A dispute about routers, or the pronounciation thereof

[Freston]

I have this continuing disagreement at work. We can't agree on this issue. That's why I turn myself to the collected wisdom of this board. I hold your opinion in the highest esteem, so I want you all to say I'm right

It's this:
router

How on earth do you pronounce that??
(and does that vary per language?)

----

I say it with the 'ou' sound similar to 'who' or 'would'
Everybody else says it with 'ou' similar to 'our' 'about'

[coopstah13]

in english, at least according to dictionary.com it can be pronounced both ways, i prefer the way "everybody else says it"

[techieMoe]

I have this continuing disagreement at work. We can't agree on this issue. That's why I turn myself to the collected wisdom of this board. I hold your opinion in the highest esteem, so I want you all to say I'm right

It's this:
router

How on earth do you pronounce that??
(and does that vary per language?)

----

I say it with the 'ou' sound similar to 'who' or 'would'
Everybody else says it with 'ou' similar to 'our' 'about'

As mentioned, either is correct. Personally, when talking about a particular path from one spot to another (route) I pronounce it like a tree root, or a square root, an EWWWWW sound.

When describing a computer networking device however I pronounce it with more of an OW sound, like "How now brown cow?" rOWter

It's just the way I've always heard it. I also don't like to associate my networking hardware with fecal matter cleanup specialists. But maybe that's just me.

[elija]

It depends

A router as in a communications device is a r oo ter - because it pick the route!
A router as in a woodworking tool is a r ow ter

[daark.child]

I've always known router to be pronounced like "rooter", but then again I am not American.

[carlosponti]

I have both types of routers in my house the woodworking kind and the networking kind I always just say r ow ter for both because that's how i would pronounce route as r ow t. its funny though there is always one zealot in the office that has to correct you on it and make sure you get all the buzzwords correct. I say pronounce it in your dialect how you see fit.

[Freston]

Oh, yeah, heheh... I meant the networking device.


Thanks for your answers! I can live with the opinion that both are correct. Although I still think they sound strange.

[oz]

for me, it's router with the "about" sound when the "r" is included on the end, but I say route (without the r on the end) using the "root" sound, and sometimes the "about" sound, depending on the context.

[techieMoe]

for me, it's router with the "about" sound when the "r" is included on the end, but I say route (without the r on the end) using the "root" sound, and sometimes the "about" sound, depending on the context.

I think that's a bad choice of comparison word there, "about." I know several folks from Canada and the northern US that pronounce that word "aboot."

[Thrillhouse]

Personally, I've never heard anyone call the networking device a "rooter", only "rowter". Although, since people differ on their pronunciation of the word "route" I guess either is acceptable.

I suppose most use "rowter" to distinguish from the tool, although it's hard for me to think of a context where one would confuse a "rowter" with a "rooter".