[Sca-cooks] Wine names

[sjk3 at cornell.edu]

On Mon, 24 Jun 2002, Laura C. Minnick wrote:

>>>>extra Shiraz, dahling. I like the stuff.
>>>
>>> How do american's pronounce it? 'Sch-razz" or 'Syr-rah'?
>>
>>Americans are generally dopey. Those who know, of course, say "Syrah"... but
>>most American labels SPELL it "Syrah" for the damnfools who don't know
>>better.
>>
>>Avraham
>
> Frankly, my dear, like many interesting words of foreign origin, I have
> never heard this *pronounced* but by other ignorant Americans. Even my
> sweetie, who knows more about these things that anyone has a right to know,
> has never said it aloud in my presence. So- how am I supposed to know what
> is correct, especially since it is from Australia and I haven't a clue as
> to the linguistic origins of the word?
>
> Damnfool 'Lainie

    I'm another one who has never heard the word pronounced, so (before
this e-mail came) I went and checked Webster's Third International
Dictionary.  It said "sh- -razz" (with a schwa in the first syllable).
Is this because it's an American dictionary?  Not being Iranian, I don't
know how the city name is pronounced, but I would assume the h and z
wouldn't be silent.  Or is this a different liquor altogether?

Sandra