Southern Accents + DBMS Name = Weird Looks


I've long and loud pronounced my love for PostgreSQL as a DBMS, but alas, it appears I can't actually pronounce it correctly.  When I first started using it, I never saw a pronunciation guide for it, and it never really occurred to me to question it. It seemed obvious to me:

POST-GREE-SQL (listen to WAV)

However, while making a system request the other day, one of our sys admins pointed out that this was the only place he'd ever worked where it was pronounced that way. It makes sense that everyone else here picked it up since I was the one using PostgreSQL for my DBMS and was the one who initially introduced it to our unit so many years ago.

His remark made me curious, so I checked the PostgreSQL site and found that he was correct…I've been saying it wrong for the last 10 years or so.  According to PostgreSQL Global Development Group, it is pronounced:

POST-GRES-QUE-ELL (listen to WAV)

Kind of a dumb pronunciation, to me, but they are the makers and it apparently stems from its initial days when it was called Postgres.  Will I now start pronouncing it correctly?  Probably not. After 10 years, its automatic with me now.  However, if I ever get to speak with other PostgreSQL DBAs in an actual vocal manner versus online and they look at me funny, I'll try to remember the correct way so they know what I'm talking about. 😛

And hey, it is still better than the way one client pronounced MySQL (My-Squeal) – I kid you not….