Born and bred from Chicago (yes, I say it through my nose) we often get made fun of for talking through our noses. It amazed me as a kid how someone could pick up that I was from Chicago, now it is just a friendly travel joke. A few months a local Celiac sent out an email bothered by how a Fox News Reporter mispronounced “Celiac” putting him down for not doing his homework… While I do feel this was a personal political dig, we actually got in a little heated discussion about it, it didn’t bother me at all. At the end of the story, Celiacs were getting recognition they deserve for their disease because gluten free is now mainstream and here to stay. This reporter was not the first time I have heard it pronounced incorrectly. Even medical doctors don’t say it correctly. However there are quite a few medical terms that are often mispronounced because well depending upon what part of the country you are from, it will sound different.

How do you say, “Tomato?” with a long “A” or short “a” sound, does it matter? It is still red, round and full of good vitamins and minerals.

Kegel is one that is often mispronounced. Many say it with a long “ee” like Kee-gull, however its true pronounciation is “Kay-gull”, it rhymes with “Bagel.” Being in women’s health, I certainly do not get my panties in an up roar about how many mispronounce this, including women and medical professionals.

So how do you say “Celiac?” The correction pronunciation is SEE-LEE-AK, you can listen to it here many pronounce it Sill-ye-yak. If you are ever in a bind or just need to learn how to say something correctly, I have found this site very helpful.

At the end of the day, does it matter or is it really just plain silly?