How do you pronounce Kegels? As in, the exercise?
I have gone my entire life pronouncing it KEE-gels. And I’ve probably said that word, out loud, in front of people, a million and two fucking times. No one has ever looked at me funny or gave any indication that anything was amiss.
And then, last night, I said it on the air.
And holy hell. Wouldn’t you know it. Apparently it’s pronounced KEG-els. Like KEH short e instead of KEE long e.
How fricking embarrassing. Seriously. Here I am prattling away like I know some shit, and I’m saying it wrong.
Know what else I apparently say wrong? Enveloped. Malleable. And Aunt.
I’m such a schmuck.
I suppose the good news is, I could be president some day.
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At least you didn’t call basketball players nappy-headed hos.
January 28th, 2008 at 7:27 am
In my head I pronounce it your way, when I speak it out loud I pronounce it Adam’s way.
January 28th, 2008 at 7:49 am
My friends and I all say it KEE-GELS. But we’re Canadian, so take that as you wish. :)
January 28th, 2008 at 8:00 am
I always said kee-gels….just like you!
January 28th, 2008 at 8:18 am
It’s that thick Iowa accent…
January 28th, 2008 at 8:37 am
KEE-gels, of course. And even though I know the “correct” way of pronouncing it now, I will still say it my way!
January 28th, 2008 at 8:52 am
Hey, as long as you say it “nucular”, you’re in like Flynn, baby! :-)
January 28th, 2008 at 8:53 am
You’re in Florida now. We make up our own pronunciations. We’re cool that way.
January 28th, 2008 at 9:01 am
I always thought it was KEE-gulls too. And the dictionary seems to agree with me!
January 28th, 2008 at 9:41 am
It’s not kee-gals? I’ve never heard it prounounced the other way… not even by a doctor.
Well fuck me — I looked it up and so it is. Why has this not come up in my life before? How did I go this long without knowing this very important factoid?
Well, at least you’re in good company.
January 28th, 2008 at 10:09 am
I had no idea that Kegels came up so often…
You know, I say things “wrong” all the time–just ask my boyfriend. He apparently thinks it is because I always read the words in books growing up and never got to share my vocabulary with people (I was kinda a loner until high school). Anyhow, I still think I say most of them right, and get highly annoyed when he corrects me….
Hopefully that makes you feel better.
January 28th, 2008 at 10:11 am
It’s “KEG-els”? No shit? How did I get to be almost 40 years old and just now learn how to say that word? I can’t believe nobody has ever corrected me. Very sad.
You were great on Mr. Fab’s show last night!
January 28th, 2008 at 10:17 am
I am yet another to add to the list of people who thought it was your way.
January 28th, 2008 at 10:22 am
i think as long as you know how to do kegels you’re in the clear. ;)
January 28th, 2008 at 10:40 am
It’s not just you. Someone on the phone (probably Hilly :-) ) called it Keegels too.
But yes, you are right. It’s “KEG-les.”
January 28th, 2008 at 11:22 am
i just assumed it was keg, like in a keg of beer. coz that is how my brain works…think of alcohol first!
honestly, i don’t care how you say it. just keep doing them to keep the hubby happy.
January 28th, 2008 at 11:37 am
My doctors ( and the rude annoying nurse in the maternity ward) called them Kee gels. So thats what I call them. (g sound as in girl)
January 28th, 2008 at 12:05 pm
avitable: I think when you have hair like mine it is best to avoid calling anyone nappy-headed. Rocks and houses and what-not.
Poppy: I think I say everything the same out loud as in my head. That causes a lot of problems.
Karen: maybe I’m Canadian too…
Heather: HA! Thank you!
Mr. Fab: you so curAZY.
Hilly: I probably will too, now that I know I’m not alone.
CMG: I was thinking about that and your darling hubby today, and trying to figure out HOW such an intelligent man isn’t driven insane by that!! (I’m clearly referring to the Ty-man, not his idol.)
Trishk: sweet. Do we say y’all too? I decided last night I really want to start saying y’all.
Finn: thank you! I feel less stupid with each “me too” - and this one with a doctor’s note!
themuttprincess: I was thinking that last night, that my vocabulary mainly comes from insane reading rather than hearing anyone else USE the words and I always just assumed I was saying them correctly in my head.
Jay: well at least now you can go on armed with the truth. And thank you. :-)
Sarah is Ok: my way. Heh. I like that.
sizzle: Oh God, watch me learn next I’ve been doing them WRONG.
The Absurdist: I’m in good company.
hellohahanarf: I guess when you stop and look at it makes sense. Kind of. Sort of.
BPR: You know, maybe the doctors and nurses people keep mentioning know more than Adam. And Turnbaby. And the dictionary.
I should have been a doctor.
January 28th, 2008 at 12:14 pm
I couldn’t listen to the show - damn time difference
Umm I’m curious how there is more than 1 way to pronnounce “Aunt”? Also…what’s a kegle? :unsure:
(I intend to work my way through your smilies, heh!)
January 28th, 2008 at 12:17 pm
I always said Kee gles. But I’m from Philly and I say ‘wood-er’ instead of ‘wah-ter’.
January 28th, 2008 at 12:48 pm
I don’t think it matters how you pronounce them so long as you do them…
January 28th, 2008 at 12:55 pm
I think you pronounced it right. Like seaguls, but with a K. Whoever dorrected you is wrong, I learned how to say it in my baby class! :tongue:
January 28th, 2008 at 1:02 pm
Sorry about that… I will now make a list of words, send them to you - then you can call me and read the list. This will avoid this sort of thing in the future.
Of course, you know that I had not had a birthday celebration I would have called in or something and started pronouncing kegels exactly like you and we could have convinced the rest of them that THEY were crazy.
January 28th, 2008 at 1:32 pm
KEG-guls are little kegs of beer on rollers.
January 28th, 2008 at 1:57 pm
i’m pretty sure it’s one of those words that anyone can say either way and we still know what you’re talkin’ about… just like the title of your post… ya know?
January 28th, 2008 at 2:17 pm
I always enjoy discussions on things you can do with your vagina. It really should be a regular weekly post, oooooh better yet vlog it! By the way, I am wayyyyyyy off on how to say that word. I thought it was pronounced “Kay-gels”
The point is (I guess) is I don’t freakin care how it’s pronounced… just don’t change the fookin subject! :thumbsup:
January 28th, 2008 at 2:23 pm
Well I can’t say I go around using that word, but that is how I have always heard it pronounced. I am sorry I missed the broadcast, I would have liked to see that. :cheesy:
January 28th, 2008 at 4:37 pm
Sorry I missed your show. I was busy dying of the flu. I’m sure you and your mispronunciations were perfectly lovely.
January 28th, 2008 at 4:42 pm
It sounds better as Kee-gels, so who cares how its supposed to be pronounced? I have this problem with the word “chic”, pronounced like a baby chicken for years until someone corrected me.
January 28th, 2008 at 5:09 pm
KEEEEGELS…that must be the way it is pronounced because both YOU and I say it like that. End of Story.
January 28th, 2008 at 5:14 pm
The dictionary says “key-guhl” as it’s pronunciation so you are right! How the fuck do you pronounce Aunt then?!
January 28th, 2008 at 5:51 pm
Bec, in a pronunciation guide, “ey” is pronounced “ai”.
January 28th, 2008 at 5:52 pm
I’d vote for you. And if you need someone to run with, as Veep, um… my political schedule is wide open.
January 28th, 2008 at 5:58 pm
avitable - I would fight with you about murdering the language of Shakespeare but then I remember that the damn word is German and they have a habit of saying words as they are spelt… and the Oxford English Dictionary doesn’t list the word so I can’t even wave the book at you! I’ll bow to your superior knowledge on American pronunciation though, k? :what:
January 28th, 2008 at 6:14 pm
Ok, it seems to me that we learned that words with 2 vowels separated by only ONE consenant (I think I spelled consanent wrong - both times) resulted in the first vowel having a long sound and the second one a short sound.
Examples: Bagels
paper
deter
label
sofa
So, of course Kegel would be pronounced Keegel. After all… look at all the highly intelligent persons posting here that agree with you. i don’t know where you were broadcast, but I’m sure you were amazing… and I’m quite curious as to what you were broadcasting about, since Kegels came up in the conversation…
January 28th, 2008 at 9:10 pm
It is KEE-GEL. You actually made me pull out a medical dictionary to double check.
January 28th, 2008 at 9:11 pm
Karen, no, it’s not. The primary pronunciation is key-gel, with the “ey” being an “ai” sound.
January 28th, 2008 at 9:14 pm
Since I was passed out and missed the show *cries*, I’m wondering how in the hell Kegels came up anyway?
January 28th, 2008 at 9:49 pm
I heard there was like 20-30,000 words in an adult’s vocabulary. We all have some set which we’ve added not EXACTLY per Webster. Big deal. While there’s always a special group of people trying to one-up others when they’ve found you using a word not perfectly which they do happen to know at that moment. That’s the crowd life is better without. Then there’s your peeps who are like communicating with *you* because they care about *you* and pretty much could care less if you use one of the words you added to your 30k not perfectly.
Lighten up: seems like your really loved by those around you.
January 28th, 2008 at 11:24 pm
SO I work with my wife. Since we are part of a University we have very strict sexual harassment rules. When alone, I tend to violate them (and her) just for sheer fun. I did that today and was taunting her over it (mean bastid that I am) when she starts laughing and ends up telling my work partner. It was at THIS point I was informed I needed to watch my step because NPR reports it only takes 9 pounds of pressure to break a penis.
And I could NOT keep from thinking of Miss Britt and her Kegels when I asked, “And how do you plan on applying that 9 pounds of pressure?”
You know… 9 pounds if not that much! Why if you work-out with that thing you could be snapping male offenders like toothpicks (not a self comparison) OMG! THAT COULD BE YOUR SUPERPOWER!! You would be feared far and wide as “KEE-GAL” Wearing nothing but a lubricant filled utility belt and beach towel as a cape Kee Gal rights wrongs and defends the American way!
January 29th, 2008 at 12:03 am
Jflins:
Apodictically put.
January 29th, 2008 at 12:13 am
I have just finished listening to your radio show with Mr. Fabulous and you were spectacular. More, more, more, please! BTW, Mr Fab has a very sexy voice. Has he had elocution lessons?
January 29th, 2008 at 12:38 am
Penelope: I say “aunt” like an “ant”. Some people say it like “awnt”.
metalmom: yeah, you have no credibility then. LOL
Maman: score!
debkitty: another vote from the professionals!!
AmyD: how has that never come up? It probably has and you were too polite to say anything.
RW: Yes. Exactly.
Tori: yeah, that seems to be the case.
Y2K: and I wonder why “vagina” and variations of are my top keywords people find me through.
themaninthekitchen: you can listen to it in the archives!
Kimberly: I’m glad you’re not dead.
Kat Campbell: now chic I knew. I don’t know how, but I did.
Scottsdale Girl: Le Fin, indeed.
Bec: like the insect!
Rich: we could get the lusthound vote!
Bec: no bowing to Avitable. That’s a rule here.
Annie: exactly! You know, I can’t remember for the life of me now HOW that came up.
Karen: I’m so educational.
avitable: shut up. You’ve been voted off the island.
Stephanie: I don’t know. Someone should go listen to the archives and let me know, because I’m curious now too.
jflins: I don’t think it gets much lighter than a post about the pronunciation of vaginal exercises. Well, I guess I could talk about my hair.
Y2k: *searching ebay for a cape… it should be pink…*
Absurdist: I looked up the word. I now know what it means. I’m not sure I’ll have a way to use it in a sentence… like… ever.
Selma: thank you! And he does have an awesome voice. I think it’s all natural talent!
January 29th, 2008 at 9:14 am
i say aunt as though i were saying ant. up here in the northeast it seems as though only blacks say awnt. not trying to be all racist, just saying that most asians, latinos, caucasians, etc. seem to say ant. never could figure out why.
January 29th, 2008 at 9:30 am
I’ve never heard that before!
January 29th, 2008 at 9:37 am
Hmmm, I’m in the NE and I switch between Ant and Awnt. I say “Ant Poppy” but in my head I say “Awnt”. Dunno why I do that thing where in my head is different than out my mouth…
January 29th, 2008 at 10:14 am
The exercises are named after Dr. Arnold Kegel, and it’s pronounced KAY-gel. KAY as in rhymes with GAY. That’s what I’d always heard, and I just confirmed it in the Merriam-Webster Medical Dictionary. First preference is KAY-gel, second is KEE-gel. No KEG-gul or KAI-gel at all.
Please tell Avitable Urban Dictionary isn’t a *real* dictionary.
January 30th, 2008 at 12:52 am
SJ, you’re actually saying the same thing I was. “kai” = “kay” = “keg-uhl”. They’re all the same “ay” sound, instead of an “ee” sound.
January 30th, 2008 at 7:12 am
hahahahahahahahahhaahhahahahahahahhahahahaha
January 30th, 2008 at 7:15 am
Dear Avi,
When I see “kai” I pronounce it to rhyme with pie, try, sigh.
When I see “keg” I pronounce it BEER.
Love,
SJ
January 30th, 2008 at 9:23 am
SJ, think “rail”, “wait”, “pain”.
I think if women are doing Beer-els, they’re REALLY doing it wrong!
January 30th, 2008 at 9:27 am
I can’t top any other comment.
But I was always saying kegels the right way, thank goodness, and I say aunt like, ANT.
Crazy.
Still, honestly - I don’t care how you pronounce stuff! It doesn’t deter me from reading your blog whatsoever! (I had to slip that in there for you. ) :)
January 30th, 2008 at 4:02 pm
LOLOL at avi–dude–let’s see you do some *giggling*
January 30th, 2008 at 9:15 pm