/2025 12:11

Loubylie · 31/08/2025 11:27

I say tortuss. And turquoise. Southerner. English pronunciation is not logical.

Me too. Formative years spent in SE.

Midlands born DC say tor-toice (rhymes with ‘choice’)

RegretRemorse · 31/08/2025 12:12

I say ‘Tor-tuss’, I’m from Dorset.
Also, I pronounce tortoiseshell as ‘Tor-tu-shell’.
Just out of curiosity is tortoiseshell ‘tor-toyce-shell’ for those of you who say ‘tor-toyce’?

CeeceeBloomingdale · 31/08/2025 12:13

Tortuss. NE England, so only about 60 miles from the Scottish border. I marvelled yesterday at the Scottish lady on my train yesterday saying the buffet (pronounced boofay) car was open. I'd say buffay. That's accents for you. They can change in a few miles.

Dutchhouse14 · 31/08/2025 12:13

Tor tuss - kent

Bumblebee72 · 31/08/2025 12:13

It often surprises me how much the fact that regional accents exist seems to get people in a tizz. Don't bring up scones or this thread will run to a 1000 posts.

AcquadiP · 31/08/2025 12:17

Tortuss - West Yorkshire

Thatfluff · 31/08/2025 12:19

Tor toice for me, nw England

AgentPidge · 31/08/2025 12:21

Tor-tuss. SW.

It looks French though so should be tor-toise (like framboise)? Which would be logical, given turquoise. But I say turq-woys.

How would the tor-toys camp pronounce porpoise - por-poys?

Clearinguptheclutter · 31/08/2025 12:21

TOR-tuss

north west England

Original poster
GenieGenealogy · 31/08/2025 12:21

CeeceeBloomingdale · 31/08/2025 12:13

Tortuss. NE England, so only about 60 miles from the Scottish border. I marvelled yesterday at the Scottish lady on my train yesterday saying the buffet (pronounced boofay) car was open. I'd say buffay. That's accents for you. They can change in a few miles.

I would say boo-fay too. I have heard buff-ay in Scotland as well though.

OP posts:
Fionasapples · 31/08/2025 12:22

I'm Lancs. and say tor-toyce. I know someone from Liverpool who calls it toy-toyce.

tumblingdowntherabbithole · 31/08/2025 12:23

Tortuss - Cumbria.

Toddlerteaplease · 31/08/2025 12:23

Tor- tuss here. East Midlands.

Fionasapples · 31/08/2025 12:23

RegretRemorse · 31/08/2025 12:12

I say ‘Tor-tuss’, I’m from Dorset.
Also, I pronounce tortoiseshell as ‘Tor-tu-shell’.
Just out of curiosity is tortoiseshell ‘tor-toyce-shell’ for those of you who say ‘tor-toyce’?

Edited

Yes I say tor-toyce-shell

BeMellowAquaSquid · 31/08/2025 12:24

I just asked my 3 year old niece and I can confirm it is in fact Taltiss

boathouserocks · 31/08/2025 12:24

Where I'm from the pronunciation is: Tor- tuss.

Turquoise is pronounced: Turk- waaz here.

Toddlerteaplease · 31/08/2025 12:24

Bumblebee72 · 31/08/2025 12:13

It often surprises me how much the fact that regional accents exist seems to get people in a tizz. Don't bring up scones or this thread will run to a 1000 posts.

The scone argument, and the jam vs cream argument is one of my favourite things about the UK. I wonder if other countries do it,

PrincessHoneysuckle · 31/08/2025 12:25

TorTuss .South Yorkshire

cattykinns · 31/08/2025 12:30

Black Country/Worcestershire/Staffordshire , I say Tor-toice to rhyme with choice. Love these threads where so many posters have never met anyone who could possibly have a different regional accent to them so clearly are just piss takers!

cattykinns · 31/08/2025 12:32

RegretRemorse · 31/08/2025 12:12

I say ‘Tor-tuss’, I’m from Dorset.
Also, I pronounce tortoiseshell as ‘Tor-tu-shell’.
Just out of curiosity is tortoiseshell ‘tor-toyce-shell’ for those of you who say ‘tor-toyce’?

Edited

I say Tort-tu-shell but Tor-toice

Devilsmommy · 31/08/2025 12:37

Stoufer · 31/08/2025 11:28

Tor-toice in the Midlands (growing up in the 70s -80s)

I'm in the Midlands and I've always said it this way. The right way😁