is it pronounced pe (long e sound) a (short a or o sound) nee (long e sound) and the accent on the 1st syllable?
or is it pe (long e sound) o (long o sound) nee (long e sound)? accent on the 2nd syllable? I know a woman who is just so knowledgeable about them but pronounces them the 2nd way I have here. I have never heard them that way. Just curious.
This same woman woke up one morning last summer to find her big gorgeous yellow peony that she had transplanted from her Grandmothers yard missing and a big hole in her front yard where the plant lived for years.
This message was edited May 19, 2006 10:40 PM
What is the correct pronunciation of 'peony'?
Pronunciation of "Peony" Plants and Word Origin: The standard pronunciation is pee'-uh-nee (accent on the first syllable). However, many people place the accent on the second syllable: pee-oh'-nee. As is often the case with anglicized versions of Latin words, rulings on what should be the standard pronunciation seem rather arbitrary. The word derives from the Latin genus name, Paeonia, which, in turn, derives from a figure in Greek mythology, Paeon (see below). If you want to be safe, stick with the standard pronunciation: pee'-uh-nee.
now, that's what I call an answer. I had never heard it pronounced any other way but the "standard" pronunciation. Interesting. thank you.
I say PEE -OH-NEE. Its the olde world pronunciation of it. Its how my parents said it, most people here say PEE-A-NEE.
Everyone I've ever heard say it has said PEE-OH-NEE.
Of course only my sister has any, I haven't succumbed to this addiction....YET!!! :)
Dee
I can't believe someone came and dug her peony up! I've never heard of such a thing. That's awful.
Gwen
She said the hole was so wide and deep that it must have been someone who knew enough to get as much root as possible. Now I want to know how Queen (England)pronounces this plant.
Well you can always write and ask her!
go to this website: http://www.royal.gov.uk/output/Page1.asp
and click on Contact Us at the bottom of the home page and you will get a variety of ways to contact members of the royal family - you can actually contact thru the website.
The old folks called them pineys
Of course, a dear Canadian gardener would have her website.
From the time I was little, I heard it pronounced it "pee-nee."
Anastatia:
That's one of the newest lows in human behavior I've heard of--taking a flower or two is one thing, but an entire bush!?! Criminal!
I will forever call them pineys. A small tribute to my beloved grandmother, she could grow anything and made the best pies you ever tasted too.
The pineys were also called piney roses and on Decoration Day (what Memorial Day used to be called by many) folks would take their cut peonies or bush to plant on the graves of their family members. That is why you see in old rural cemeteries so many white or pink peonies
Wow! Thanks for the cool info- I never knew that!
We've always said PEE-uh-nee in California. Last month I visited family in Massachucettes, and when I admired my uncle's peonies, he was telling me how much he loved growing pee-OH-nees. It's the first time I heard it pronounced that way.
you say tomatoe, I say tomaato. . .
I have never heard it pronounced Pee OH nees until this thread. I grew up in Illinois, and it was PEE uh nees.
It amazes me that people would steal plants, but this isn't the first time I've heard of such a thing. Makes me wonder how many pretty flowers I should put in my front yard.
whoever stole that yellow peony had to know how expensive they are.
I have only heard it called PEE-OH-NEE. And my I first heard it called Pee-Nee from my pool guy.
Funny, I always wondered what the correct pronunciation . Warsh/Wash!! LOL
I say pee-oh-nee as does my mom but I'm pretty sure her mom (my grandma) says pee-uh-nee.