How crew pronounce the word Caribbean

Nov 27, 2012 by Guest Writer

It wasn’t a trick question, though many crew thought it was. We were just curious to learn how our industry can pronounce this important yachting region two separate ways.


The more common was the way non-Americans say it, CaribBEan, with the emphasis on the third syllable, as in Pirates of the Caribbean.
Americans and Canadians tended to say CaRIbbean, with the emphasis on the second syllable, as in the cruise line Royal Caribbean.


So our survey results today likely reflect how many North American crew we talked to.
There’s a lot of debate in the linguistic world about this and there really is no right answer. Intelligent people use either one, and some use both, depending if it is a noun or an adjective.
For the record, though, the American journalist’s go-to reference on these matters (the Webster’s New World College Dictionary) lists both, but the English-style pronunciation with the accent on the third syllable is listed first, even though that’s not the way Americans say it.


First Mate Brent Marks
M/Y Lady Linda
186-foot Trinity
It depends on what I’m asked. I drink the Carib beer, so it’s CaRIbbean.


Stew Jessica Mellington
M/Y Dream
171-foot Feadship
I’m from Australia so I say CaribBEan


Eng. Jason Holt
M/Y Shalimar
118-foot Benetti
Americans do CaRIbbean. It’s kind of like the beer.


Chef Geno Accetta
M/Y Shalimar
118-foot Benetti
I switch it up.


Stew Mariana Cecato
M/Y Shalimar
118-foot Benetti
I’m from Brazil. I would never think to say CaRIbbean. It sounds strange, and it’s hard for me to say.


Capt. Jay Kimmel
M/Y Sharon Ann
105-foot Destiny
Who am I talking to? I’m from California. I used to say CaribBEan, now I say more CaRIbbean since I moved here [to the U.S. East Coast].


Bosun Tim Brodie
S/Y Zenji
185-foot Perini Navi
It’s CaribBEan. That’s proper English.


Capt. Chris Lewis
M/Y Ellix Too
155-foot ISA
CaribBEan. Or shall I just say ‘correctly’.


Stew Krista Glauner
M/Y Battered Bull
171-foot Feadship
CaRIbbean. Actually, I say both. It’s Pirates of the CaribBEan, but I still CaRIbbean. There’s that.


Chief Stew Jessica Orr
M/Y Big Zip
142-foot Trinity
We use them both interchangeably now, don’t we? I guess it depends what comes before it.

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