Don’t look like a dunce: The right way to say tricky tech words

September 7, 2024

By Kim Komando

Tech has its own language and, with that, its own pronunciations for company names, products — you name it. I want you to look and sound smart, so read through the list below to make sure you aren’t making any big pronunciation mistakes.

As you go through this list, say them out loud. And if you’re reading this newsletter with a friend nearby, quiz each other for fun!

Tricky tech terms

Adobe: Said as “ah-DOH-bee,” not “ah-DOHB;” software company known for Photoshop, Illustrator and Acrobat.

Asus: Pronounced “AY-soos,” not “ah-SOOS;” a major manufacturer of computers, laptops and electronics.

Cache: Pronounced like the word “cash,” not “cash-AY;” a hardware or software component that stores data to speed up future requests.

Huawei: It’s “wah-WAY,” not “hoo-AH-way;” a global telecom giant and smartphone manufacturer based in China.

Linux: Said as “LIN-uhks,” not “LIE-nuhks;” open-source operating system used in servers and adored by privacy geeks. (I say that lovingly.)

SQL: Say each letter individually or like the word “sequel,” not “squeal;” short for Structured Query Language, SQL is used for managing and querying databases.

GIF: Acceptable pronounced as “jiff” (or Jif, like the peanut butter!) or as “giff” with a hard “G” like in the word “girl.” Yep, this one really depends on the person. I say “giff” for the looping image format.

Xiaomi: Pronounced like “shaw-MEE,” not “ZOW-mee;” a Chinese electronics company known for smartphones and smart home devices.

Router: “ROW-ter,” not “ROOT-er;” a networking device that directs data between computer networks.

Jeff Bezos: His surname is pronounced “BAY-zos,” not “BEE-zos;” founder of Amazon and owner of a couple of very large yachts.

Elon Musk: Say his first name like “EE-lon” (with a long “E” like “eel”), not “EH-lon;” CEO of Tesla, SpaceX, X, Neuralink, Starlink and the Boring Company and father of 12.

Oracle: It’s “OR-uh-kul,” not “OUR-uh-kul;” enterprise and cloud computing company — and a sponsor of my national radio show, now offering a free AI test drive of their software!*

Meme: Said as the one-syllable “meem,” not the two-syllable “me-me;” photos or illustrations with accompanying content, usually funny, that spreads online.

Mozilla: Use “mo-ZILL-uh,” not “mo-ZEE-yuh;” the organization behind the Firefox web browser.

Sundar Pichai: Pronounced as “soon-dar PIH-chai,” not “sun-der PITCH-ee;” CEO of Google and its parent company, Alphabet.

Satya Nadella: It’s “sah-TYA nah-DELL-ah,” not “SAT-yah nay-DELL-ah;” CEO of Microsoft, lover of cricket and billionaire.

Gigabyte: Said as “gig-ah-bite” with a hard “g” like in “go,” definitely not “jig-ah-bite;” it’s 1,000 megabytes.

Now, when it comes to “data” …

Whenever I say that word on my national radio show, a dozen or more people drop me notes telling me I’ve mispronounced it. Here’s the deal: In the U.S., we typically say “DAY-ta” with an emphasis on the first syllable, but in the U.K. and elsewhere, it’s commonly pronounced as “dah-ta,” with the “da-” said similarly to the “da-” in “dad.”

Here’s a smart trick

If you run across a word you don’t know how to say, type it into Google Translate and hit the speaker icon. It’ll read it out loud for ya. Hit the settings cog at the top to slow the voice down.

YouTube is also a good pronunciation coach. Search “[word] + pronunciation” and choose one of the top-viewed videos. Just scan the comments to make sure they don’t all say, “No! This is wrong!”

Don’t get left behind – Stay tech ahead

Award-winning host Kim Komando is your secret weapon for navigating tech.

https://www.komando.com/tips/dont-look-like-a-dunce-the-right-way-to-say-tricky-tech-words/