# How to say "Betta"



## Darth (Nov 19, 2012)

Ok a lot of people are pronouncing this wrong, back in my IBC days if you pronounced this wrong you immediately were corrected.
So please stop saying BAY-Tah.
It is BET-Tah..
People are pronouncing this like Phi Beta Cappa.
Beta is one T..BETTA has 2, BET and then TAH.
A lot of people say that's just how we say it, ok, so if your name is Farnk its ok for me to call you Ted right?


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## Darth (Nov 19, 2012)

In case you wonder if Farnk is a typo, its not I have a Dane friend named Farnk...lol


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## Catw0man (Jan 24, 2013)

Darth said:


> Ok a lot of people are pronouncing this wrong, back in my IBC days if you pronounced this wrong you immediately were corrected.
> So please stop saying BAY-Tah.
> It is BET-Tah..
> People are pronouncing this like Phi Beta Cappa.
> ...


LOL....this made me laugh....waaaaayyyyyy back when I first got into betta fish (of course everyone called them "Siamese Fighting Fish" then....), I always pronounced the word "betta" the wrong way. Took forever to re-train myself! lol


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## Darth (Nov 19, 2012)

You would be surprised, even people that know better are saying, Bay-Tah.


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## KoriC (Mar 19, 2013)

People who know better also say bedder instead of better. Language is really complex, Bayta is much smoother to say than Bet ta, it may or may not have something to do with it. I'm only speaking in really general terms though.

I say Bet ta myself, but I still much prefer the sound of Bayta.


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## ZubinBetta (May 9, 2012)

I always say /Bay-Tah/ in a perverse attempt to hear if I'll be called on it; so far nobody has corrected me. When I visited The Betta Shop in St. Pau., MN, however, I spoke softly to my friend who accompanied me and said, "/Bet-Tah/" instead. I went to a nice LFS here in Phoenix and saw there weren't any bettas, so I asked the proprietor, "Do you ever get in any /Bay-Tahs/?" And he said there were no "/Bay-Tahs/" that day. Perhaps we merely miscommunicated.


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## JadeAngel (Jul 31, 2012)

KoriC said:


> People who know better also say bedder instead of better. Language is really complex, Bayta is much smoother to say than Bet ta, it may or may not have something to do with it. I'm only speaking in really general terms though.
> 
> I say Bet ta myself, but I still much prefer the sound of Bayta.


I agree. 

I know full well it's said Bet- tah, but I say Bay-tah. I actually find it difficult to say it the proper way. I have studied many languages. Amongst them spanish, german, french, arabic, korean, japanese, as well as their corresponding writing systems. Also ancient mayan, hieratic, and egyptian hieroglyphics.

I WISH I could say that they all stuck... but I only speak fluent spanish and basic french now. I can still read korean and remember some hieroglyphs and very little arabic, but I do not speak any of the spoken languages.

I am also a former English Second Language teacher. I say all this because I can say, with a decent amount of experience for my age, that you can correct people all you want... but some people will just never say it the right way.

Look at it this way....

How do you say 
"Water"
"Glove"
"Glass"???

Well... when I was in highschool, we had many students move to the farming area I lived in from Philly and NYC. They thought the way I said those words was just hilarious. The PROPER way to say "water" is Wah-ter. How do I say it? I'm from NEPA, I say wadder. Sorry... I do. I can't not say it like that.

I have tried time and time again to say it like Bet-tah.... but it just comes out very very forced. It may not be the proper way to say it, but you'll have to lump it in with the rest of the english language that changes pronunciation from area to area.

And yes... my name is Cassandra.... and I have always said it Cuh- SAN-druh
But many of my teachers in school, bosses in adulthood, and people I just meet say it "Cus-ON-druh"

Drove me nuts, but it was extremely common for people to say it both that way and what I saw as the "proper" way. Then I moved to latin america, and nobody there says the "A" in the way I say my name... so EVERYONE there called me "Cus-ON-druh".

Between that, and my extensive studies of languages, etymology, and having taught many people of various national origins the english language, I just learned that some words just do not have any 1 proper way. The Betta community may have a preferred pronunciation, but it is simply human nature to have varied pronunciations of the same word, and it does not make the person who says it one way any less ignorant or knowledgable on the topic than a person who says it a different way 

If they know what the "proper" way to say it is, and they still say Bay-tah, let it be and accept it as them having been raised by different parents in a different area.


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## trilobite (May 18, 2011)

I like the sound of bet ta best. Bay ta sounds weird to me, it reminds me of "beta", which is probably where the "bay ta" people got it from. 
But in nz they are usually just called fighters it probably sounds like we are saying futas


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## JadeAngel (Jul 31, 2012)

trilobite said:


> I like the sound of bet ta best. Bay ta sounds weird to me, it reminds me of "beta", which is probably where the "bay ta" people got it from.
> But in nz they are usually just called fighters it probably sounds like we are saying futas


One of my best friends, when living abroad, was from NZ. Not often... but every once in a while I'd have to have her spell out a word so I knew what on earth she was trying to say :lol: but, then again, the same can be said for my friend's brother. They're british, but his brother seemed to fancy the accent and slang more than he did. Sometimes I'd swear we were speaking 2 different languages, lol.


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## Skyewillow (Dec 28, 2012)

I say it Bay-tah. Nobody around here would have a clue what on this green Earth I was talking about if I said bet-tah. Probably would think I was saying "Better". lol


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## trilobite (May 18, 2011)

Lol I had to explain words and slang to my american friends too haha apparently we speak in a slurred fast mumble. American accents sound so much better


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## MattsBettas (Dec 18, 2012)

If I said it properly here no one would have a clue what I was talking about. So ignorant. And I have always wanted to know what a Canadian/American accent sounds like. To me, the Australian/NZ accent and their slang is hilarious in a awesome way. Lol.


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## Darth (Nov 19, 2012)

Skyewillow said:


> I say it Bay-tah. Nobody around here would have a clue what on this green Earth I was talking about if I said bet-tah. Probably would think I was saying "Better". lol


Well if they didn't know perhaps you could tell them that its the proper way to say Betta.


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## MattsBettas (Dec 18, 2012)

The people here are so ignorant they would not believe me at all. You should have seen it the time I told someone they need heaters.


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## ZubinBetta (May 9, 2012)

By way of a slight detour, JadeAngel, I notice the question marks under the picture of one of your fishes (in the signature line) If you haven't already named your other betta, consider this: At Asian restaurants "sushi" is often served alongside an item called "sashimi" on the menu. "Sashimi" is thin-sliced raw fish. In the category of "sushi" are also "nigiri-zushi" and "maki-zushi." So all of these are potential betta names.


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## JadeAngel (Jul 31, 2012)

MattsBettas said:


> If I said it properly here no one would have a clue what I was talking about. So ignorant. And I have always wanted to know what a Canadian/American accent sounds like. To me, the Australian/NZ accent and their slang is hilarious in a awesome way. Lol.


There are so many different accents from so many different places. Apparently, there is a "valley accent" here where I live. I'm not from this area, I'm from a farming area an hour's drive away. I've been told that we have a different accent where I grew up than they do here in "the valley". Honestly, I don't hear it (not even a difference in how they talk, except they have 1 or 2 different words. I think people sometimes don't understand the difference between slang and an accent.)

But I do know something. There is an area in Canada (I can't remember which province) Every once in a while I will meet a canadian who thinks I am canadian or who I thought was from my area, because we don't speak any differently at all (unless some slang is thrown in)

Anyway, ignorance is in not knowing that people feel "bet-tah" is the proper way to say it, but saying it differently regardless of that knowledge is not ignorant. 

A good bit of the words we are all typing right now are said differently by each one of us. Not different only in the inflictions used in the word, but different in that many of us will actually leave out whole letters in the word (letters that are NOT meant to be silent) when speaking, or even say one letter as though it was another (for example, a lot of americans say many words with "t" in the center as "d" and british folk will say "er" like it's an "a" or "u"


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## JadeAngel (Jul 31, 2012)

ZubinBetta said:


> By way of a slight detour, JadeAngel, I notice the question marks under the picture of one of your fishes (in the signature line) If you haven't already named your other betta, consider this: At Asian restaurants "sushi" is often served alongside an item called "sashimi" on the menu. "Sashimi" is thin-sliced raw fish. In the category of "sushi" are also "nigiri-zushi" and "maki-zushi." So all of these are potential betta names.


:lol: I had thought of Sashimi as a name for my next betta... but for some reason the idea yucks me out? Maybe it's because the image of sashimi is unpleasant for me XD

But it's my hubby's betta, that's why the question marks. I would have named him already. My hubby said he will name him, but when he wants to :roll:


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## Skyewillow (Dec 28, 2012)

Darth said:


> Well if they didn't know perhaps you could tell them that its the proper way to say Betta.


compared to so many other issues that need to be addressed (nasty bowls that are way too small, not heated, sick fish, etc.) It's not my top priority to correct their grammar.

Sorry, pronunciation really isn't that big of a deal to me when you compare it to the rest that these fish go through.


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## Darth (Nov 19, 2012)

Yeah, I just want folks to be aware of the right name.
I have told those folks at the pet stores many time even a small space heater or a heat mat would do the trick..deaf ears...


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## Skyewillow (Dec 28, 2012)

it'd be the same if you tried to correct their pronunciation too. lol

you forget, they work in a pet store, they know everything! -heavy sarcasm-


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## MattsBettas (Dec 18, 2012)

I get that feeling exactly. One person, when I told her friend that they need a heater, told me "No they don't. I have one that lives on my counter.". I explained to her that I am a breeder and have over a dozen, told her that they are tropical fish, and finally I exclaimed "Bowls are for cereal!" Then walked away. I felt like saying "yup. You own one betta who you obviously don't take proper care of so naturally, you know everything.".

Rant over.


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## JadeAngel (Jul 31, 2012)

Darth said:


> Yeah, I just want folks to be aware of the right name.
> I have told those folks at the pet stores many time even a small space heater or a heat mat would do the trick..deaf ears...


Why don't you ask a moderator to make a NEW sticky thread about the proper pronunciation AND etymology of the word "Betta"? I would write it as a short, informative, and interesting article that focuses solely on facts

Though don't make this thread itself a sticky, as the original post came off as an attack like towards those of us who just don't say it the way you want).

Again though, if someone says it differently even when they know how it's intended to be said, don't get upset.... unless you want people to start picking apart your sentences and telling you just how many words you, yourself, do not pronounce properly ;-) lol

But I reiterate, it would be a good idea to ask a moderator to make a sticky about the pronunciation and history behind the word "Betta".

Oh, on another note... I HAVE seen a few petstore information booklets in front of the bettas that have the "correct" pronunciation in the information... along side pictures of bettas in tiny bowls..... :roll: so some of them have the information out there, but mixed with bad information too.


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## JadeAngel (Jul 31, 2012)

MattsBettas said:


> I get that feeling exactly. One person, when I told her friend that they need a heater, told me "No they don't. I have one that lives on my counter.". I explained to her that I am a breeder and have over a dozen, told her that they are tropical fish, and finally I exclaimed "Bowls are for cereal!" Then walked away. I felt like saying "yup. You own one betta who you obviously don't take proper care of so naturally, you know everything.".
> 
> Rant over.


I'd be like "oh, that's awesome! I have a cousin who lives in a 4'x4' jail cell! I can totally arrange something like that for you, if all you want is to survive too, however pathetic that survival is!" :twisted:

oh, and no, I don't realll have a cousin in jail, haha... but your friend doesn't know! or maybe... hehehe


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## osromatra (Jan 9, 2013)

I used to say BAY ta, but then I heard it was actually BETT-ah, so now that's what I say. I say BAY ta though, when I am asking people at pet stores or telling others about them. I figure it's my job to educate them on proper care and the joys of having them than giving them an etymology and phonics lesson.


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## Darth (Nov 19, 2012)

:wink:


JadeAngel said:


> Why don't you ask a moderator to make a NEW sticky thread about the proper pronunciation AND etymology of the word "Betta"? I would write it as a short, informative, and interesting article that focuses solely on facts
> 
> Though don't make this thread itself a sticky, as the original post came off as an attack like towards those of us who just don't say it the way you want).
> 
> ...


THIS WAS NOT an attack!! It was meant to let people know that to many its becoming a habit saying it wrong, as a Breeder and someone who has been around this craft for Many years, I am just letting people know how the word is meant to sound, I did not gain my knowledge from a pet store rather almost an apprenticeship by one of the greatest in this craft, Walt Maurus.
Walt is also an author who wrote many informative books on Bettas, and his friends were all the likes of the other greats of this craft..Gene Lucas, Jim Sonnier to name a couple so although there are other books out there, the good ones are written by those who know
And not one of those Breeders ever used the term Bay-Tah in fact they were in the habit of correcting people who used the term.


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## JadeAngel (Jul 31, 2012)

Darth said:


> :wink:
> 
> THIS WAS NOT an attack!! It was meant to let people know that to many its becoming a habit saying it wrong, as a Breeder and someone who has been around this craft for Many years, I am just letting people know how the word is meant to sound, I did not gain my knowledge from a pet store rather almost an apprenticeship by one of the greatest in this craft, Walt Maurus.
> Walt is also an author who wrote many informative books on Bettas, and his friends were all the likes of the other greats of this craft..Gene Lucas, Jim Sonnier to name a couple so although there are other books out there, the good ones are written by those who know
> And not one of those Breeders ever used the term Bay-Tah in fact they were in the habit of correcting people who used the term.


Your first post was rather agressive and gave off an extreme air or irritation towards people who say the word as "bayta". That's what I'm saying. 

Well known breeders and authors may prefer the original, proper, or correct pronunciation. It is part of their pasion. I'm simply stating from a linguistics point of view, that if you tell people how it is "supposed" to be said, and they continue saying it differently... you have to come to the realization that people do not say every word of the language the same, like it or not. It may annoy you that people don't say it that way since it is a topic close to heart, but the quickest way to chase people away from a hobby is to become aggresive towards them in any aspect of that hobby, rather than calmly informing them of the fact. 

Though your comparison of Farnk (interesting name btw) to ted was rather funny, as though we are calling them sword fish :lol: Since my name is mispronounced all the time, I was offering that up as a realistic and accurate comparison.

I think it's probably just best, after informing a person of the proper pronunciation, to just leave it be after that. It will only serve to agitate both yourself AND the people you are lecturing.

But like I said, I think if you wrote an informative post and asked a moderator to sticky it, that would allow everyone in the forum, now AND in the future to be told about the proper pronunciation.


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## Darth (Nov 19, 2012)

Yes Jade I must agree with you perhaps it sounded aggressive, but was not meant that way..I am just a person that tells it like it is, but again perhaps you are right.


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## Skyewillow (Dec 28, 2012)

I don't think it was aggressive at all, just blunt.

However, I would LOVE to know where the word itself came from to describe the betta fish. ^_^


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## MattsBettas (Dec 18, 2012)

It seemed pretty aggressive to me, but we also have to realize that we are reading text on the Internet and things can sound very different then the person intended.


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## JadeAngel (Jul 31, 2012)

MattsBettas said:


> It seemed pretty aggressive to me, but we also have to realize that we are reading text on the Internet and things can sound very different then the person intended.


Touché, lol.
which means both looking at it with different perspectives, and looking at your own typing to make sure it couldn't be taken in a way not intended. That's happened to me. If you ever read a post of mine, and then I suddenly edit it... it's because I realized in re-reading it that it didn't come off how I meant, or get the point across that I wanted it to (or that my keyboard is sticking keys again and my words are missing letters)

I guess you could say, just like some are sensitive about details of their hobby, I am sensitive about the lack of linguistic understanding. If it explains my perspective, the last sentence is what caught me as agressive, both for the exageration, and as I say exactly that..."that's just how we say it". Sorry, but since the whole topic is about the proper pronunciation of a word, it brings me to the topic of linguistics, rather than an established opinion.

But, as I keep insisting... if information is the goal, I vote to sticky an informative thread. I'm informed on it, but if you don't want to hear it said "bayta" best never skype with me ;-) There's a slew of words I don't say well enough to please an English scholar. But it's impossible to please everyone.

Know what though? This is driving me flipping crazy... I have GOT to know the etymology of this word now :lol:


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## Skyewillow (Dec 28, 2012)

The word Betta comes from a local Siamese name for Siamese Fighting fish, “Ikan Bettah”. The contemporary Thai name for this fish is Pla-kad.

I <3 Google


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## JadeAngel (Jul 31, 2012)

Skyewillow said:


> The word Betta comes from a local Siamese name for Siamese Fighting fish, “Ikan Bettah”. The contemporary Thai name for this fish is Pla-kad.
> 
> I <3 Google


yeah, it's lovely. But I found other sources that said it is indonesian, rather than thailandese/siamese. So which is it, any natives from those countries that can say? The one who said it's indonesian was from that country, or so he said.


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## Snoeflayke (Mar 3, 2013)

I guess I don't get as worked up about it...

My name is pronounced "Meh-gan," but I never correct anyone who says "May-gan."

Same exact vowel sounds...


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## JadeAngel (Jul 31, 2012)

Snoeflayke said:


> I guess I don't get as worked up about it...
> 
> My name is pronounced "Meh-gan," but I never correct anyone who says "May-gan."
> 
> Same exact vowel sounds...


:-? I never thought about that... my cousin's name me Megan, and so is my neighbors little girl. When I started saying both ways to say it outloud, it sounded so much the same to me that I'm not sure which way I even say it when speaking to them  Gotta pay attention to that next time XD


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