Nikon pronunciation

[Canis Vulpes]

I was talking (or trying) to a Japanese chap last week who was using a D2x and a huge 500mm f2.8. I was interested in how he was able to handhold his mighty lens. Unfortunately he knew the exact amount of English as I know Japanese! We pointed and smiled for a few seconds and then he pointed to my camera and said 'Knee-kon' I assume this is the correct pronunciation of Nikon. On my travels to the United States I have been corrected to 'Nigh-Kon' as I pronounce Nikon as 'Nick-on'

[Andy]

Ah, you've seen that one on dpreview then? I usually stay out of them, but even I couldn't resist.
I suspect N'ee'kon is closer to reality than n'eye'kon, and our version 'nick-on is presumably just a 'slangy' derivative of n'ee'kon.

I'm not sure we're duty bound to pronounce words the same as the language of origin
As I mentioned elsewhere, we are happy enough to pronounce 'Braun' as 'brawn', when it really should be 'Brown'... the company is more than happy that a common surname is elevated to something a bit more exotic sounding in overseas markets

'nick-on till I die'

[rogerscoth]

I suppose we CANON owners have it easy then?

Roger

[john crossley]

I suppose we CANON owners have it easy then?

You do since they changed their name from "Precision Optical Instruments Laboratory" when they produced the first "Kwanon" camera.

[ghherd]

I believe in the states TV ads pronounce Nikon with a long I sound: "Nigh-con." More authoritatively, however, Simon and Garfunkel's track "Kodachrome" includes the line: "I've got at Nigh-Cone camera, I love to take photographs.." and me and every other baby boomer in the States has heard that line and pronunciation probably about 500 times over the course of our lives.