Everyone I know who speaks English as a first language says baysil, but one night I saw an American woman on a cooking show say baasil (baa is in, baa-baa black sheep) and I thought it sounded so unusual not in the context of a man’s name.
Is basil pronounced “baasil” or “baysil” or does it not matter?
| by Anonymous | reply 25 | July 30, 2019 4:47 PM |
Baysil/Basil, it's all the same.
| by Anonymous | reply 2 | July 29, 2019 8:52 PM |
I'm British and don't know any Brit who says 'baysil'. That's a very American pronunciation.
| by Anonymous | reply 5 | July 29, 2019 8:55 PM |
In Australia too it's just "basil" (with the Z sound, like Bazil). As in the words 'bat' or 'back' but with a different ending.
This is the first time i'm hearing of this baa baa basil pronunciation.
| by Anonymous | reply 6 | July 29, 2019 9:12 PM |
Brits say "Baaasil." Brits and pretentious Americans. "Baysil" is definitely N. American.
| by Anonymous | reply 7 | July 29, 2019 9:12 PM |
OP probably pronounces his 'a's like they do in "Drop Dead Gorgeous", R6.
| by Anonymous | reply 8 | July 29, 2019 9:24 PM |
Brits do NOT say ‘Baaasil’, R7. As already noted, it’s a short ‘a’ sound: ‘ba’ as in bat, back or bap, and then a ‘zzzz’ sound followed by a short ‘ul’ sound: more like ‘zul’, less like the ‘zill’ in zillions.
| by Anonymous | reply 9 | July 29, 2019 10:47 PM |
British people are the most annoying of annoying. Why would anyone give a shit about what they’ve go to say let alone pronounce anything.
| by Anonymous | reply 10 | July 29, 2019 11:04 PM |
Are the man and the spice pronounced the same, regardless?
| by Anonymous | reply 11 | July 30, 2019 12:10 AM |
I first heard it referred to on a daily basis by an English chef, so I think of it as "baaaz'l."
| by Anonymous | reply 12 | July 30, 2019 12:45 AM |
Those two things sound the same to American ears, R9.
| by Anonymous | reply 13 | July 30, 2019 1:26 AM |
It's BAE-Zil.
| by Anonymous | reply 14 | July 30, 2019 1:34 AM |
I hate you OP. I hate your stinking guts. Why would you bring this kind of trash into the Datalounge? You know damn good and well Brits are the worst people in the world. So fuck You OP. Just fuck you!
| by Anonymous | reply 15 | July 30, 2019 1:36 AM |
Average age of poster in this thread: 82.
| by Anonymous | reply 16 | July 30, 2019 1:37 AM |
Just follow the Italians and call it basilico.
| by Anonymous | reply 17 | July 30, 2019 1:38 AM |
Just to clarify, I didn’t mean Baa-Baa-Basil. I meant basil pronounced same way as the man’s name.
| by Anonymous | reply 18 | July 30, 2019 3:21 AM |
[quote]Are the man and the spice pronounced the same, regardless?
It's an HERB, not a spice. And of course the British (and Martha Stewart) pronounce "herb" differently from us as well.
| by Anonymous | reply 20 | July 30, 2019 4:02 AM |
Don't get me started on oh-RAY-guh-noh and oh-ree-GAH-noh.
| by Anonymous | reply 21 | July 30, 2019 4:02 AM |
Other herbal and vegetable differences:
US Cilantro = UK Coriander (leaves); we both call the ground up seeds "coriander." Also known to some as "Chinese parsley."
US Zucchini = UK Courgettes
US Eggplant = UK Aubergine
US Beets = UK Beetroot
More?
| by Anonymous | reply 22 | July 30, 2019 4:05 AM |
The herb - Bay
The man's name can be either.
| by Anonymous | reply 23 | July 30, 2019 5:44 AM |
R22
US snow pea = UK mange tout
US arugula = UK rocket
US rutabaga = UK swede
US endive = UK chicory
US romaine lettuce = UK cos lettuce
| by Anonymous | reply 24 | July 30, 2019 5:54 AM |
r24 So what is the UK version of the US chicory?
| by Anonymous | reply 25 | July 30, 2019 4:47 PM |