Pronunciation of werewolf

[PotteringPondering]

When I was growing up everybody pronounced it WEER-WOLF.

Now everybody seems to pronounce it WHERE-WOLF. I'm assuming it's an American thing. But even films with British accents seem to say 'WHERE-WOLF, no doubt for the American market.

I find this odd, particularly given the pronunciation of mere, here, sphere, sincere, adhere, revere etc.

I guess there's also premiere and derriere, but they both come from French words where a grave accent helps the 'air' sound (première, derrière).

The best evidence for the defence is there and where. But I suspect shenanigans going on with the h in both cases, which creates the AIR sound.

If I see an American werewolf round here I'm going to give it a sincere kick in the derrière.

I’m 55 and only ever heard where wolf 🐺.

I say weerwulf and DH finds it hilarious he says I'm wrong and he's never heard anyone else say it like that!

Weer to rhyme with sphere (but not here).

Lived in Cornwall all my life. It's always been where wolf.

What?!!

Sphere and here don’t rhyme in my accent! Here rhymes with year.

They all rhyme for me 😬

Interesting!

what's the accent?

Ha ha – not sure that clarifies things much, as year can be pronounced YEE-YA or YURRR.

Ware-wolf

I'm Scottish. There 'ware' is like 'be-ware' or 'wear' as in clothing

South Wales sorry! I’m confusing the issue, I’ll go away now!

Yurrrr for year btw

Sphere and fear rhyme for me 🤣

I say it like S as in the start of snake and fear and phere have the same sound.

S-fear

Doesn’t the pronunciation of sloth depend if it’s the animal or the sin? Sloth rhymes with moth for the an8mal, but slow-th for the sin?

Also all,rhyme for me.

and always been where wolf.

but I pronounce were (as in they were) the same as where.

I know the sloths are a bit of a distraction from the werewolves, but I always assumed the pronunciation depended whether the sloth in question was a deadly sin, or a droopy mammal.

Don't tell me I'm wrong on that one too... 🙄

Just beat me to it!

Another pronunciation I’ve not heard

I pronounce the animal and the deadly sin in in the same way. Sorry.

We are all sin committing droopy mammals.

Anyone else making owl sounds as they read this?

Born in London but now live elsewhere in the UK. I've only ever heard it pronounced "Where-wolf".

I feel like we're in danger of summoning werewolves to our doors with all this chat.

This just gets more confusing 😂 they all rhyme

Is anyone else now thinking, "Here hare here"?

Yes!