What's up with New Yorkers and Gyros?

Does anybody remember the episode where Kramer and Elaine were taking the subway and they came to the stop with the gyros and Kramer tried to get one (later Elaine did too). Well, I love the things, but this is what I don't get: I was in Albany for the weekend (from Seattle) and went into a deli to order a gyro. Both the lady behind the counter AND the cast on Seinfeld mispronounced the name. The proper pronounciation is more like "heero" not "jyro". The greek "g" sounds more like (but not exactly) an "h". I almost burst out laughing when I asked for a "heero" and the girl behind the counter looked at me with disdain and said, "you me a JYRO?"

Is this a New York thing? or is this girl and the Seinfeld cast the only ones that don't know what they are talking about?

Jason

It spills over to Connecticut, too, but some of us have the sense to know that Greek phonetics don't follow the rules of American phonetics.

People in the Washington, DC area call it a "jyro" sometimes, too. Maybe because some people call a "submarine sandwich" or a "hoagie" a "hero"--to distinguish from that kind of "hero".

I've lived in Philadelphia, Virginia, Texas, and (sort of) California. And I've yet to meet anyone who pronounces it the way my Greek college roommate taught me: hyeer-o.

So I think it's more than regional; it's English speakers and their disposi- tion to pronounce most words as if they were English.

-ilene

(a foreign language major a long time ago!)

Regarding the proper pronunciation of "gyro": we have 'em up in the wilds of Winnipeg, too. I love 'em and just had one last week. Both I and the cashier pronounced it "heero".

Don't forget, though - Elaine is the one who referred to her shrink boyfriend as a "Sven-jolly"!

In article [email] (Jason Friesen) writes:

I have it on good authority (An authentic Greek whose family owns a pizza/sub shop) that the correct pronunciation is not "heero" or "jyro" but "yeero". But this is in New England, not New York.

--pla A displaced New Yorker in New Hampshire

In article , [email] wrote:

pizza/sub

I was introduced to these wonderful delights at the Parthenon restaurant in Madison, WI in the mid-'70s. Another gyro place was right across the street and they started advertising on the radio and in the paper. Part of their ad was teaching ignorant Wisconsinites how to pronounce "gyro". As I recall, they were saying "year-ohs" like the above post.

Here in Wichita, KS, they're often pronounced "jye-row" (like the scope) by the fast food sellers who have jumped on the gyro bandwagon. I know a lot of folks who say "gear-oh", too. Kinda anglicized version of the correct one.

Jeff

(deleted)

I'm a native of Albany now in NYC. I think most New Yorkers know the way it is "supposed" to be pronounced (hyeero). We just don't care.