Lilac

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vtgaryw

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Joined
Jul 24, 2012
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657
Location
Milton, VT
A problem that vexes people around the world (well, at least in my house) is how to pronounce "Lilac."

I've heard it with the last syllable sounding like "Lack", "Lick", and even "Luck." I've always pronounce it "Lack".

I've even listed on Internet pronunciation tools, and there is still no consensus. So, how do you pronounce it where *you* are?

-gary
 
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JohnU

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Jan 31, 2008
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Ottawa, Illinois
I have three of them in my yard now. Grew up in a town where the elderly neighbors had a huge cluster of them. I've always heard and called them "Lie-lack" in my neck of the woods
 

Curly

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Joined
Nov 20, 2010
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4,828
Location
Saskatoon SK., Canada.
I say "ack" with a slight lean towards "uck".

It is used as wind breaks around here. Kinda cool to see a mile long row of them in bloom.
 

sbwertz

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May 11, 2010
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Location
Phoenix, AZ
I had one special desert hardy hybrid for years, but a couple of years of really hot summers killed it off. They really don't like 110+ degrees.
 

sbwertz

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Joined
May 11, 2010
Messages
3,649
Location
Phoenix, AZ
It is almost a "schwa" sound. (the upside down e in phonetics). Because it is an unstressed syllable, it gets a sound somewhere between a short a as in hat and a "uh" sound. OK lecture from old English teacher over now.
 
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