# Ack! Help with spelling! Cypripedioideae...



## Heather (Feb 4, 2008)

Is that correct?


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## Elena (Feb 4, 2008)

It is according to Google :sob:


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## Heather (Feb 5, 2008)

Thanks - anyone know for certain the pronunciation? Argh. Latin. I always say "Cyp" as in "sip" but I don't think that's correct.


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## practicallyostensible (Feb 5, 2008)

From Merriam-Webster

Main Entry:
cyp·ri·pe·di·um
Pronunciation:
\si-prə-ˈpē-dē-əm\ 
You can hear it here: http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/cypripedium

So it would it would follow that:
Cyp·ri·pedio·ideae
\si-prə-ˈpē-dēo- ī-dē-ə-ā\


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## kentuckiense (Feb 5, 2008)

This is how I say it:

sip-reh-peed-ee-oid-ee-ee


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## Heather (Feb 5, 2008)

Thanks guys. Ok, so I guess I am right in the sip part, but ee-ee? or ee-a? 
I think I say ee-a...


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## kentuckiense (Feb 5, 2008)

Heather said:


> Thanks guys. Ok, so I guess I am right in the sip part, but ee-ee? or ee-a?
> I think I say ee-a...



When talking about place families, like Orchidaceae or Brassicaceae, my plant systematics professor always said -ee-ee at the end. That's where I get my pronunciation of -eae from.


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## practicallyostensible (Feb 5, 2008)

kentuckiense said:


> When talking about place families, like Orchidaceae or Brassicaceae, my plant systematics professor always said -ee-ee at the end. That's where I get my pronunciation of -eae from.



agreed


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## Heather (Feb 6, 2008)

Thank you!


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## swamprad (Feb 6, 2008)

So you are pronouncing Orchidaceae and Cyprepedioideae as "ee-ee", but pronouncing besseae "ee-ay"?


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## Ernie (Feb 6, 2008)

Again, my animal perspective: at the Smithsonian fish division, I'd hear this ending as either ee-ee OR ee-eye . So besseae would be bess-ee-ee (simplified to bess-ee) OR bess-ee-eye. With a room full of 10 taxonomists, you'll hear the same word pronounced 12 ways, but they'll all know what each other is talking about. Do the best you can and get all the syllables in.  If you do it with authority and are pretty close, very few will have the guts to call you on it.  Old McDonald had a farm EIEIO...

-Ernie


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