How do you pronounce Cenote?

hirijo · 10-28-2004

I keep reading about cenotes but don't know how to pronounce it? Thanks

cuffedlinks · 10-28-2004

Well, I don't know FOR SURE if its right but I say

"see-know'-tay"...

Which I think is awfully close for a piece of American cheese like me....

Here's a link to James' cenote info from the "Read More" tab above..
Cenote Info

Rissask · 10-28-2004

I thought it was 'say-NO-tay'?

Either way is close enough!

Nerak936 · 10-28-2004

Righto, Cuffed. The guy at the dive shop in Plymouth told me it was "see-no-tay". I still have to pause and think before I say it since I was pronouncing it "see-note" for so long!!!

Beachnutt719 · 10-28-2004

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rissask

I thought it was 'say-NO-tay'?

Either way is close enough!

say-NO-tay is the way I thought I heard it too.

Big Kahuna · 10-28-2004

If the a's in spanish are pronounced as e's and the e's are pronounced as a's then I would support the (say know tay) version.

That's my 2 cents!

Rissask · 10-28-2004

Quote:

The word "Cenote" is pronounced, say-no-tay and is derived from the Mayan word, "Dzonot" which means sacred well. A combination of various geological events and climate changes created an incredible and unique ecosystem in Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula.

Talk about coinkidinks!

I just found this on a site where I was reading about scuba diving.

**SunKneeMarie** · 10-28-2004

Now I had thought it was pronounced "seh-KNOW-teh" because an "e" in Spanish is a "short e" sound. All together, class, let's say the alphabet: Ah, Beh, Seh, Cheh, Deh, Eh, etc etc. But maybe there's a geographical preference for this specific word to make the first syllable a "long e"...??

Rissask · 10-28-2004

I am really confused Marie....I say 'say' and 'seh' is the same pronounciation! Isn't it?

**denisea** · 10-28-2004

Click here to hear the pronunciation of cenote.

**SunKneeMarie** · 10-28-2004

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rissask

I am really confused Marie....I say 'say' and 'seh' is the same pronounciation! Isn't it?

I was trying to find a letter combination that would show the "short" e sound-- like the "e" in the word "bed."

Which I think is how the letter "e" is usually pronounced in Spanish. I forgot that the Canadian pronunciation of "eh" is "ay."

And darnitall, my computer won't let me hear Denise's pronunciation guide.

Rissask · 10-28-2004

Quote:

Which I think is how the letter "e" is usually pronounced in Spanish. I forgot that the Canadian pronunciation of "eh" is "ay."

There you go!

That is why I was confused- to me they are both 'ay'!

My computer wouldn't play it either Denisea- but I have everything necessary installed.

**denisea** · 10-28-2004

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rissask

My computer wouldn't play it either Denisea- but I have everything necessary installed.

Sorry, it's a direct link to a web site. The file format is AIFF which is a Mac Audio Format. If you are using WMP... I don't believe it recognizes the AIFF file format. However, Quicktime will play AIFF files without any problem, so if you've got that on your PC, you should be able to play it using Quicktime.

Nerak936 · 10-28-2004

Hell, I know people who have known me for 30 years and STILL can spell or pronounce my last name correctly (it's very Swedish).

If I can't pronounce "cenote" correctly for a Playa local, I'll just cross my legs, point to my crotch, make an agonized face, and say "Oooooo!! Oooooo!!"

(Hey, it worked at Tulum when I needed a bathroom. Maybe it'll help a taxi driver find a cenote for us??? Okay. Maybe not. But at least I'll know where the closest bathroom is.)

Beachnutt719 · 10-28-2004

Mine wouldn't play either Denisea. Said something about aiff file not supporeted?
That was on winamp. I have quicktime but don't know how to get it to go there.

10-28-2004	#1 (permalink)
hirijo sandflea Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 4	How do you pronounce Cenote? I keep reading about cenotes but don't know how to pronounce it? Thanks

10-28-2004	#2 (permalink)
cuffedlinks añejo Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: The City of Presidents Posts: 16,003	Well, I don't know FOR SURE if its right but I say "see-know'-tay"... Which I think is awfully close for a piece of American cheese like me.... Here's a link to James' cenote info from the "Read More" tab above.. Cenote Info Last edited by cuffedlinks; 10-28-2004 at 10:21 AM.

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10-28-2004	#3 (permalink)
Rissask Brit basher Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada Posts: 20,888	I thought it was 'say-NO-tay'? Either way is close enough!

10-28-2004	#4 (permalink)
Nerak936 añejo Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 18,763	Righto, Cuffed. The guy at the dive shop in Plymouth told me it was "see-no-tay". I still have to pause and think before I say it since I was pronouncing it "see-note" for so long!!!

10-28-2004	#6 (permalink)
Big Kahuna añejo Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: In a land far far away Posts: 1,590	If the a's in spanish are pronounced as e's and the e's are pronounced as a's then I would support the (say know tay) version. That's my 2 cents!

10-28-2004	#8 (permalink)
SunKneeMarie character encapsulator Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Texas Posts: 27,484	Now I had thought it was pronounced "seh-KNOW-teh" because an "e" in Spanish is a "short e" sound. All together, class, let's say the alphabet: Ah, Beh, Seh, Cheh, Deh, Eh, etc etc. But maybe there's a geographical preference for this specific word to make the first syllable a "long e"...??

10-28-2004	#9 (permalink)
Rissask Brit basher Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada Posts: 20,888	I am really confused Marie....I say 'say' and 'seh' is the same pronounciation! Isn't it?

10-28-2004	#10 (permalink)
denisea Forum Goddess Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: On the road to ruins... Posts: 7,025	Click here to hear the pronunciation of cenote.

10-28-2004	#14 (permalink)
Nerak936 añejo Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 18,763	Hell, I know people who have known me for 30 years and STILL can spell or pronounce my last name correctly (it's very Swedish). If I can't pronounce "cenote" correctly for a Playa local, I'll just cross my legs, point to my crotch, make an agonized face, and say "Oooooo!! Oooooo!!" (Hey, it worked at Tulum when I needed a bathroom. Maybe it'll help a taxi driver find a cenote for us??? Okay. Maybe not. But at least I'll know where the closest bathroom is.)

10-28-2004	#15 (permalink)
Beachnutt719 añejo Join Date: May 2004 Location: Upstate New York Posts: 3,972	Mine wouldn't play either Denisea. Said something about aiff file not supporeted? That was on winamp. I have quicktime but don't know how to get it to go there.

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