janikphoto
Lunatic Member
Here's a Japanese commercial where it's pronounced...
How do you pronounce "Technics"?
- Thread starter Late Boomer
- Start date
janikphoto
Lunatic Member
US commercial says it slightly different than the Japanese guy...
That proves very little, I'm afraid. The fact that your friends are in Sasebo and Yokosuka, which are military base areas, suggests to me that they would be more familiar with American English, which would be overwhelmingly dominant there, and tek-neeks is the pronunciation I
usually, perhaps always, hear from Americans. But I grew up among non-Americans, and it was pronounced exactly as spelled. Not to suggest that either way has a claim to absolute correctness - they're simply alternative pronunciations.
As someone mentioned in an earlier comment (if I've remembered it correctly), the Japanese have a penchant for names with ambiguous pronunciation. They also have a penchant for apparently English words that aren't actually English words - such as "technic", which is neither adjective nor noun, and isn't the word "technique" - or descriptions that are intended to convey a feeling without necessarily conveying correct grammar or suitable combinations of words.
In Japanese, Technics is officially written as テクニクス (or see the linked image).
https://news.panasonic.com/jp/assets_c/2015/12/NRR2015141452_0-thumb-890x592-948777.jpg
Each katakana symbol is a syllable: te-ku-ni-ku-su
The "ni" is short, though not quite identical to the short "i" in hit. It falls about halfway between that and the "e" in feet, though it's still a short vowel sound.
If the "neeks" long "e" pronunciation was intended, that part of the name would be (but isn't) written in Japanese as "ニークス”. The second symbol there, the horizontal line, simply lengthens the vowel of the syllable before it, and is commonly used in Japanese, including for foreign-derived names. As pronounced in Japanese, テクニクス unmistakably uses a short vowel, and no one would say it the second way, with that vowel lengthened. But that's Japanese.
But there are no clear 'breaks' between the syllables when they pronounce it.
It sounds like three syllables...tech ew nooks.
vwestlife
Super Member
It's only "settled" in terms of how to pronounce it in Japanese. And if you want to use the Japanese pronunciation to make yourself sound more worldly or sophisticated, go right ahead. But many manufacturers Anglicize their names for English-speaking markets. For example, Hyundai becomes "hun-day" in the USA. Even the Jaguar car company has stopped trying to get Americans to use the British pronuncation ("jag-YOU-are") and now uses the common American pronuncation ("jag-war") in their U.S. advertising. And the common American pronuncation of Technics is as follows:
Correct, that is the Japanese pronuncation. But again, it is usually Anglicized to "mat-su-SHEE-tah".
steerpike2
Super Member
Can we do "McIntosh" next ?
It doesn't sound like that to me, or even close, but I wouldn't be able to guess how you pronounce nooks. There's huge variation in English about vowel pronunciation (try the words "round" or "right" in different parts of the British Isles), even before we add spellings that have to do service for multiple sounds, like the double o in foot and boot.
I could have explained why I wrote out the breaks, katakana being a syllabic system, but opted for brevity there. Like any language, yes it links up to something else. I don't think any language clearly expresses in written form things like tone, beat, or elision, and many (like English) don't indicate stress at all - in English, the stressed syllable/word is often reversed anyway, depending on which side of the Atlantic you're on.
Ross6860
Super Member
Same in Ohio “neeks”, surprised we don’t throw and R in there somewhere... is it Soda or Pop
North of Columbus, it's pop. South it's soda...
There are at least three "accents" in Ohio (probably more). The North, Columbus/Central, River. Just ask someone to say "Hot dog and a Coke" and you'll here the difference. Adding extra Rs, I've not heard.
I worked with several folks from Maine and always wondered what form of English they spoke.
P.S. - I can't believe I read this whole thread. Good thing I'm retired...
Brett Favre says its Techneeks, thats good enough for me lol.
I suspect there was some presenter or distributor that pronounced it with the "neeks" syllable when the equipment was first introduced in the US, and the name has been bastardized by salesmen and the unknowing public ever since...
The Japanese say neeks, actually make it a 3 syllable word with neeks as the third syllable. Its their product
Edit: Zenith: Zee•nith or Zen•ith (like Ken•ith)
Last edited:
TECH---NICS
Active Member
how do we pronounce TECNICS?.........QUALITY!
Last edited:
rmoreau61
Well-Known Member
Maybe when the Panasonic execs and marketing team worked on naming their fledgeling high end electronics company, they came up with a name that visually evoked an impression of technically advanced designs (techical) while pronunciation of the name gave the impression of unique approaches to sound reproduction (techniques). If so, I say genius marketing - especially if you pronounce it like me (in New England) "Tech-niques."
TECH---NICS
Active Member
matushita-panasonic were absolutely brilliants in marketing and design , to be honest their products does not sound way better than other brands but they are best looking for sure , sa me thing as akai in 80's reel to reels..........thats it boys , we love beautiful things.
stragulus
New Member
You mean Coke?Same in Ohio “neeks”, surprised we don’t throw and R in there somewhere... is it Soda or Pop
Camp Tek NIX here. But I grew in Europe where we pronounce SCSI as scoozy, mobile as mobyle, foyer as fwa-yay, coupé as coo-pay. Yeah, all things I got "corrected" for after moving state side
Edit: Oh oh oh, and sauder vs sol-der of course! To make it at least somewhat relevant to this forum.