"Conch" with a hard k or "conch" with a soft "cha"

[scubadobadoo]

Okay, I grew up in Florida and was taught in Marine Bio. class that Conch was pronounced with a hard K sound on the end. My friend from Cleveland swears it is Conch with a soft ending like "cha." Make sense? Solve this issue. What's your opinion? My Grand Cayman book states "Conch is pronounced with a hard K sound." Maybe both are correct? :06:

 

[Pamdiv]

with a hard k

 

[jlyle]

According to Webster's you can pronounce it either way. There are probably regional preferences, with the hard K sound used throughout the South. The word comes from the Greek knonkhe mussel.

 

[seaangel]

Definetly the hard "k", and if ever in Key West you better use the hard "k".
Believe me I know since I am a true native Conch born in Key
West and lived there over 25 years.

 

[smay28]

Okay, I grew up in Florida and was taught in Marine Bio. class that Conch was pronounced with a hard K sound on the end. My friend from Cleveland swears it is Conch with a soft ending like "cha." Make sense? Solve this issue. What's your opinion? My Grand Cayman book states "Conch is pronounced with a hard K sound." Maybe both are correct? :06:

Access the link and then hit one of the little speaker symbols next to the word for pronunciation. Turn up your speakers!!
You can go either way with the plural apparently..


http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary?book=Dictionary&va=conch&x=15&y=9

 

[gfisher4792]

I like the pronunciation as "konk"

 

[CBulla]

hard K - anything else is just a silly northernization, especially if they insist its something else than what we FL born and raised tell them it is. Its like those french canadians insisting that ROY is pronounced "Wahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh" like a kung-fu movie gone wild when we all know its "Roy"

 

[DennisW]

Hard K. If you pronounce it differently, you are wrong. Doesn't matter what Websters says. This from a Cracker that knows.

 

[Rick Murchison]

You may pronounce it any way you like. Just realize that in the areas where Conch live, they are called "konk" - and the plural is "konk" - as in "didjagitcha some konk today?"
Rick

 

[GrierHPharmD]

Ride 'em, neoprene cowboy!