You Say Pa-JAMM-a, I Say Pa-JAHM-a

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*

Comments

[Christine]

For you, my friend! The Bananas will make you happy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJkPWMaNaIM

[Christy]

I will go down the middle and just say that we call them PJs..or sometimes Jammies :)

[Lexi]

We just call 'em Jams. But I'm afraid I'm with the alabama crowd.

[Someone Being Me]

I'm completely with you although I typically call them jammies too.

[Jenny]

My Jammies defiantly rhyme with Alabama

[Grace]

I'm with you! Looks like the poll is in a dead heat so far! lol

[Liz in IL]

We sometimes pronounce "PJs" like "pages" - it's a little joke in our house. :)

[gretchen from lifenut]

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.

[Terina]

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.

[Jill]

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 :)

[Kristi]

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.

[Debby K.]

We say jimmies. That's how my Jack said jammies when he was 2. Otherwise, I flip-flop.

[Elizabeth]

We normally say jammies also.

[Jean@workingmomma247]

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.

[Julie]

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.

[Jeana]

Okay, I give up. How do you pronounce breastfeeding?

[Mrs. Pear]

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.

[Molly]

Now, are you discriminating against those of us who say "jammies"?!?! :) Looks like we need another category in the poll!

[Marie]

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!

[Marie]

BTW I am from CA but have lived in FL and OR and have never heard the pa-JAHM-a pronunciation.

[Elizabeth in Canada]

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.

[Homeschool Help Web]

How 'bout just "PJs" ;-)

Actually, I pronounce it both ways. I guess it depends on my mood!

[Tammy]

Very interesting that it's about 50/50 (right now anyhow). I say it the only correct way (rhymes with "Alabama"). ;)

[faithful chick]

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.

[Sarah]

I say "Pa-jamm-a" but we do enjoy saying "llamas in their pa-jahm-as"!

[jenny]

I say is pa-jamm-a and we often shorten it to jammies. Do you call them jah-mies for short?

[Amy @ By His Grace]

We just say jammies around our house (that's base word would rhyme with drama!)

[Melinda]

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

[crystal]

wow I didn't know anyone pronounced it the wrong way. (rhymes with drama is the right way) ;)

[crystal]

wow I didn't know anyone pronounced it the wrong way. (rhymes with drama is the right way) ;)

[Veronica Mitchell]

I don't think my children know what pajamas are. It's strictly jammies around here.

And my mother said nightclothes.

[Lauren Witherspoon]

Yeah, I'm with the other Canadians - drama rhymes with Alabama, too!

[stacie]

We call them ... JAMMIES! Way more fun!

[Dawn]

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. ;)

[Sue]

The PaJahma people are just kissing up, because it's TOTALLY pajammma ;>

[Susanne]

I don't see a "Jammies" option on the survey. ;v)

But in all honesty, I use both.

[alison]

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".

[Shannon]

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

[Andrea]

We call 'em Jams... so I picked "Alabama" in the poll. So sorry, friend! :)

[Jynell]

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...)

[Amy]

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.

[Joyful Days]

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?

[Terry]

We say it like drama, but also say jammies.... this makes my head hurt.

[tas]

this canadian is in the alabama crowd. When i did the poll, alabama is 2 ahead of the drama. it'll be close!!

[Jesse]

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.

[witchypoo]

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.

[Linds]

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.

[Nic]

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

[Madridmom]

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)

[Rebecca]

I'm a Brit - it's PI-jahm-a.

[Elizabeth]

As S and I live in the same region, no, I think this is not a regional thing:-) We call them jammies, though.

[Julie]

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.

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

[Amy]

Hillarious!

[Antique Mommy]

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.

[Dawn]

Oh noooooooooooooooooooooo not breastfeeding and schooling............oy!
Kidding.

[Jessica]

I'm totally a JAHM-a girl...JAMMA just sounds way too "northern" for me! :) That long A sound hurts my southern ears.

[chocolatechic]

Pa-jamma.

Here is another quiz for you. Aunt is it "ant" or "ount"

[DT]

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!

[Sarah @ Ordinary Days]

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.

[Jenni]

We just say 'jammies too! As in "I'm gonna JAM you into your JAMMIES if you don't get JAMMIN!

[Melissa]

I'm a Northern girl so of course we say Pa-jamma - but usually around our house they are referred to as "jammies".

[MamaArcher]

I say pa JAH ma! When I use the whole word, usually it is jammies or jam jams..call me crazy!

[LeeAnn]

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.

[Susanne]

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??!!

[kelli in the mirror]

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.

[hogphan]

You should have advised your readers that you called them Jahm-Jahms as a little girl! dad

[Everyday Mommy]

Ooooo! I can't wait for the breast vs. bottle debate. Do another poll, Shannon!

[Everyday Mommy]

Oh, and we pronounce it...PEE JAYS.

[Kiki@Seagulls in the Parking Lot]

Did you know Sandra Boynton went to Yale? Probably why she pronounces it pajama. Just a fun tidbit of info!

[Mommy, the Human Napkin]

Sweatpants. I say sweatpants.

Of course, my children give me goodnight hugs and goodnight boogers, so I'm no help, obviously.

[Activities Coordinator]

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.

[Charity]

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?

[seized by hope]

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

[Andrea]

I swear I am the only Canadian that says it like drama! I feel your pain!

[Ornery's Wife]

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

[Saph -Walk With Me]

Too funny! I say it paj-AHM-a but I also call them PJs or jammies so I go both ways. LOL

[Jill (CDPJ)]

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

[Stephanie]

Definitely rhyming with Alabama. I am from the west though. Maybe it is a southern thing???

[Kim]

Sorry, but mine rhyme with Alabama too!

[Cyndy]

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.

[Cory]

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!

[Veggiemomof2]

Here in Missouri, we call them jammies! :)

[Emily C]

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).

[Melanie]

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

[bee]

I say pa-JAHM-a, but also say JAMM-ies. So, I guess that makes me useless in your poll! ;-)

[bohgirl]

We say pa-jam-a too. Bones loooooved that book when he was little. And we read it like a jazz song ;)

[Pam]

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.

[Kim]

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 :)

[Courtney]

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.

[Stephanie]

*raises hand* I too have been discriminated against on mission trips! All I wanted was to find my paJAHmas. ;)

[Jen]

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

[Amanda]

So, when you shorten it, you actually say "JAH-mies" rather than "JAM-mies"? That's just wrong.

[Andrea]

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!

[Emily R]

You can't call them JAH-mmies. Just can't.

[Sally]

I live in the Midwest and around here we say it so it rhymes with Alabama.

[ruby]

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).
=)

[Ann]

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.

[Kendra]

I say both so I can't even vote-How lame is that!!!

[katherine]

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!)
:)