This is How You Pronounce Ubuntu

By Daniel Miessler on October 23rd, 2007: Tagged as Geek | Language | Linux

ubuntu

I have a problem. I hate when people mispronounce things. It pains me to hear “line-ix”, “oh-es-ex”, or “you-bun-too”.

Ubuntu is becoming more of an issue these days. As it gets more popular more are getting the opportunity to mangle it. When I first saw the name I proceeded to mess it up myself, but I immediately sought out the right way to say it (weird, I know). I found a video clip of Nelson Mandela pronouncing it. It was most informative and quite clear.

oo-boon-too

Ah, but people still want to argue.

The way you say it doesn’t matter, as long as you know what they meant.

Shure. Kep one beeleeving thate. Just because someone can figure out what you mean doesn’t make it right. If that were the case then what would be the point of syntax at all? Why not just gesture wildly and grunt until the other person gets the idea?

Anyway, for those who aren’t convinced by the whole authentic African pronunciation bit, here’s a screenshot from the official site a few moments ago:

ubuntu

Ooo. Boon. Too.

Saying something else is not a different kind of right; it’s just wrong.:




–
[ Update: Well, thanks for the few positive comments that have been left. A couple of thoughts come to mind given the responses.
1. We're not talking about varying pronunciations of common things. These are names that have explicitly defined ways for pronouncing them as determined by an accepted authority. Linus Torvalds is a Linux authority and he says very clearly that Linux is always pronounced "Lih-nucks". That means something. Apple explicitly says that it's "OS *TEN*". And it's the same with Ubuntu. They told us how they want us to pronounce these things because it matters to them, so it should matter to us as well.

2. I'm not advocating an anal enforcement of static language (that would be stupid). Language changes; it always has and it always will. The point is simply that all pronunciations of well-defined names are not equal. Calling the capital of the U.S. \WAY-Chang-TONE\ (Washington) is not a different type of correct. And the fact that someone could figure out what you meant doesn't make it so.

3. There is a slider between promoting accuracy in communication using syntax and allowing the natural evolution of language. Either extreme is wrong. My simple point here is that when we have an explicit and authoritative example to follow in the case of a name we should embrace it and promote its proper usage.

So, ultimately, is this as important as our next elections in the U.S. or solving the energy crisis? Of course not. But it's just a website talking about language and geek stuff. Relax. :) ]

← Older Comments
  • http://imnotpete.com/ Sam

    To all the people who talk about this as a regional dialect issue – this doesn’t apply to proper names! Linux is LIH-nux no matter where you go.

    My wife’s name is Lauren (LAW-ren), yet some people try to say LOR-en. This is a completely different name (Loren). Wash-Warsh is regional. LIHnux-LIEnux is ignorance.

    As far as “polluting” Digg/Reddit/etc… geez you people have your heads up your asses.

  • http://imnotpete.com Sam

    To all the people who talk about this as a regional dialect issue – this doesn’t apply to proper names! Linux is LIH-nux no matter where you go.

    My wife’s name is Lauren (LAW-ren), yet some people try to say LOR-en. This is a completely different name (Loren). Wash-Warsh is regional. LIHnux-LIEnux is ignorance.

    As far as “polluting” Digg/Reddit/etc… geez you people have your heads up your asses.

  • BCBGMAXAZRIA could use some sp

    “To all the people who talk about this as a regional dialect issue – this doesn’t apply to proper names! Linux is LIH-nux no matter where you go.”

    Uh … what? How about Stephen? It can be pronounced Stee-ven or Steff-fen.

    Anyway, I emphasize with the author in a way. Take karaoke for example — While it’s officially in the English dictionary as kar-ee-OH-kee, it drives me insane to hear it pronounced that way. In Japanese, it’s roughly “kah-rah-oh-keh”.

    So who knows? Maybe if there’s enough people saying “you-bun-too”, that’ll end up being the official pronunciation listed next to the term “Ubuntu” in the dictionary.

    • Jersk

      You want to see some ignorant people, find someone who uses “karaoke” in their day-to-day affairs. Of COURSE they’re going to mispronounce. They will most like refer to their rear end as “yingyang”. Capisce?

  • BCBGMAXAZRIA could use some spaces in its name

    “To all the people who talk about this as a regional dialect issue – this doesn’t apply to proper names! Linux is LIH-nux no matter where you go.”

    Uh … what? How about Stephen? It can be pronounced Stee-ven or Steff-fen.

    Anyway, I emphasize with the author in a way. Take karaoke for example — While it’s officially in the English dictionary as kar-ee-OH-kee, it drives me insane to hear it pronounced that way. In Japanese, it’s roughly “kah-rah-oh-keh”.

    So who knows? Maybe if there’s enough people saying “you-bun-too”, that’ll end up being the official pronunciation listed next to the term “Ubuntu” in the dictionary.

  • JP
  • http://na JP
  • http://www.loanmodifyexpress.com/ car loan modification

    Debt is a prison. Although my credit card debt is manageable and I’m paying very little interest, I feel like I’m in chains because of it. Recently, I’ve been losing sleep, thinking of it when I wake up in the night.

  • Dom

    What about local pronunciation? I'm Australian, and I say rout-er, day-ta and zed-bra. The difference here is that this is a foreign word, that has been given an explicit pronunciation (oo-boon-too)

  • shawn

    i agree, the new show Goode Family kills me it has a character named ubuntu but its pronounced uh-bun-too. kills me every time, i want to smash the t.v.

  • shawn

    off the point but steff-fen would be spelled stephen, not steven.

  • shawn

    well nevermind that one lol

  • http://carlrobers.wordpress.com/ Roberson Carlos

    in google translate have a audio exemple: http://translate.google.com/#af|en|oo-boon-too

  • http://www.r4-ds-karte.de/ buy r4i

    Wow interesting!Ubuntu is a version of the open source Linux operating system. Ubuntu tries to combine enterprise-class stability, while still giving users access to the latest software applications and making it easy for new users to start using Linux.I have been using it since one month and its great experience working with.I love it.Its so easy to understand all functionalities as Windows OS.Its really a powerful OS.

  • http://sdasd.com/ Your Mom

    1.n
    2.i
    3.g
    4.g
    5.e
    6.r

  • Name

  • Pingback: Wombat Diet » Blog Archive » For Microsoft the Ow! Starts Now

  • http://resonant.com/ Thereson Antaltego

    From a semantic point of view, both “Oh Ess Ten” and “Oh Ess Ex” is correct. Whether you're saying the roman numeral or the number it represents, still correct. Apple marketing managers would certainly have their input as to their preference.

    Most of the others out there that get butchered, LINE X, YouBUNTU, SenToss, Debby Ann, and for the most part, other non tech fare like NYE-KEE shoes (or Nyke) have their linguistic roots, and therefore a correct pronunciation.

  • http://resonant.com/ Thereson Antaltego

    From a semantic point of view, both “Oh Ess Ten” and “Oh Ess Ex” is correct. Whether you're saying the roman numeral or the number it represents, still correct. Apple marketing managers would certainly have their input as to their preference.

    Most of the others out there that get butchered, LINE X, YouBUNTU, SenToss, Debby Ann, and for the most part, other non tech fare like NYE-KEE shoes (or Nyke) have their linguistic roots, and therefore a correct pronunciation.

  • Fourenzics

    I agree with you but this word was never a word before it recently became a word whether it was 5 years ago or not it does not matter. The point of this whole debacle is if you truly believe that a word that does not sound like a word or it does not seem to follow normal English rules is supposed to be pronounced correctly then you are expecting a perfect world my good friend.

    The main issue here is why do people feel the need to make such weird names for things. Why can we not just call things I or B or U or ish but then I guess some things will always be questioned as to why you said it that way or this way.

    Good Post! However, The IT industry in my opinion is becoming more uptight and acting like they know more then anybody else. I find it funny how something like an Email address dictates a possible knowledge factor in an IT professional. (yahoo, gmail, hotmail, gmx, inbox, aol, etc.)

    It is simply retarded how bad the IT world has gotten with what I like to call the (politically incorrect opinion) sissified/girlie.

  • Fourenzics

    Also, if we put a little more thought/dedication to figure out problems of real significance in the world maybe we could step aside and realize wait a minute that guy knows more about YOU BUN TOO then I do yet has no clue how to pronounce it .. Oh wait that is because it is trivial in the long sense of the argument.

  • Pingback: Get Ubuntu Desktop Edition Upgrade « Billscrap

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Joel-Regen/771359931 Joel Regen

    well, U.S. elections actually are really less important for 2 major reasons: 1. they are an elaborate media frenzied charade for the masses to make them think they live in a free country. 2. long after the U.S. republic dies (is it still alive?) language will continue to matter.

  • Damnranter

    STFU!

  • Damnranter

    Now THIS is good!!!

    http://translate.google.com/#af|en|fuck%20my%20pussy!%20%20%20oh%20yeah!%20%20right%20there%2C%20%20dont%20stop%2C%20%20i%27m%20gona%20cum!%0A

  • Qxarq

    It’s actually pronounced ‘bonto,’… but whatever, man

    • silvershadow6

      Bullshit. I’m South African so I can clarify that it is indeed pronounced oo-boon-too.

  • Zachary

    Thanks Daniel. Our biggest Ubuntu fan in the office pronounces it you-buhn-too and it drives me up a wall. It made me seek the truth, and you delivered it.

  • Flickathawrist

    FYI, unbuntu.com’s FAQ section used to print the phonetic spelling as “oob-oon-too”, they changed it to “oo-boon-too” a while ago. Emphasis should not be put on the “boon”. Try to say the word starting with “oob”

  • Anonymous

    Double post

  • Anonymous

    I have been pronouncing it the wrong way. The reason is, everyone I know does too! Thank you for this, I appreciate it.

  • Asshole pronounced Es-holey

    ‘Anal’ – pronounced “Daniel Miessler”

  • Bob

    Uh, so is it OO-boon-too, oo-BOON-too, or oo-boon-TOO?

    • http://danielmiessler.com/ Daniel Miessler

      B.

    • Anonymous

      It’s however you wish to pronounce it.

      don’t let anyone tell you otherwise

  • Anonymous

    This guy is a twat.

    OS then letter X.

    OS EX When you are reading out roman numerals, guess what you say? Yes, EX, not ten.

    Noone says TEN,ONE,ONE,FIFTY. when reading roman numerals. ffs

    Ubuntu <<< the letter U pronounced “you”

    ooboontoo just sounds fucking retarded

    And linux….i presume you say lin-ux because that’s the way linus torvald says it. Yes he says it Lin-ux because he pronounces his name Lin-us. That’s how the speak in Finland. If in whatever country you are in you would pronounce that name as line-us, then it would be perfectly natural, and OK might I add, to pronounce it line-ux.

    If this stuff really bothers you this much well…..I pity you

    However it is said, people know what you are talking about. Don’t let it bother you.

    If anyone told me to my face I was saying it wrong they’d get a swift fist to the nose

  • Jake

    Oh sweet thats how I was pronouncing it

  • Ntakuro

    How do you pronounce OSX anyway ><

  • Doquitealittle

    This only proves the need to change all textbooks. I say phonetic spelling all the way. Ghosts don’t say BU!

  • Itchywolf

    Wow, you must get laid almost never. Thanks for being a total bung hole nerd. I know this is going to blow your mind, but the world is not perfect, get used to things not being the way you want them to be. Let me guess, when you chat with someone online you constantly correct peoples spelling just to prove to someone other than your mom that you are smarter than them. LOL u are sad. Go smoke some dope or get drunk, you’re going to give yourself an ulcer or hemorrhage or brain embolism or something. Learn to go with the flow and stop trying to be perfect and convincing people you are so much smarter than they are. Go outside and get some sun, get out of the basement for a while and go talk to a girl. I pity you and hope you can learn to let things SLIDE. This goes to all the commenter who agree with the OP’s terrible attitude. A simple article stating the pronunciation would have been enough, not some diatribe about how you cant stand when people don’t do things perfect. You think you cringe when people prounce stuff wrong? Now you know how the normal cool people feel when you correct them on every little thing. Now you know why you have no friends and will never have sex you didn’t pay for, or get invited to the cool kids parties. Fuckin nerd. LULZ

  • John

     They told us how they want us to pronounce these things because it matters to them, so it should matter to us as well.

    Not really.  I’ll go along with Linux and Ubuntu, because I’m interested in them.  But Apple wants  us to pronounce the X as “ten”…  they can get over themselves.  As should you.   I tend to resist when corporations and strangers try to coerce or manipulate me into doing things their way.  It is too often for their benefit and not at all for mine.

← Older Comments

Top

Popular

Information Security / Technology

Politics

Philosophy & Religion

Technology & Science

Culture & Society

Miscellaneous

Arguments

Projects

Collections

Twitter

What I'm Reading

Favorite Books and Essays

Top Blog Categories

Inputs