Six Ways to Pronounce Homage

Hello, you have A Way with Words.

Hi, this is Susie calling from Carlsbad. How are you?

Hi, Susie.

Hello, Susie.

I have what I think is either a really simple or a really complicated question.

Oh, no.

My mom and I sometimes talk about what newscasters say, and we laugh at them.

And she called me one day and said that a newscaster had pronounced the word homage as homage.

And we were thinking that perhaps, you know, he or she had read it off the teleprompter.

Wait, can you say that again for us?

How did you say it?

The news person said homage.

And then my mom and I were talking about, well, is it homage or is it homage?

Oh, how cute.

And you and your mom call each other as soon as you hear something on the TV?

Oh, yeah.

We talk all the time.

Oh, really?

And she thinks that I should know these things because I teach English.

And, you know, as you know, there’s too much to know with language.

I don’t know everything.

That’s right.

Yes, you’re in the same boat I am.

And people are like, there are only 650,000 words.

Sure, you know all of them and their etymologies.

So your pronunciation, when you say it, when you’re not thinking about it, how do you say it?

Well, I actually would say it two different ways.

If thinking about, you know, people visiting Graceland, they go there to pay homage to Elvis.

But then if a filmmaker makes a film, they might do an homage to a previous director.

So you’re spelling both of those H-O-M-A-G-E, right?

The reason I asked you how you pronounce it, and it’s interesting that you pronounce it two ways, is because I do that too.

I do too.

I don’t really think about it.

I know that I do it because when you think about it, then it starts to fall apart, and you start to question yourself, and you just avoid the word altogether, right?

But I think I can—I just made some notes here.

I think I can count six possible pronunciations of this, including the two you have, the one the TV pronouncer has, and some other ones.

Homage?

You’ve seen homage?

So that would be correct?

I’ve heard it.

Listen, homage, homage, homage, homage, homage.

Oh, my.

Okay.

So are all of those, you know, acceptable?

The first one is probably your best one.

Homage.

Right.

Is going to get you in the door every time, and the other ones will either get you laughed at or thrown out as a French pretender.

Seriously, people will think that you’re trying to claim the crown of France.

Homage.

Okay, so my mom and I were out of line by laughing?

I don’t think so.

Not at homage? Come on.

I mean, honestly, Susie, what’s weird about this is that I pronounce those exactly the same way you do.

I would say going to Graceland to pay homage to Elvis, and I would also say, this is an homage to Kandinsky that I’ve just created with Q-tips or something.

But you would say in that pretentious accent.

Stop it, Grant.

But Susie, the funny thing is, if you look at the authorities, if you look at the dictionaries, they’ll most often tell you to say homage.

And that just grates on me.

I just feel like I’m wearing shoes that are too tight or something.

And I just, all my life, I’ve said it exactly the way you do.

And so I’m sort of grudgingly, teeth grindingly, trying to train myself to say homage so that I won’t offend the grammatical sticklers out there.

But this is one where—

Oh, they’re a minority.

But they’re right.

They’re the authority.

No, they’re not.

No, they’re not.

They’re not right on this.

It feels like wearing a really itchy sweater.

Okay, well, that’s good, I guess.

You know, we’re not wrong.

When I’m saying homage, when I’m saying homage, if somebody—if they want to be safe, homage is going to get you out of trouble.

Okay, homage.

Okay.

Right.

And with the accent on the first syllable.

With the H.

I appreciate that.

Martha’s like holding her breath and biting her tongue.

I’ve created discord amongst the two of you.

Not for the first time.

She’s going to give me noogies when I’m not looking.

Well, thank you both so much.

I appreciate it.

You’re welcome.

Thank you, Susie.

You guys have a good day.

Bye-bye.

All right, you too.

Grant, don’t you just love that Susie and her mom call each other as soon as they hear some gaffe on the TV?

I just love that.

And Mom, next time, call us and share it with us.

The number is 1-877-929-9673 or email us.

The address is words@waywordradio.org.