What's in a Name?

During our shopping trip to the Denver 'rock' shows, I became keenly aware of an amazing variety of pronunciations for the fossils and minerals on display.  I held my tongue and avoided saying something rude like "it is pronounced...".  But, on a couple of occasions, I may have stepped on toes by steadfastly holding to my own preferred pronunciation (rather than saying it their way).  Hopefully I didn't offend anyone.  But if I did, it was not intended.

I did observe just a couple people in active discussion over pronunciation.  But seriously, who REALLY KNOWS the correct way to pronounce Latin names?  I vividly remember being taught that Latin was chosen for medical and scientific names because it is a "dead language".  So, if it is a dead language, how can anyone be confident of the correct way to say those words?

And, of course, at an international type of show, there are cultural and language differences that one should respect...if for no other reason than to just be polite.

Anyway, what follows are some pronunciations observed among people for whom English was their primary language:

Trilobite:  TRY-lobe-ite, TRILL-o-bite
Sugilite: SU-jee-lite, SU-gill-ite, SHOO-gill-ite
Barite: BAY-rite, BEAR-ite
Fluorite: FLOOR-ite, FLOO-rite

Entertaining as this might be, we welcome all pronunciations at Crystal Moon Gallery.  And, please be patient with us if our pronunciation doesn't match yours.  ;-)