AmbergrisCaye.com Home Forums The Cayes Ambergris Caye Correct pronunciation of "Ambergris"

Hi guys - Can someone clear up some confusion for me? Some people I know are pronouncing "Ambergris" differently. What is the correct prounuciation?

Heaven.

We've heard it both ways. I remember years ago one guide book had it "griss", yet another had it "grees". There's also a piece of music out there by Jerry Jeff where he pronounces it "amBERgris". Let's stick with the above.

[This message has been edited by CHOOCHOO (edited 09-12-2000).]

Choo Choo: Okay, heaven sounds good to me. Those are the two pronunciations that I have heard.

Choo choo- which of the above do you mean, you listed 3 ways! LOL
Well, Webster's says you can pronounce it like AM-ber-gris or AM-ber-gree or AM-ber-grees.

But one of the fun things about traveling is hearing words pronounced many different ways, my own mispronunciations included. In my head I still think of caye as "KAY" instead of "CAH-yeh". Maybe I'll get it right only after I've been to Belize.

<font face="Impact" color="#48D1CC" size=+0>- - A l i c e</font>

<font face="Arial Black" color="#66CDAA" size=-1>Belize visitor since 12/2/2000 ;-)</font>

I say pronounce it anyway you want, but just go and enjoy. Choochoo is correct "Heaven".

Alice,
Didn't mean to confuse you by throwin' in a third. JJW has it in a song pronunced amBERGIS. Beats me..shucks let's just use paradise.

LOL

Am-Bur-grease Key

The dictionary (English or American) is of no help when it comes to local pronunciations. Am-ber-gree is how whale vomit is pronounced in polite French-American company, not how it is pronounced in Belize.

Belizeans usually pronounce it Am-BUR-gris or sometimes Am-BUR-jess. The accent is always (almost always) on the second syllable.

Or you could just say San Pedro.

--Lan Sluder

Sand Paid Row, Bull ease.