"Debris" - how do you pronounce it?

[BrownEaredDog]

English isn't my first language (despite technically being my mother tongue), so this has had me wondering for years

I've heard Brits pronounce the word "debris" as "daybree", "debbree" and "derbree" (hope this makes sense). I'm aware that there are many dialects over there, but I've heard people that hail from anywhere and everywhere say the word in any of these ways.

Any of you lot know what the correct pronunciation is? Is there even a "correct" pronunciation?

Edited by BrownEaredDog on Saturday 16th August 20:35

[tumble dryer]

Debree

[BrownEaredDog]

tumble dryer said:

Debree

Ah, the "ee" - thanks, I'll edit the OP

[wisbech]

Well, all of those are wrong. The s is silent…

I think daybree or debree (short or long e vowel) are both relatively standard. Looking it up in the OED gives both pronunciations

[Doofus]

It's from the French 'débris' (meaning fragments)

The accent over the E elongates the vowel sound and, being French, the S is silent.

"daybree"

[BrownEaredDog]

wisbech said:

Well, all of those are wrong. The s is silent…

I think daybree or debree (short or long e vowel) are both relatively standard. Looking it up in the OED gives both pronunciations

I know that the "s" is silent, thanks to tumble dryer's reply I've corrected my original post

[BrownEaredDog]

Doofus said:

It's from the French 'débris' (meaning fragments)

The accent over the E elongates the vowel sound and, being French, the S is silent.

"daybree"

I'm aware of the etymology, that's one of the things that made me ask about the different pronunciations as mentioned in the op

[Monkeylegend]

Here you go just skip the advert at the start.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ahGxiSV_LH0

[wibble cb]

Try getting your average American to say chassis….or niche, the results are usually hilariously wrong.

Edited by wibble cb on Saturday 16th August 21:28

[Doofus]

BrownEaredDog said:

Doofus said:

It's from the French 'débris' (meaning fragments)

The accent over the E elongates the vowel sound and, being French, the S is silent.

"daybree"

I'm aware of the etymology, that's one of the things that made me ask about the different pronunciations as mentioned in the op

I know. I'm telling you how it should be pronounced, not how people do pronounce it, because I understood that to be your question.

[Super Sonic]

2:43

[entropy]

wibble cb said:

Try getting your average American to say chassis….or niche, the results are usually hilariously wrong.

Edited by wibble cb on Saturday 16th August 21:28

If you think that's jazzy and rich, Aussies have the same problem and try getting them to pronounce 'asphalt'!

[Warhavernet]

I think it's Stokepanderbody

[limpsfield]

Super Sonic said:

2:43

Top reference!

[CoolHands]

tumble dryer said:

Debree

This

[ajprice]

wibble cb said:

Try getting your average American to say chassis….or niche, the results are usually hilariously wrong.

Edited by wibble cb on Saturday 16th August 21:28

Anyone Else But You - The Moldy Peaches

"I will find my niche in your car
With my MP3, DVD, rumple-packed guitar
I don't see what anyone can see
In anyone else but you"

Nitch. I love The Moldy Peaches, I love that song, but that one line, 'I will find my nitch in your car', grrr.

[glenrobbo]

Mmmmm! Some cheese.

[daqinggregg]

1st syllable


add some,

Bob's your ....

[glenrobbo]

Warhavernet said:

I think it's Stokepanderbody

I must be missing something here:
either an explanation of this derivation, or a parrot.

[BrownEaredDog]

Doofus said:

BrownEaredDog said:

Doofus said:

It's from the French 'débris' (meaning fragments)

The accent over the E elongates the vowel sound and, being French, the S is silent.

"daybree"

I'm aware of the etymology, that's one of the things that made me ask about the different pronunciations as mentioned in the op

I know. I'm telling you how it should be pronounced, not how people do pronounce it, because I understood that to be your question.

Thanks

English is a very weird language at times The word itself has become anglicized, yet should still be pronounced as if the non-existent accent is still there.