[Democritus (OP)]

To our biological fraternity. Would you help with a wager please?
Zoology: Is it pronounced 'Zoo-ology' or 'Zo-ology'?

Which is to say:
Is it Zoo-ology to rhyme with say Who-ology?
Or is it Zo-ology to rhyme with say No-ology?

It's an important bet. A pint of Victoria Bitter (20 fluid ounces) is the wager.
So, you can imagine, the stakes are so very high...
My adversary agrees this forum is the judge.
I wont say what my view is until all votes are in and the wager concluded.

Many thanks if you can help. (Particularly if you may be able to provide a reason for your view.)
Votes close, if it's ok with you, at the end of Easter, Western Australian Time.

Best wishes & happy Easter
Democritus
WA  []
 

[blakestyger]

'Zo-ology'

[Bored chemist]

I agree with blakestyger.

[_Stefan_]

The Greek word for animal is pronounced "Zo-o". The correct pronunciation of Zoology is Zo-ology.

"Zoo-ology" is not even appropriate by English standards of grammar, because it really would require that 3rd "o".

[Chemistry4me]

How do you even say 'Zoo-ology"?

[rosy]

Zoo-ology (at least by British zoologists). "Zoo" as in "We're all going to the zoo tomorrow" and "ology" is in "(Bi)ology".

[Chemistry4me]

Okay, now I am confused (even more), then how do you say zo-ology?
Like Zo(e)-(bi)ology?

[_Stefan_]

"Zoo-ology" = "Zooooo-ology" as in "Who-ology".

"Zo-ology" = "Zoh-ology" as in "No-ology".

[Chemistry4me]

Okay. I see.

[_Stefan_]

The only way I could see "Zoo-ology" as an appropriate pronunciation would be if it were treated by the same grammatical rules that allow "Do" to be pronounced "Dooo" instead of "Doh" :p .

[rosy]

Doesn't matter what the "correct" pronunciation is, this is the English language.. and the pronunciation employed by people in the field therefore wins

[paul.fr]

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/zoology

click on the speaker icon

[BenV]

As a Zoology graduate, I know nobody who pronounces it zo-ology, and I know a great many who pronounce it zoo-ology.

[Chemistry4me]

Zoo-ology for me. []

[dentstudent]

Zoo-ology for me. []

me too!

Actually, I was just putting this up to test if the site was still working - no posts on TNS for almost 2 hrs!!

[Don_1]

Zoo-ology.

And if you don't like it..... Animalolgy to the lot of ya!!!

[Democritus (OP)]

We have a winner!
Thanks all so much for contributing.

We find that 3 respondents supported zo-ology and 6 supported zoo-ology.
We also find, sob, that I lost the wager as I'm with the enlightened blakestyger, Bored Chemist and Paul in supporting the zo camp. Even if my vote was counted, which it wasn't, my wager is still lost.
Woe is me! (Or is that: Woo is me..?)

It's surprising that while the dictionaries are on the side of the enlightened ones,  opinion from rosy and Ben V suggests that professional zoologists have little need or regard for them, at least in the UK. I'd be interested in how pros in NZ, Oz and the US, for a start, would respond...

Speaking of dictionaries, my Collins (1979 ed) and my Pocket Oxford (1996 ed) both support Zo. With the Oxford saying "The second pronunciation given for zoology...with the first syllable pronounced as in zoo, although extremely common, is considered incorrect by some people".

And Paul's Freedictionary quotes The American HeritageŽ Dictionary in an American accent as supporting Zo. Yet it goes on "Thus, while both pronunciations can be considered acceptable, the (zo) pronunciation may be perceived as more correct".

While I say far be it for me to describe Stefan, rosy, Ben V, Chemistry4me, dentstudent and Don_1 as extremely common  [], and of course I don't (though they cost me a VB), I think, even from our small sample and references here, we can conclude...

Both pronunciations are acceptable. One is extremely common. The other is correct. I owe a pint.

Best wishes and thanks all again. []
Democritus

 

[_Stefan_]

I was actually supporting the Zo-ology pronunciation

[Democritus (OP)]

Hi Stefan
Yes of course you supported Zo. My sincere apologies. Sorry about that blunder. I think in these circumstances what one does now is quickly blame one's research assistant. And I shall chastise her severely just as soon as she finishes licking her dish after her snack of Pal Meaty Bites (Zinc and linoleic acid for healthy skin and coat..)

So, it's 4 votes for Zo and 5 votes for Zoo. Getting closer, but I fear not close enough, unless another detects a similar error on my part, or perhaps changes his or her mind to join you and others enlightened...

In which case we may find this whole affair is referred to The Ethics Committee [].

Cheers
Democritus

 

[Don_1]

Huh! 'Common' am I eh! Common as muck, no doubt.....

I resemble that remark.