How do you pronounce "Elijah?"

[raccoon]

I've always said it "Eli-jah" ("j" sound as in "Jam"). I've always heard it that way until recently.

I notice on Ken Burns' Civil War the narrator said, "Eli-zhah (Hunt Rhodes).

Yesterday I heard a speaker say, "Eli-zhah." Speaker was from the South.

Is this a regional thing, or language changing before my eyes (or should I say ears?)?

[TZ]

1. Biblical version is definitely pronounced J as in Jam

I grew up letting Elijah in every passover, so thats not in doubt.
I've never heard that name pronounced Elizah because thats actually sounds very close to the fairly common female name of Eliza.

[Bake]

18. I defer to you only because it's Old Testament ...

:rofl:

Which reminds me of a Lewis Black routine ...

Bake

[MiddleFingerMom]

2. Never underestimate the power of a good Kentucky bourbon on pronunciation. n/t

[Bake]

17. That's a big [phone]!!

:rofl:

Bake

[originalpckelly]

3. I pronounce it "Eli-yah"

Just to fuck with people's heads.

[stuntcat]

13. I thought that was the way!

fer realz

[Heidi]

4. I pronounce it "Eli-zhah" but Merriam-Webster says I'm wrong.

http://www.merriam-webster.com/audio.php?file=elijah01&word=Elijah&text=\i-%3Cspan%20class%3D%22unicode%22%3E%CB%88%3C%2Fspan%3El%C4%AB-j%C9%99\

[dawg]

5. "j" as in jam

And I'm a native Southerner.

[Iggo]

6. Whatever way Elijah asks me to pronounce it...

...which is usually "e-LIE-zhah".

[Arugula Latte]

7. I always assume it's "Eli-zhah" unless I hear or am told otherwise.

[WinkyDink]

10. Why? Do you say "Zhane" or "Zhanet"? "Zhohn" or "Zhames"?

[Arugula Latte]

16. No, it's just that that's how the majority Elijahs names are pronounced.

:shrug:

[xchrom]

8. i seem to use both pronunciations -- with the 'jam' - j -- more frequently.

[WinkyDink]

9. "J" as in "JAM". HARD "J". WTH is up with the Zsa-Zsa sound?!

[Moondog]

11. I've heard it both ways.

As I have with other names and words. When in doubt, emulate the chameleon.

[stuntcat]

12. I've always thought it was al-i-ah

I guess I've never said it out loud but just in my head. When I see the name, I read "al-i-ah", without the J.

Someone in a horror movie is named Elijah, I think Children of the Corn? That's where I heard the name first I think, a horror movie.

[progressoid]

14. The truly devout don't even say the word.

Oh, wait. That's a different word.

Sorry

[mike_c]

15. eh-li-jah

[Bake]

19. Not to be confused with Hank Williams' "Kaw-Liga"

Just in case you were wondering.

Bake

[pokerfan]

20. ih-LAHY-juh

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/Elijah

There is another OT prophet named Elisha and pronounced ih-LAHY-shuh: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/elisha.

[sakabatou]

21. Eh-lie-zhah

[mucifer]

22. Ehliahu is the Hebrew pronunciation

Elijah is in the Passover Seder.

[mucifer]

23. oops dupe