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How do you pronounce "Prius"?

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by Stev0, Jun 12, 2007.

?
  1. Pree-Us

    98.9%
  2. Pry-Us

    1.1%
  1. Stev0

    Stev0 Honorary Hong Kong Cavalier

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    I know this subject has come up before, but nobody made an actual poll, so here it is.
     
  2. ruby

    ruby Member

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    That's what I thought. But how do you pronounce "Prii," the commonly used plural around this board? I would guess "pree-eye" :)

    Been reading these boards for over a week. I take delivery of my new Barcelona red metallic, "Ruby", tomorrow!
     
  3. bwilson4web

    bwilson4web BMW i3 and Model 3

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    I've only heard "Pry-Us" on the BBC, "Top Gear" program from Jeremy Clarkson. It would be more interesting to hear a Japanese native speaker give a phonetic spelling. Perhaps there is a "U-Tube" clip around?

    Bob Wilson
     
  4. qbee42

    qbee42 My other car is a boat

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    I pronounce Prii like this: Prius. The plural of Prius is Prius. Okay people, let's start the Latin declinations again.

    Tom
     
  5. ruby

    ruby Member

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    :)- yes Tom, I read that, too. But as I read posts and I see "Prii" - I wonder how those who use it anyway pronounce it.
     
  6. TonyPSchaefer

    TonyPSchaefer Your Friendly Moderator
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    When Fr. Bill was on the board he would refer to himself as the resident Priust.
     
  7. auricchio

    auricchio Member

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  8. hyo silver

    hyo silver Awaaaaay

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    The plural of Prius is "Look! There's another one." :)
     
  9. jpadc

    jpadc Type before I think too often

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    Tom, you are a fountain of knowledge. So help me out here given my latin training was limited to my earliest days of catholic school shortly after the second Vatican council, why is it that Prius follows the 4th declination and not the 2nd?

    Seriously, I'd like to know... Bob
     
  10. Tenebre

    Tenebre Custom User Title

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    Prius is from Latin, it would be more interesting to hear it pronounced by an ancient roman than a Japanese.
     
  11. EZW1

    EZW1 Active Member

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    Dictionary.com offers the following:

    pri⋅us

    /ˈpraɪ[​IMG]əs/ Show Spelled Pronunciation [​IMG] [prahy-uh[​IMG]s] Show IPA Pronunciation [​IMG]
    –adjective (in prescriptions) before; former.
    Origin:
    1890–95; < L[​IMG]



    Soooo.... the winner is Prius with a long 'i'
     
  12. edselpdx

    edselpdx Member

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    "pree-eye". But what's a group of them called?
    You know... a murder of crows, a parliament of owls, a pride of lions, a hover of trout...
    a smug of Prii?
     
  13. SPEEDEAMON

    SPEEDEAMON Professional Car Nut

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    In Japan they pronounce it pooh-lee-oosoo. And it is definitely not Japanese.
     
  14. xsmatt81

    xsmatt81 non-AARP Member

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    who is the one monkey who voted pry-us:suspicious:
     
  15. EZW1

    EZW1 Active Member

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    Ohhh... I forgot to vote.... there!
    Although Webster says its pronounced pry-us... I pronounce it pre-us and voted as such.
     
  16. diamondlarry

    diamondlarry EPA MPG #'s killer

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    +1. I was wondering the same thing. I voted pree-us.
     
  17. patsparks

    patsparks An Aussie perspective

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    A sheep, a flock of sheep.
    Cars come in fleets so a number or gathering of Prius would be a fleet of Prius.

    Maybe a person from a different cultural background to you might pronounce it differently, doensn't make anyone a monkey.
     
  18. efusco

    efusco Moderator Emeritus
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    Just click on it to see...it's a public poll.
     
  19. efusco

    efusco Moderator Emeritus
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    I'm in a minority, but I've always been partial to calling a group of Prius cars a "Pride of Prii".
     
  20. hill

    hill High Fiber Member

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    My car pool'er just bought an '08 a few months ago. He calls it (to the shagrin of his Prius owning brother in law) a Pri-aus (rhymes with floss). He asks me, "is that how you say it"?

    I tell him, "I'm having a Fred Astaire de ja vu" : :D