Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To ask how you pronounce 'secretary'

98 replies

eslindanunez · 07/09/2017 14:42

Is it secre-terry or sec-ret-tree?

OP posts:
Penny4UrThoughts · 07/09/2017 15:09

First one. I'm Scottish too.

EivissaSenorita · 07/09/2017 15:11

Scottish here I say sec-u-tarrrrrry

PantPlot · 07/09/2017 15:12

Sekretri

My husband says cuttle-rey. If I'd have realised beforehand I'd have never married him.

terrylene · 07/09/2017 15:25

As long as it is not 'sekker-tree' it is ok by me. Wink

twinjocks · 07/09/2017 15:29

I say a sort of hybrid between sekre-terry and sekre-tarry - not quite either (and I am one too!).

Cut-lerry!

teaandakitkat · 07/09/2017 15:31

I pronounce it sort of sec-ri-tray. Scottish if that makes a difference

Me too.

NinaMarieP · 07/09/2017 15:33

Sec-ri-tray also, and I'm also Scottish. Would say cutlery the same way as BlueSky above.

skiploom · 07/09/2017 15:35

SEC-ruh-tree.
CUT-le-ree.
GARridj.
Sconn.

shushpenfold · 07/09/2017 15:38

Secri-tree

NiteFlights · 07/09/2017 15:38

Sec-re-tri

Do you pronounce the second 'e' in vegetables? My DM does and I'm sure she never used to. It's annoying.

SallyOMalley · 07/09/2017 15:45

I adore my dm but she says SEKKER-terry which drives me nuts, along with THEE-etter for theatre. (Sorry, mum)

EvansOvalPies · 07/09/2017 15:48

SECK-re-tary
CUTT-le-ree
Veg-e-tables
Wed-ns-day
Jewel-ery (not joolery) - that one drives me insane)
(Garridj and Sconn too) Grin
Fole-i-age (not fole-age)

SO many more

EvansOvalPies · 07/09/2017 15:50

My DM also says Thee-etter. (She always insisted it was the correct pronunciation, but I'm not sure. Will have to look it up)

BabyDubsEverywhere · 07/09/2017 15:56

Sec-ruh-tree

MarklahMarklah · 07/09/2017 15:58

Sec-reh-tary/terry

Cut-lehr-ee

But
Gah-rarge
Veg-tables
Wens-day
Scohn
Fo-lee-age
Thee-ah-ter

Itsgoodforthegarden · 07/09/2017 15:59

en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/secretary

scaryclown · 07/09/2017 15:59

Poshness flattens some vowels to non existent

Itsgoodforthegarden · 07/09/2017 16:00

The second one is correct - you can listen to the pronunciation on the OED link I just posted.

Itsgoodforthegarden · 07/09/2017 16:01

I think the first way of saying it sounds a bit American Hmm

MrsHathaway · 07/09/2017 16:03

SECK-ruh-tree
CUTT-luh-ree
VEJ-tuh-buls
WENZ-day
GA-ridj
SCONN

Itsgoodforthegarden · 07/09/2017 16:04

Lol @ Pantplot LTB!!! 🤣

Itsgoodforthegarden · 07/09/2017 16:05

How do you say tuna?

T-una
Or
Chew-na

Hmm
Oldie2017 · 07/09/2017 16:05

Second one.

But never never ever sec-et-erry - ugh makes me wince.

Itsgoodforthegarden · 07/09/2017 16:08

@Oldie2017 so do I.
Both my parents say two-na for some reason - really gets my goat! 🐐

Writerwannabe83 · 07/09/2017 16:08

Sec-re-terry.

How do people pronounce restaurant?

My mom says rest-tu-rarrrrnt.
It drives me mad.
Surely it's just rest-tu-ront?