How do you pronounce Cay?

[djhsolara]

As the title implies, I'm looking to see how you pronounce Cay, as in Half Moon Cay?

 

Do you say Cay as it rhymes with way, or Cay as it rhymes with me?

 

I've been around long enough that I thought I knew how to pronounce, but something this week has me questioning it.

 

Thanks!!

Edited May 28, 2015 by djhsolara

[mainepaddler]

Like key

[sofietucker]

Which is how we got the Florida Keys. Also the Cayman Islands =Keymuns... Ditto the crocogator-type reptile, Caiman.

[djhsolara]

You see, we've always said it like "key", and have always heard it pronounced like that on HAL, but this week we're on Carnival with a stop at HMC and they pronounce it like "way". At first, I thought it was just a difference in accent with the person at the Shore Excursions desk, but then the CD has been pronouncing it that way too in announcements.

 

Strange...

[serendipity1499]

I pronounce it like a Key, only because we were corrected by a Bahamian Native several years ago... However, we have Friends who pronounce it as way.. /SIZE]

[ellieanne]

Depends on the usage.

 

For the private island, I pronounce it to rhyme with key. In the first syllable of the islands known for their intentional banking, I pronounce it to rhyme with bay.

 

But then I have the same issue with quay, as in Circular Quay in Sydney. I'm never sure if it's pronounced to rhyme with key or with bay.

[Boytjie]

Both pronunciations are correct (key or cay). ;)

[erewhon]

Depends on the usage.

 

For the private island, I pronounce it to rhyme with key. In the first syllable of the islands known for their intentional banking, I pronounce it to rhyme with bay.

 

But then I have the same issue with quay, as in Circular Quay in Sydney. I'm never sure if it's pronounced to rhyme with key or with bay.

 

Circular Quay to rhyme with key.:)

[ellieanne]

Circular Quay to rhyme with key.:)

 

I've heard native Australians say it both ways.

[GradUT]

Circular Quay to rhyme with key.:)

 

"Quay" not only rhymes with "key"; it's exactly how it's pronounced.

 

And in all the years I lived in Australia, I never heard anyone pronounce it any other way than "key".

[Wastegirl]

I've heard native Australians say it both ways.

 

From the Australia Oxford Dictionary - Quay pronounced Key and that's the way I have always pronounced Quay in Australia but I'm from Adelaide and we are known for our 'plummy' accents. A Quay is a' solid stationary artificial landing place lying alongside or projecting into water for loading and unloading ships' comes from Middle English.

 

Whereas a Cay, which is pronounced like way (again from the Australian Oxford Dictionary), is a 'low insular bank or reef of coral, sand, etc' from the spanish word cayo meaning shoal.

 

Whereas a Key is a 'place that by its position gives control of a sea, territory, etc'.

 

Well that's my English lesson for the day :D

[GUT2407]

Depends on the usage.

 

For the private island, I pronounce it to rhyme with key. In the first syllable of the islands known for their intentional banking, I pronounce it to rhyme with bay.

 

But then I have the same issue with quay, as in Circular Quay in Sydney. I'm never sure if it's pronounced to rhyme with key or with bay.

 

 

The Sydney one is definitely Key.

[GUT2407]

I've heard native Australians say it both ways.

 

 

Never heard an Aussie say Kay.

[take us away]

Have heard it as Half Moon K. Just like the Cayman (K-man) Islands per the Oxford dictionary for both American and UK pronunciations.

 

One dictionary has it both ways - cay: noun \ˈkē, ˈkā\.

 

So looks like whichever you prefer.

[Caribbean Chris]

I pronounce it "key."

 

A lifelong Cayman Island resident I interviewed once for a magazine article (well-known artist Guy Harvey) said that island's name this way: Kay-MAN, with the emphasis on the second syllable.

[whogo]

Rhyming with me is the preferred pronunciation in the three American English dictionaries I checked.

[antique sailor]

Ahoy shipmates,

 

the correct , and always correct weigh is small I land.

[djhsolara]

Even if there are different dictionary pronunciations, one would think that Carnival Corp would adopt a common pronunciation for their islands so that everyone says it the same way.

[sail7seas]

Key

 

[Typhoon1]

Either seems to be correct. However, Key is most often used.

[Blue Mudshark]

"Cay" meaning island (i.e. Half Moon Cay), and "quai", are pronounced exactly the same as "key" (i.e. Key West).

 

Cayman is an unrelated word, and its first syllable rhymes with "bay".

[catl331]

Key is preferable but Kay is acceptable

[POA1]

It's pronounced "Ka-ah-hee" just like Hawaii.* No wonder we can't agree on what constitutes formal attire. We can't even agree on how to pronounce a 3 frigging letter word.

 

*Just kidding. It's "Kee."

[SaintL]

im a Floridian and we have the Florida Keys, so if Cay wants to be Key, the Key word should have never been created.

 

So basically I say Cay like Kay, but frankly dont care either way, i still understand where we are if its a Cay or Key, we are on an Island.