What's in a name?
Mineral Matters #391
The pronunciation of mineral names is often . Take cerussite for example. In the US, “se-roo-site”, and most other places “se-russ-ite”.
Japanese mineral names can often be mis-pronounced too.
I quite often hear, and have mis-pronounced myself in the past, sugilite as “shu-jill-ite” when it should be “soo-gill-ite” named after Ken-ichi Sugi. The Japanese pronunciation of Su being “soo” and Gi being “gee” as in geek.
Another Japanese mineral, ikunolite (Type Locality: Ikuno Mine, Ikuno-cho-ono, Asago City, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan), is often pronounced “eye-koo-no-lite” or “ick-oo-no-lite” but should be “ee-koo-no-lite” with the “no” being as in “not”.
Below: Ikunolite, Alsó-Rózsa adit, Nagybörzsöny, Szob District, Pest County, Hungary. 8x5mm. Rolf Luetcke specimen and photo.
Wow. I'm glad there's no " Irishwristwatchite." I'd quit the hobby.
Or if somebody found a new mineral at, say, Milpillas, and named it "Jesusite", what would be correct the?!
I appreciate that Mindat offers help with pronunciations.
Try pronouncing them after a few drinks. Bill.