Why-Fie

How do you pronounce “Wi-Fi?” I’ve been saying “wee-fee,” but the guys at work just told me that it should be “why-fie.” No wonder I get odd looks from other techies. Doesn’t anyone else say “wee-fee?”

(And should question marks punctuating sentences which end in quotes be placed outside or inside the ending quote marks?)

I’m not normally a bars-and-clubs type of person, but since I’m bored and lonely tonight, I’m taking up a classmate’s invitation to a Cultureflux event at 18th Street Lounge. Let’s see how it turns out.

Comments

  1. Anonymous says:

    Not sure but I think the American way is punctuation inside quotes, British way is outside quotes.

  2. Raffy says:

    I figure it’s “Why-Fye”, kind of like how High Fidelity (Hi Fi) is pronounced. Although the correct pronounciation, based on the original words themselves, should be “Why-Fee”. But that sounds funny.

  3. Rod says:

    The grammar question I can answer definitively.

    It depends.

    It depends on whether one is quoting a question or if one is using a quotation in a question. Question mark outside the quotation marks in the former case, outside in the latter.

  4. ganns says:

    Usually outside, Pau. :) If the quote specifically has a punctuation mark inside it other than a period or comma, the question mark follows outside.

  5. yen says:

    it’s like saying “hi-fi” = )

  6. Richard says:

    I’ve wondered about acronym pronunciations myself.

  7. Jesper says:

    Wee-fee sounds like what you pay at a pay toilet :D

    It’s why-fei.

  8. Michi says:

    In the British style, only punctuation that appears within the original quote are included within the quotation marks.

    In the American style, ditto Rod. It depends.

    see the difference between:

    Why is it called “Wi-Fi”?

    He asked, “Is this a Wi-Fi?”

    :)

  9. Vix says:

    Why-Fi in my case. Wee-Fee sounds strange.