Re: Pronunciation of tuple

On 15/08/2024 21:58, Stefan Ram wrote:

James Harris <james.harris.1@gmail.com> wrote or quoted:

The term "tuple" appears a fair bit in programming but its pronunciation
is a source of some controversy.

    There's low-key more backing for the [uː] you think is right.
    I've heard folks say it (in vids) with both [uː] and [ʌ].

I don't think there is any consistency or pattern here - both are used.
I suspect a major reason for this is that the word "tuple" is not in common usage outside of programming.  So a large proportion of people first come across it in written form, and pick whatever pronunciation seems to work when they first say the word.
There is also no authoritative reference, unlike for terms like "Linux" where there is a clearly correct pronunciation (based on the pronunciation of the OS "Minix" and the way Linus Torvalds pronounces his name - the Finnish way, not the common American way.  Linus created Linux - he gets to decide the correct pronunciation for the word).

    Word pronunciations can be hella irregular, with exceptions like the
   "u" in "busy," "business," and "bury." So, the "u" in "tuple" might
   be a gnarly exception too.
    (Another similar debate is how to say "router.")

That one is a lot clearer.  In British English, the word "route" is pronounced the same as "root".  In American English, it is pronounced the same as "rout" (rhyming with "out").  So obviously the correct pronunciation is like "root-er" :-)