Last night Corrie and I were reading one of her favorite books, Pajama Time by Sandra Boynton. And it always bugs me a little, because this book was clearly written with the intended pronunciation of "pajama" as rhyming with "Alabama"--it's part of the word play.
And yet, there is a whole segment of the population (including me) that pronounces the word the only correct alternate way, as in rhyming with "drama". I submit to you that we have been discriminated against for far too long.
This ugly truth is only further evidenced in the kids' computer game Pajama Sam. The creators are clearly attempting a clever, sing-songy title but it DOESN'T WORK if you pronounce "pajama" the
only correct alternate way:
Pa-JAHM-a.
In fact, I'm beginning to suspect a vast, JAMMA-pronouncing conspiracy. Pa-JAHM-a prounouncers, will you take it anymore? Will you?
Let's settle this once and for all right now, because I'm completely out of blog fodder and have resorted to meaningless surveys this is important stuff. What say you, readers?
Next up, we'll be tackling breastfeeding vs. bottlefeeding, and then public schooling vs. homeschooling. Stay tuned.
*wink*
For you, my friend! The Bananas will make you happy!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJkPWMaNaIM
Posted by: Christine | Wednesday, November 14, 2007 at 09:12 PM
I will go down the middle and just say that we call them PJs..or sometimes Jammies :)
Posted by: Christy | Wednesday, November 14, 2007 at 09:14 PM
We just call 'em Jams. But I'm afraid I'm with the alabama crowd.
Posted by: Lexi | Wednesday, November 14, 2007 at 09:17 PM
I'm completely with you although I typically call them jammies too.
Posted by: Someone Being Me | Wednesday, November 14, 2007 at 09:20 PM
My Jammies defiantly rhyme with Alabama
Posted by: Jenny | Wednesday, November 14, 2007 at 09:27 PM
I'm with you! Looks like the poll is in a dead heat so far! lol
Posted by: Grace | Wednesday, November 14, 2007 at 09:28 PM
We sometimes pronounce "PJs" like "pages" - it's a little joke in our house. :)
Posted by: Liz in IL | Wednesday, November 14, 2007 at 09:31 PM
Okay, this is funny. I voted and when the current results popped up, it was EXACTLY 50-50. 21 votes for the correct way, 21 votes for the "are you a complete snob?" way.
We call them "jammies" around here anyway.
Posted by: gretchen from lifenut | Wednesday, November 14, 2007 at 09:33 PM
i have to say that at my house we usually say PJs. i have heard it both ways. its like my friend who says PE can, rather than picahn. now i say jammies.
Posted by: Terina | Wednesday, November 14, 2007 at 09:37 PM
Yet one more reason why the South completely confuses me. I didn't even know there was another way to pronounce it besides the Alabama way. It's like you people just speak a whole different language :)
Posted by: Jill | Wednesday, November 14, 2007 at 09:38 PM
You should ask what state people are from AND how they pronounce it. It would be interesting to know if pa-jah-ma is regional.
Posted by: Kristi | Wednesday, November 14, 2007 at 09:39 PM
We say jimmies. That's how my Jack said jammies when he was 2. Otherwise, I flip-flop.
Posted by: Debby K. | Wednesday, November 14, 2007 at 09:41 PM
We normally say jammies also.
Posted by: Elizabeth | Wednesday, November 14, 2007 at 09:43 PM
I'm in the same conundrum as the other commenters, I usually say jammies. So I'm sitting here saying it in my head multiple ways on how I say it and somehow both ways sound perfectly normal.
Posted by: Jean@workingmomma247 | Wednesday, November 14, 2007 at 09:43 PM
It's funny. I pronounce it "rhymes with drama", but we call them "jammies", rhymes with sam-mies, for short. Am I weird? Don't answer that.
Posted by: Julie | Wednesday, November 14, 2007 at 09:48 PM
Okay, I give up. How do you pronounce breastfeeding?
Posted by: Jeana | Wednesday, November 14, 2007 at 09:50 PM
Umm, your results may be skewed by us Canadians who say drama without the ah sound, so Alabama and drama and pajama all rhyme in my house.
Yeah, we like to be difficult. We also like to put extra u's in words like colour, and end words in re like centre.
Posted by: Mrs. Pear | Wednesday, November 14, 2007 at 09:51 PM
Now, are you discriminating against those of us who say "jammies"?!?! :) Looks like we need another category in the poll!
Posted by: Molly | Wednesday, November 14, 2007 at 09:56 PM
I've never heard it pronounced paj-AHM-a, that sounds very strange to me. Like to-MAH-to or po-TAH-to. Just weird, sorry!
Posted by: Marie | Wednesday, November 14, 2007 at 10:00 PM
BTW I am from CA but have lived in FL and OR and have never heard the pa-JAHM-a pronunciation.
Posted by: Marie | Wednesday, November 14, 2007 at 10:02 PM
Ok...call me Canadian, but doesn't drama also rhyme with Alabama?? Pajamas definitely rhymes with Alabama. I lived in Australia for a year, so I know the other pronunciation too, and I think both are fine, but I definitely grew up with the Alabama one.
Posted by: Elizabeth in Canada | Wednesday, November 14, 2007 at 10:03 PM
How 'bout just "PJs" ;-)
Actually, I pronounce it both ways. I guess it depends on my mood!
Posted by: Homeschool Help Web | Wednesday, November 14, 2007 at 10:03 PM
Very interesting that it's about 50/50 (right now anyhow). I say it the only correct way (rhymes with "Alabama"). ;)
Posted by: Tammy | Wednesday, November 14, 2007 at 10:05 PM
I pronounce it Pa-JAHM-as, but I usually just say Jammies. I just realized how weird that is. I am a walking, breathing contradiction.
Posted by: faithful chick | Wednesday, November 14, 2007 at 10:11 PM
I say "Pa-jamm-a" but we do enjoy saying "llamas in their pa-jahm-as"!
Posted by: Sarah | Wednesday, November 14, 2007 at 10:16 PM
I say is pa-jamm-a and we often shorten it to jammies. Do you call them jah-mies for short?
Posted by: jenny | Wednesday, November 14, 2007 at 10:16 PM
We just say jammies around our house (that's base word would rhyme with drama!)
Posted by: Amy @ By His Grace | Wednesday, November 14, 2007 at 10:23 PM
Um... I don't see an option for both? I usually say jammies, or my 2 year old says jahmas. That's without the "pah" sound. ;)
Hugs,
Melinda
Posted by: Melinda | Wednesday, November 14, 2007 at 10:28 PM
wow I didn't know anyone pronounced it the wrong way. (rhymes with drama is the right way) ;)
Posted by: crystal | Wednesday, November 14, 2007 at 10:34 PM
wow I didn't know anyone pronounced it the wrong way. (rhymes with drama is the right way) ;)
Posted by: crystal | Wednesday, November 14, 2007 at 10:35 PM
I don't think my children know what pajamas are. It's strictly jammies around here.
And my mother said nightclothes.
Posted by: Veronica Mitchell | Wednesday, November 14, 2007 at 10:42 PM
Yeah, I'm with the other Canadians - drama rhymes with Alabama, too!
Posted by: Lauren Witherspoon | Wednesday, November 14, 2007 at 10:51 PM
We call them ... JAMMIES! Way more fun!
Posted by: stacie | Wednesday, November 14, 2007 at 10:55 PM
LOL - um, drama rhymes with Alabama as well! Must be a Canadian thing (or at least my American husband thinks so!). DRAH-ma just sounds so...dra-MAH-tic to me. ;)
Posted by: Dawn | Wednesday, November 14, 2007 at 11:05 PM
The PaJahma people are just kissing up, because it's TOTALLY pajammma ;>
Posted by: Sue | Wednesday, November 14, 2007 at 11:09 PM
I don't see a "Jammies" option on the survey. ;v)
But in all honesty, I use both.
Posted by: Susanne | Wednesday, November 14, 2007 at 11:18 PM
yeah, i am such a fence sitter on this sticky grammatical dilemma. Kind of like the 'aunt' issue. Around here we usually just say "PJ's".
Posted by: alison | Wednesday, November 14, 2007 at 11:28 PM
Sorry, pajama rhymes with Alabama. Maybe I would pronounce it the other way if I lived in, oh, say England and had a proper British accent. But I live in America where the CORRECT way is to say it my way! lol
Posted by: Shannon | Wednesday, November 14, 2007 at 11:34 PM
We call 'em Jams... so I picked "Alabama" in the poll. So sorry, friend! :)
Posted by: Andrea | Wednesday, November 14, 2007 at 11:41 PM
I actually say it both ways- just depends on my mood I guess! Most of the time though it's just PJ's or Jammies (rhyming w/ Sam though...)
Posted by: Jynell | Wednesday, November 14, 2007 at 11:45 PM
Oh heavens, don't attack the Southerners! :)
Clearly, it rhymes with drama - and I can't imagine why the results are divided 50/50.
We have almost all the Sandra Boynton books, but not Pajama Time because I could never figure out how it was supposed to rhyme. Because, really, it doesn't.
Posted by: Amy | Wednesday, November 14, 2007 at 11:45 PM
I'm actually weird and say BOTH. But then I also say, both sofa and couch, soda and pop, and skillet and pan. So what do I know??
I'm pretty sure if I'm reading Harry Potter I would use the pa-JAHM-a pronunciation. And wouldn't that be what was important?
Posted by: Joyful Days | Wednesday, November 14, 2007 at 11:45 PM
We say it like drama, but also say jammies.... this makes my head hurt.
Posted by: Terry | Wednesday, November 14, 2007 at 11:59 PM
this canadian is in the alabama crowd. When i did the poll, alabama is 2 ahead of the drama. it'll be close!!
Posted by: tas | Thursday, November 15, 2007 at 12:16 AM
Ok...so my husband and I both say Jammies (rhymes with Alabama), as well as our families. But our two year old daughter says Jahmmies (as in drama). Yeah, I know, I don't know where she gets it...though I have a sneaking suspicion that it's from Charlie and Lola (Playhouse Disney show with two British kids? We're American).
Of course, don't get me started. I say "soda" and am trying to con the half-pint into that, too, rather than the "pop" that my husband says. Oh, and we say "crown" instead of "cray-on", and Chi-cah-go instead of Chi-coh-go (for Chicago), Minne-soh-tah for Minnesota and Wisk-on-sin for Wisconsin. But we're originally from Missouri, and yes, we say "Missoureee" not "Missourah" like my father does.
Posted by: Jesse | Thursday, November 15, 2007 at 12:52 AM
I must be the only Canadian here who says pahjahmas and drahma, but I redeem myself with jammies. Weirder still is saying aunt in general but pronouncing it ant when it refers to an actual aunt.
Posted by: witchypoo | Thursday, November 15, 2007 at 01:21 AM
I am South African, live in England, with a daughter in New Zealand, and the rest of the world says -AHM as in drama. We also spell it differently - pyjama! PJs for short.
Posted by: Linds | Thursday, November 15, 2007 at 01:37 AM
I could add a whole new pronunciation to this discussion, but considering that is the Dutch one I won't do it, because it's in Dutch and not English. The words are very similar, though.
I stumbled across this on Youtube and thought you would like it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zCdZwitrNoY
Posted by: Nic | Thursday, November 15, 2007 at 03:26 AM
Had to go with the Alabama way although I did have to say it aloud to check myself. I guess we're just lazy 'cause we usually shorten it to pj's or jammies (which would sound pretty wierd if you said jahmmies)or we'll say it in Spanish if we happen to be speaking more spanish that day in our home. (pijamas -- Pee-JAH-mahs)
Posted by: Madridmom | Thursday, November 15, 2007 at 03:28 AM
I'm a Brit - it's PI-jahm-a.
Posted by: Rebecca | Thursday, November 15, 2007 at 03:30 AM
As S and I live in the same region, no, I think this is not a regional thing:-) We call them jammies, though.
Posted by: Elizabeth | Thursday, November 15, 2007 at 06:00 AM
I say pajamas like dramas. But I say jammies like, um, I don't know... mammies? My hubby, OTOH, says jammies like mommies, which to me just sounds weird.
Posted by: Julie | Thursday, November 15, 2007 at 06:04 AM
I am from an hour below the Mason Dixon line, lived here all of my life and the only way we pronounce pajamas it rhymes with DRAMA. Even if we say jammies it's pronounced Jahmmies. The people who pronounce it wrong, by rhyminng it with Alabama, probably can't pronounce get right either. So they can't say,'Take what you git and don't throw a fit!' LOL
Posted by: | Thursday, November 15, 2007 at 06:07 AM
Hillarious!
Posted by: Amy | Thursday, November 15, 2007 at 06:08 AM
We say both, but the short version is "jammies" - not johmmies.
You know, I love Sandra Boynton, but the rhyming syntax in this book is just awkward and weird. Love her Going To Bed book the most. I've read it so many times I can recite it by heart.
Posted by: Antique Mommy | Thursday, November 15, 2007 at 06:30 AM
Oh noooooooooooooooooooooo not breastfeeding and schooling............oy!
Kidding.
Posted by: Dawn | Thursday, November 15, 2007 at 06:30 AM
I'm totally a JAHM-a girl...JAMMA just sounds way too "northern" for me! :) That long A sound hurts my southern ears.
Posted by: Jessica | Thursday, November 15, 2007 at 07:03 AM
Pa-jamma.
Here is another quiz for you. Aunt is it "ant" or "ount"
Posted by: chocolatechic | Thursday, November 15, 2007 at 07:04 AM
Oh! What a padrama you've started!
I had to! I'm sorry! ;)
I say it the correct way like you do, Shannon. Jam is a fruity concoction that goes on bread. It is not soft fabric that goes on my body!
Posted by: DT | Thursday, November 15, 2007 at 07:06 AM
Wow! Jammas have it 209 to 205. That is so close!
I have to admit I am a JAMMA girl myself. JAHMA sounds kinda stuffy to me.
Posted by: Sarah @ Ordinary Days | Thursday, November 15, 2007 at 07:14 AM
We just say 'jammies too! As in "I'm gonna JAM you into your JAMMIES if you don't get JAMMIN!
Posted by: Jenni | Thursday, November 15, 2007 at 07:33 AM
I'm a Northern girl so of course we say Pa-jamma - but usually around our house they are referred to as "jammies".
Posted by: Melissa | Thursday, November 15, 2007 at 07:34 AM
I say pa JAH ma! When I use the whole word, usually it is jammies or jam jams..call me crazy!
Posted by: MamaArcher | Thursday, November 15, 2007 at 07:38 AM
I grew up with pajamas, like Alabama, but now that I'm "grown up", I prefer the more melodic "pa-jahm-as". Grown up sounds so much better than older! My children only know the ahhh in it. I live in MO now, but I grew up on both coasts.
Posted by: LeeAnn | Thursday, November 15, 2007 at 07:39 AM
I'm with you! I can't believe that so many people are wrong! :) Don't they know that even the people who live in Alabama don't make it rhyme with Alabama??!!
Posted by: Susanne | Thursday, November 15, 2007 at 07:42 AM
I say pajahmas, but also jammies. I knew somebody who called them jahmies and that sounded wrong to me. I guess I'm in the middle.
Posted by: kelli in the mirror | Thursday, November 15, 2007 at 07:58 AM
You should have advised your readers that you called them Jahm-Jahms as a little girl! dad
Posted by: hogphan | Thursday, November 15, 2007 at 08:00 AM
Ooooo! I can't wait for the breast vs. bottle debate. Do another poll, Shannon!
Posted by: Everyday Mommy | Thursday, November 15, 2007 at 08:12 AM
Oh, and we pronounce it...PEE JAYS.
Posted by: Everyday Mommy | Thursday, November 15, 2007 at 08:13 AM
Did you know Sandra Boynton went to Yale? Probably why she pronounces it pajama. Just a fun tidbit of info!
Posted by: Kiki@Seagulls in the Parking Lot | Thursday, November 15, 2007 at 08:25 AM
Sweatpants. I say sweatpants.
Of course, my children give me goodnight hugs and goodnight boogers, so I'm no help, obviously.
Posted by: Mommy, the Human Napkin | Thursday, November 15, 2007 at 08:35 AM
Thanks to my oldest, we call them Jim Jams.
Otherwise, I call them Pjs.
I've got no horse in this race, I'm afraid.
Posted by: Activities Coordinator | Thursday, November 15, 2007 at 08:41 AM
I usually say pa-JAHM-a, but I also say jammies (rhymes with Sammy's).
Once I hear my SIL say "get your Jahm-mies on" and I thought I would die! How stupid does that sound?
Posted by: Charity | Thursday, November 15, 2007 at 08:42 AM
Typically the "pah" never makes it out of our mouths...jammies (not jahmmies). What can I say, that's the way it is.
Can't wait for the fodder on breast feeding vs bottle feeding and public school vs. homeschool.....ha ha ha
Posted by: seized by hope | Thursday, November 15, 2007 at 08:43 AM
I swear I am the only Canadian that says it like drama! I feel your pain!
Posted by: Andrea | Thursday, November 15, 2007 at 08:46 AM
Who would have thought there was so much opinion on this?
I am a fence straddler. I use both pronunciations interchangeably, but I voted for the Alabama sound since I usually shorten the word to jammies or PJ's. I am afraid to read the comments on the other topics!
TM
Posted by: Ornery's Wife | Thursday, November 15, 2007 at 08:46 AM
Too funny! I say it paj-AHM-a but I also call them PJs or jammies so I go both ways. LOL
Posted by: Saph -Walk With Me | Thursday, November 15, 2007 at 08:59 AM
Close vote. You need to get the book Cowboy Bunnies... they rhyme pajamas with mamas. That absolutely confounds my husband who has changed the pronunciations of mama to maa-mas (like a goat would say) instead of his pronunciation of pajamas. lol
http://www.amazon.com/Cowboy-Bunnies-Picture-Puffins-Christine/dp/0698118316/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1195138877&sr=8-1
Posted by: Jill (CDPJ) | Thursday, November 15, 2007 at 09:01 AM
Definitely rhyming with Alabama. I am from the west though. Maybe it is a southern thing???
Posted by: Stephanie | Thursday, November 15, 2007 at 09:05 AM
Sorry, but mine rhyme with Alabama too!
Posted by: Kim | Thursday, November 15, 2007 at 09:12 AM
Gollie after that many opinions who needs another but here goes...my dad grew up in M'wakee 'Sconsin (that would be Milwaukee, Wisconsin) and we grew up saying paJAMas, as in Alabama with the emphasis on that middle A. He also says, sORry and Rnge(orange) but thankfully does not say warshcloth.
Posted by: Cyndy | Thursday, November 15, 2007 at 09:16 AM
Who knew this was such an exciting topic?!!? My husband and I go round and round about the word aunt - ant or aUnt (as in haunt). Being from Arkansas, I feel like I'm putting on airs if I say aUnt. My kids say aUnt and it sounds so cute and grown up coming from their little mouths!
Posted by: Cory | Thursday, November 15, 2007 at 09:25 AM
Here in Missouri, we call them jammies! :)
Posted by: Veggiemomof2 | Thursday, November 15, 2007 at 09:29 AM
I couldn't say. Growing up, we said jammies. And now I'm raising the boy to speak French, so we call them pyjamas (pee-jah-mah).
Posted by: Emily C | Thursday, November 15, 2007 at 09:36 AM
No offense to Alabama, but I am a drama pajama.
Looking forward to that breastfeeding and schoolin' post. (Maybe you should combine the two??) wink wink
Posted by: Melanie | Thursday, November 15, 2007 at 09:42 AM
I say pa-JAHM-a, but also say JAMM-ies. So, I guess that makes me useless in your poll! ;-)
Posted by: bee | Thursday, November 15, 2007 at 09:51 AM
We say pa-jam-a too. Bones loooooved that book when he was little. And we read it like a jazz song ;)
Posted by: bohgirl | Thursday, November 15, 2007 at 09:58 AM
Thanks, Shannon, for being willing to take on the hard issues. :)
Even though I'm from the West, thanks to my Eastern parents, in my house pajama definitely rhymes with DRAMA. And yet, like Bee, the nickname is "JAMMies." Hm. (But never PJs, because those are my initials, and that would just be weird.)
I tried to vote, but it told me my address had already voted. Which it hasn't. So just know there's one more out there for pa-JAH-ma.
Posted by: Pam | Thursday, November 15, 2007 at 10:14 AM
I haven't read all the comments - so may have already been mentioned but...
you know some people pronounce drama in a way that rhymes with Alabama too.....
So that kind of voids the poll ya know what I mean?
You have to explain that you pronounce drama - drahma.
Hope that made things easier LOL
We have always just called them Jammies - it doesn't sound as cute if you say Jahmmies unless you are Mr Howell from Gilligan's Island :)
Posted by: Kim | Thursday, November 15, 2007 at 10:17 AM
You know what this reminds me of, Ant vs. Awnt. I grew up with Ant, but my hubby's family calls them Awnts, all snob-like, if you ask me. Well, I tell you what, it didn't take me long to cross over into snobville! :) And when you really think about if, since when does au make a short a sound?
As for the pjs, we call them gymmies. Thank you very much Gymboree for infiltrating my family.
Posted by: Courtney | Thursday, November 15, 2007 at 10:22 AM
*raises hand* I too have been discriminated against on mission trips! All I wanted was to find my paJAHmas. ;)
Posted by: Stephanie | Thursday, November 15, 2007 at 10:44 AM
HA HA! That's great! I voted...now I can't wait for the baby-feeding methods and schooling methods debates, because heaven knows we need a few of those... :-D hee hee
Posted by: Jen | Thursday, November 15, 2007 at 10:52 AM
So, when you shorten it, you actually say "JAH-mies" rather than "JAM-mies"? That's just wrong.
Posted by: Amanda | Thursday, November 15, 2007 at 11:15 AM
I live on the West Coast and we say it the Alabama way. I have tried and tried to get Alabama and drama to rhyme and can't figure out how the Canadians do it! :) One thing that I do say differently than anyone up here is either. I pronounce it Ither (long I) and everyone else says Either (long E). Maybe it's my mom's only hold out from being born and raised in Texas!
Posted by: Andrea | Thursday, November 15, 2007 at 11:27 AM
You can't call them JAH-mmies. Just can't.
Posted by: Emily R | Thursday, November 15, 2007 at 11:34 AM
I live in the Midwest and around here we say it so it rhymes with Alabama.
Posted by: Sally | Thursday, November 15, 2007 at 11:46 AM
hmmm...I think your next poll should be whether people pronounce syrup the right way or the wrong way. The right way: "sir-up" (rhymes with stirrup). The wrong way: "sear-up" (rhymes with pier).
=)
Posted by: ruby | Thursday, November 15, 2007 at 11:50 AM
At our house, also in the Midwest, we rhyme with drama. Thus, sometimes we play Pajama Sam (sohm). We also call them jammies that rhymes with Alabamies. Hope that's not to PC.
Posted by: Ann | Thursday, November 15, 2007 at 12:08 PM
I say both so I can't even vote-How lame is that!!!
Posted by: Kendra | Thursday, November 15, 2007 at 12:37 PM
As soon as little man wakes up, I'm totally getting that book and trying to figure out what I've been doing wrong. I say pajama(drama), but have never had a problem reading the book that way. Clearly, I'm missing something! (not that I can't sit here and quote it, mind you, but if I've memorized it INCORRECTLY then I need to know!)
:)
Posted by: katherine | Thursday, November 15, 2007 at 01:28 PM