Comments | linguaphiles: "Chimerica" pronunciation?!

ganja_chan in linguaphiles

"Chimerica" pronunciation?!

Feb 27, 2011 15:07

Hello, while writing a presentation on sinoamerican relations, I've found a word Chimerica, which is a portmanteau of "China" and "America" evoking associations with "chimera". The word is quite catchy, but my problem is that I can't figure out how to pronounce it. I thought about /kaɪˈmerɪkə/, but I'm not sure about that. Could anyone here help me

Comments 12

sollersuk February 27 2011, 14:18:13 UTC

No advice on pronunciation but I don't think it is a good coinage as my immediate reaction was "things to do with chimeras" - creatures composed of more than one animal

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ganja_chan February 27 2011, 15:31:15 UTC

Just to be precise, it's not my own invention :D if it were to be pronounced /tshai~/, would it sound more like China+America? :?

mszappata February 27 2011, 14:26:19 UTC

Isn't it a good idea then to pronounce /tsai.../ so as to convey the idea of a country and to avoid stronger associations with chimeras? Sorry, I suppose imstead of advsising...

ganja_chan February 27 2011, 15:29:05 UTC

That's actually what I thought myself - it looks OK in writing, but if I pronounce it with /kai~/, no one will understand... that's a riddle! :D

thedorkygirl February 27 2011, 15:38:12 UTC

I agree!

jongcy February 27 2011, 16:43:26 UTC

That... is a really ugly-sounding neologism. :| How strange.

But to helpful, I suggest you pronounce it /kai/, since it's supposed to reference chimeras, but just introduce the word when you first use it so that your audience will know what you're talking about.

ganja_chan February 27 2011, 16:47:32 UTC

Right, I think I'll do just that. And I don't like it either, but I have to introduce some items of that sort into my presentation - that's a requirement -.-'

trinker February 27 2011, 17:47:45 UTC

Chi like Chinese
and America.

Anything in the "chimera" range is...to use the slang...anvilicious. Don't do it.

flamingophoenix February 28 2011, 01:56:28 UTC

Anvilicious?

trinker February 28 2011, 02:49:49 UTC

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/Anvilicious

heavy-handed.

thedorkygirl February 27 2011, 18:10:33 UTC

I think Ch as it's pronounce in China, chess, cheese, etc. It's a portmanteau of China and America which plays cleverly on chimera, so it stands to reason to keep the China in it.

I suppose it's referring to assimilation of Chinese immigrants & their children into American society?