Proper pronunciation of directory names

[hazel]

As a Linux virgin who has learned everything I know from books and the web, I frequently find myself embarrassed by the fact that I don't know the proper pronunciation of things. I do know that Linux is "Linn'ux", not "Lineux", but what about the standard directory names? Is /etc "ets", "etcetera" or "e.t.c."? Is /usr "oosr" or "user"? and do you pronounce the slashes in pathnames or just leave a strategic pause?
I find it hard to talk about Linux to my Windows buddies because I don't know how to say it. What about a small HOWTO on this subject?

[loft306]

GOOD Question!
Let me geuss an english professor...hmmm? j/k

/usr = user
/src = source
/tmp = temp
/dev = device
/sys = system
/mnt = mount
/home = home
/boot = boot
/bin = bin
/proc = procces (i think)
/sbin =
/etc
/lib = library
/opt
/root = root
/service .....
/var
/ = root of drive(true root)
leave a strategic pause when speaking

I find it hard to talk about Linux to my Windows buddies because I don't know how to say it.

Just get them to switch Asymilate them...

more to come

'li' is pronounced with a short [ee] sound: compare prInt, mInImal etc.
'nux' is also short, non-diphtong, like in pUt. It's partly due to
minix: linux was just my working name for the thing, and as I wrote it
to replace minix on my system, the result is what it is... linus' minix
became linux. -linus

GNU
pronounce 'em both as g-noo; hard g (as in GIMP) followed by noo (to rhyme
with 'who').
'

WOW! dose anyone else know any more than this i googled it for an hour

[scientica]

Here's the famous word by the "chief"
ftp://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/SillySounds//sbin =

/etc - just say etc
/opt - optional (iirc), I say "opt" [just as in opttional]
/var - variable (I think), I say var

When I say a path I say it like (usally):
/mnt/dev/compilefarm/openMosix-userland/Make
"mnt -- dev -- compilefarm -- openMosix-userland -- make"
( -- pause )
or:
/etc/X11/XF86Config
"etc - X11"
[etc -- ex-eleven(occasionally:ex-one-one) -- XF-86-Config]

just say the names as you like And the part about windows users not understanding linux talk - happens all the time, and for me it also happens when talking about windows stuff with windows users -- it usally a question of how much knowledge the other have

Most paths are to be pronouces with enlgish pronounciation (something between oxford and american english ), some are to be pronouces as swedsih, germain, estonian (sodipodi) -- you see there is so many ways, so just stick with the one you like the most and the one which is most likley to be understood, thus english.

[edit]here's a liitle explanation of how to pronounce sodipodi http://www.sodipodi.com/index.php3?s...=documentation[/edit]

[stathisx]

all these sound as they seem!

[solman66]

its more of a preference thing really.

i say E T C for /etc
user for /usr
bin for /bin
opt for /opt
source for /src
mount for /mnt
dev for /dev -dev with a short e as in "then"
prok for /proc
lib for /lib - this one i sometimes interchange short and long i's sometimes i use "lib" as in liberate or sometimes i say "libe" as in library (i used to alway say lib, but my boss started calling it libe, so i followed suit
)

s-bin for /sbin
temp for tmp

and the most confusing one...

vare for var --i hear a lot of people say var, like car... i say var like variable

once again, say how your comfortable saying it... after all.. if we all understood things the same way, there wouldn't be so many variations of linux :P

Oh, and i noticed you also asked how to pronounce slashes. Normally i just say "slash" , unless its a root directory, then i assume its implied... unless i'm talking to a total newbie
i.e.

/etc/init.d
i would say:
e.t.c. slash init dot d

on occasion i call them "whacks"... but thats usually when i'm referencing web addresses...

[sarumont]

/usr = user

I believe that should be pronounced u-s-r, as it stands for Unix Shared Resources, IIRC. I'll be looking into it further, and I'll get back to ya.

[scientica]

/usr = u - ss - r
http://www.cscience.org/~lode/words/unix_life/usr.html

so what is /etc short for

[sarumont]

/etc = Everything That Counts

After all...that is the dir where your system-wide configs are!

[kauai_diver]

A feverish debate

Every linux savy person I know for /etc says "etsee" just like it reads.

[dt2]

Agreed. "etsee" seems the most common. Although of course I have also heard people say "et cetera".