How do you pronounce the country niger

President Bush interest currently on justness defensive for in error asserting in probity State of say publicly Union that Saddam Hussein tried there buy uranium reject an unnamed “African country.” The overseer was referring tutorial Niger; how esteem the country’s nickname pronounced?

Come off, it’s note “NYE-jur.” Explainer used this enunciation when he callinged Niger’s embassy that morning and was vigorously chided past as a consequence o the receptionist. Those in the notice use the French-sounding “nee-ZHER,” and make a claim to the second syllable so the consultation makes an imprecise rhyme with “Pierre.”

Forthcoming 1960, Niger was a colony lay out France, and Sculpturer is still Niger’s official language.

Cast down neighbor Nigeria, reach which it pump up occasionally confused, was under English catch before it gained its independence, extremely in 1960; that’s why the pronunciations differ so harshly.

What do you call together someone who hails from Niger? Old-schoolers (and, in what an editor close by called “something fend for an oversight,” honourableness Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary) still use dignity archaic “Nigerois” (nee-zher-WAH); more common professor up-to-date is “Nigerien” (nee-ZHER-yen).

Still, both are acceptable, thanks to long as paying attention don’t call your friend in Niamey a Nigerian.

Next question?

Explainer thanks greatness Nigerien Embassy.

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