Pronunciation of feral

[nq:1]Should feral be pronounced as if it were spelt "ferral" (i.e. fe-ral as in me-rry) or to rhyme with fear (as if it were spelt "fearal")[/nq]
I've always assumed it was the latter; off-hand, I can't recall hearing "ferral".

Cheers, Harvey
Ottawa/Toronto/Edmonton for 30 years;
Southern England for the past 21 years.
(for e-mail, change harvey to whhvs)

[nq:2]Should feral be pronounced as if it were spelt "ferral" ... to rhyme with fear (as if it were spelt "fearal")[/nq]
[nq:1]I've always assumed it was the latter; off-hand, I can't recall hearing "ferral".[/nq]
I might have heard the "fearal" pronunciation once or twice, but I'd say 19 times out of twenty it's been "ferral", and that's the pronunciation I use.

Adrian

b

[nq:1]I might have heard the "fearal" pronunciation once or twice, but I'd say 19 times out of twenty it's been "ferral", and that's the pronunciation I use.[/nq]
Apparently we've both made the correct choice, though: the books I've looked at answer the OP's question as to which pronunciation "should" be used by recommending "either, according to taste".

Cheers, Harvey
Ottawa/Toro

[nq:1]Should feral be pronounced as if it were spelt "ferral" (i.e. fe-ral as in me-rry) or to rhyme with fear (as if it were spelt "fearal")[/nq]
I pronounce it as in merry (ferrule, fairul). A plague of feral cats are frequently mentioned on radio reports as a great reason for spaying, castrating all cats except those maintained for breeding.

Pat
Wisconsin

[nq:2]Should feral be pronounced as if it were spelt "ferral" ... to rhyme with fear (as if it were spelt "fearal")[/nq]
[nq:1]I've always assumed it was the latter; off-hand, I can't recall hearing "ferral".[/nq]
You haven't heard me say it.
I think both pronunciations are used.
PB

[nq:2]Should feral be pronounced as if it were spelt "ferral" ... to rhyme with fear (as if it were spelt "fearal")[/nq]
[nq:1]I've always assumed it was the latter; off-hand, I can't recall hearing "ferral".[/nq]
I've always assumed it was the former; offhand, I can't recall hearing "fearal".

Mike Barnes
Cheshire, England

[nq:1]Should feral be pronounced as if it were spelt "ferral" (i.e. fe-ral as in me-rry) or to rhyme with fear (as if it were spelt "fearal")[/nq]
I've heard both, and I have some sense that "fear" is or was once more proper, but I use "merry". Incidentally, it is "merry" for us MINMINMs, and not "Mary" or "marry", following the usual rule that calls for the "merry" vowel.

[nq:1]I've always assumed it was the former; offhand, I can't recall hearing "fearal".[/nq]
Same here (except my full stop dresses to the left).

[nq:2]Should feral be pronounced as if it were spelt "ferral" ... to rhyme with fear (as if it were spelt "fearal")[/nq]
[nq:1]I pronounce it as in merry (ferrule, fairul).[/nq]
For me, the two words in the parentheses do not rhyme whith each other. I'll go with the "feral/merry/ferrule" similarity, though.

I've been accused of using speech that is too easily understood, though.

[nq:2]I've always assumed it was the former; offhand, I can't recall hearing "fearal".[/nq]
[nq:1]Same here (except my full stop dresses to the left).[/nq]
I side with Mike.

David
==
Does exactly what it says on the tin.