# Pronunciation of "Betta"



## betta8 (Sep 9, 2016)

Hi everyone,
I was online recently, and I saw something where it mentioned someone saying betta with a short "e". I proceeded to look it up, and almost everywhere I looked said that it was pronounced with a short e. I have always said it with an 'a' sound, like BAY-TUH, and I am wondering if I have been doing it wrong all along! Clarification on this would be nice, thanks!


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## Mothercrow (Sep 4, 2016)

I've had this problem, too. I looked it up. I believe "beh-ta" is the correct pronunciation, but so many people say "bay-ta" that it is also an accepted pronunciation.

I have an attitude problem, so I say it the exact opposite way of the people who are correcting me, at all times.

I like this discussion http://english.stackexchange.com/questions/192657/english-latin-or-malay-pronunciation-of-betta-fish because I like how capricious language is.


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## betta8 (Sep 9, 2016)

Thanks for the advice, I might just stick to saying 'bay-tuh', since that is what I have been saying my whole life. I have hear enough people say Bay-tuh that I don't think anyone will notice if I don't say it the "Correct" way!


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

If someone corrects your pronounciation just tell them "I know; but you know how I hate conformity." Or, my favorite: "If I valued/needed (you choose) your opinion/input (you choose) I would have asked for it." I used to tell people that when they critiqued a dog I was showing without being asked....using "valued" and "opinion." ;-)


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## BettaStarter24 (Mar 24, 2014)

It is technically supposed to be pronounced beh-ta but bay-tah is an accepted pronunciation as well as so many pronounce it that way. I use bay-tah.


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## betta8 (Sep 9, 2016)

Thanks for all the advice, I will use your idea(s) if anyone corrects me, Russel!


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## LittleBettaFish (Oct 2, 2010)

I will admit when I hear someone pronounce betta as 'Bay-tuh', I either think they are new to the hobby, or they are American, as it seems more Americans are inclined to pronounce it this way?


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

The way I remember is "Bay-tuh" is the Greek alphabetic character.


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## Hyunjicho (Nov 8, 2016)

Everyone I know pronounces it bay-tuh (I've lived in TX, VA, and now GA)


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## BettaBeau (May 14, 2014)

I know it is supposed to be bet-uh. I try to pronounce it that way. But I will start with bet-uh and, as I excitedly describe my hobby to others, I slip and say bay-tuh. Argh!


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## betta8 (Sep 9, 2016)

LittleBettaFish said:


> I will admit when I hear someone pronounce betta as 'Bay-tuh', I either think they are new to the hobby, or they are American, as it seems more Americans are inclined to pronounce it this way?


Hmm... that is interesting. I have always pronounced it Bay-tuh , so it sounds weird to me to say Beh-tuh


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## betta8 (Sep 9, 2016)

BettaBeau said:


> I know it is supposed to be bet-uh. I try to pronounce it that way. But I will start with bet-uh and, as I excitedly describe my hobby to others, I slip and say bay-tuh. Argh!


Yep,I probably won't even try to change, because I will just forget to say it the right way anyway!


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## lilnaugrim (Mar 27, 2013)

If you think that's weird, Plakat isn't supposed to be Pla-ket, it's Pluh-cot. Lol, but they're all Thailand words anyway.
I typically say Bay-tah when talking with newbies but will say Be-tuh as it should be, when talking to my fish friends and the club.


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## RMKelly (Jan 17, 2016)

I've always pronounced it as Beh-tuh. I have heard some people pronounce it as Bay-tah.


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## Chocobobetta (Jan 24, 2017)

Bayta sounds better, so that's how I say it


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## betta8 (Sep 9, 2016)

lilnaugrim said:


> If you think that's weird, Plakat isn't supposed to be Pla-ket, it's Pluh-cot. Lol, but they're all Thailand words anyway.
> I typically say Bay-tah when talking with newbies but will say Be-tuh as it should be, when talking to my fish friends and the club.


Wow, I didn't know that about Plakat... It's always good to learn something new!


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## Lekoguy (Dec 1, 2016)

I think I have found the proper reference:

Alppha
Betta
Ggamma
Dellta
Epsillon ... Ommegga

However, it's still all Geek to me!

😉


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