Comments on: Pronunciation of ‘Divisive’?

By: Lorraine

Lorraine — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 03:55:06 +0000

Thank goodness I am not losing my mind. But tonight when I heard Bush Sr. pronounce it the Obama way I was moved to inquire. Long live the long I!

By: Kristen Caven

Kristen Caven — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 15:59:07 +0000

A year and “change” later… now EVERYONE is starting to use Obama’s pronunciation! I still prefer to use the “divysive” (and “derysive”) pronunciation, so it startles me every time I hear “divissive.” Nonetheless, it’s a better influence than Quayle or any other Bush gave us. At least Obama pronounces “nuclear” correctly!

By: John Martin

John Martin — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 09:50:15 +0000

I’m sorry about all the typos.

By: John Martin

John Martin — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 10:58:33 +0000

I am trying to research the recorded history and pronunciation of this word and I can’t find any, even using my most reliable sources. I prefer the pronunciation with the lonk “I” sound in the second syllable but I’ve heard MSNBC’s Chris Matthews ualways use the pronunciation with the short pronunciation. My argument that the long prinunciation is better is based on the pronunciation of the “S”. Since everybody wants to pronounce “S” as unvoiced, The word sould more natural wioth the “lont “I” sound.

By: Bob Ralston

Bob Ralston — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 18:47:50 +0000

Indeed it makes me cringe to hear “divisive” pronounced with a short i in the middle. Even worse is when people ignorantly pronounce “short-lived” with a short i (as if it were from the verb “live,” which it is not). No, no no! The ONLY correct pronunciation of “long-lived” is with a long I as in “life,” from which it comes. When the noun “life” becomes an adjective (lived”) the f changes to a v, but the long i remains. Check any dictionary. There’s only one correct way to pronounce “long-lived”: with a long i.

By: Dones

Dones — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 06:06:51 +0000

Also linked in the article Isabel referred to: http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/ideas/articles/2008/03/16/over_involved/
(Check out the second half of the article)

By: Dones

Dones — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 05:57:59 +0000

Thanks, Isabel. My favorite comment there was the following: “It used to be div-EYE-sive but 9/11 changed everything.” Hee-hee!

By: isabel

isabel — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 14:40:42 +0000

You’re not the only one with questions:
http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2008_03/013353.php

I think the short i version is from across the pond.

By: isabel

isabel — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 15:47:35 +0000

All the time, dude. I say it like that too.

By: Dones

Dones — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 00:44:49 +0000

Hmm, it doesn’t say if it’s a localization or not. But thank you very much for posting that link, Rox. At least it shows Obama didn’t create the new pronunciation.