How do you say "Nikkor"?

David G. Smith

David G. Smith

Steak Knife Member
So what is the correct pronunciation of the Nikon lens brand name "Nikkor"?

Is it "N-eye Core"?

Or

"Nick Or"?

Just wondering.
 
LOL!! Ok, that clears that up..... NOT. I always thought it was N-EYE Core", but I just saw a Nikon commercial and they pronounced it, "Nick -Or"... Ok, just wondering. Thanks.
 
In the US they like to say N-eye but I don't think that's correct.

It's a japanese word. Ni and Kon

edit:
sorry you asked Nikkor not Nikon so I think that would be Ni and Kor are the two japanese letters
I can't remember if they are katakana or hiragana
 
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Actually when I think back to when I lived in Japan it was a little bit more like 'Nee' than 'Ni'
anyone out there who is Japanese care to confirm?
 
Well, even if Nick-on is correct and N-eye-kon isn't, the USA traditionally calls things by different names than what they're referred to by people from the area. Napoli-Naples, Germany-Deutschland, Japan-Nipon, that kind of thing.
 
nick-or is correct phonetically. The "i" is not followed by another vowel. But no one really cares about language anymore.

Which is why people Call Microphones Mics instead of Mikes.
 
djkarn105 said:
Which is why people Call Microphones Mics instead of Mikes.
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That's a bit different, though, because it's an abbreviation. It's also different to calling Deutschland Germany because it's not a completely new word, it's the Japanese name phonetically translated into English. Nye-kon and Nye-kor are very American interpretations of the phonetic. I'm pretty sure the Japanese pronounce it as Nick-on and Nick-or. In Australia everyone uses the Japanese pronunciation, I've only ever heard the American from American users and advertising. It's interesting.
 
J Davis said:
In the US they like to say N-eye but I don't think that's correct.

It's a japanese word. Ni and Kon

edit:
sorry you asked Nikkor not Nikon so I think that would be Ni and Kor are the two japanese letters
I can't remember if they are katakana or hiragana
Click to expand...

Im not Japanese but as a former resident and now here for a few more days at least

Nikon - The the ni is pronouned the same as ni in - NIT / Nim (as in Nims Island) / nincompoop

But what Andrew says above is correct. Its usually only in American English where its pronounced N-EYE
 
It sounds like 'nee' in both words, in Japanese... at least that's what my father's wife says (she's Japanese). But sometimes, it's said so fast that it literally sounds like 'nick'-on. I'm pretty sure you'll hear every variation (nEYEkon/nICKon/nEEkon and nEYEkkor/nICKkor/nEEkkor) and that most should be acceptable.

FWIW, the pronunciation of words doesn't matter as much as the understanding and application of them IMHO.
 
Jordan_S said:
Who changed the pronunciation of Nike to nikey? Probably the same individual behind the Nikon ambiguity.
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That is the use of Greek mythology (Nike is winged princess of victory) to sell overpriced sports shoes. When Knight and Bowerman started the company it was called Blue Ribbon Sports.... now who would pay a premium for a shoe named after a beer?!
 
David G. Smith said:
When Knight and Bowerman started the company it was called Blue Ribbon Sports.... now who would pay a premium for a shoe named after a beer?!
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Hipsters!

hipster.jpg
 
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