You all know the the word ‘Ubuntu’’ — and if you don’t, how’d you end up here?! — but do you know the correct way to pronounce it?
Is it Oo-boon-too? Uh-bun-too? You-bun-too? Urgh-ban-too?
‘Differences in how we say ‘Ubuntu’ is part of what makes it Ubuntu Ubuntu.’
Pedants will (quite rightly) that there is one correct way to pronounce Ubuntu and that’s “oo-boon-too”.
But I’m here to say those people are (sort of) wrong.
There Is No Correct Way Pronounce Ubuntu
The Ubuntu (Linux distribution) is a diverse community, full of different people using the OS to do different things in different ways. That’s a lot of use of the
In my opinion there is no ‘wrong’ way to pronounce it because the differences in how we say it is part of what makes Ubuntu ubuntu.
I am what I am because of who we all are, and all that.
We’re Ubuntu. We’re diverse. We’re not the same. We probably don’t all pronounce its name the same.
So, for some fun, and to get some much-needed use out of out dusty our Vine and Instagram accounts, we’re giving you a little task.
It’s easy to take part in and the prizes on offer are …entirely of the warm, smug self satisfactory kind (yeah, sorry, no real prizes).
#SayUbuntu
To coincide with the release of Ubuntu 16.04 LTS we want to we’d try something more social and inclusive than dictating to you how we’re all supposed to say ‘Ubuntu’.
All you need to do is film yourself saying the word “Ubuntu”. That’s literally it. A quick 2.5 second video selfie. You don’t even need to be in shot.
All I ask is that you say it how you say it it, not how you know or think it should be said. Don’t repeat how someone else says it on YouTube or web casts. Say it how you say it it in everyday life; how you read the word aloud in your head.
Then film yourself saying “Ubuntu” out loud using your smartphone’s camera, laptop webcam (or even an old fashioned VHS camcorder if needs be!)
When done, upload your short clip to Twitter, Instagram, Facebook or Vine. Remember to @omgubuntu in your post so we can find it, and do use the hashtag #SayUbuntu to allow us (and other readers’) to see/find you.
There’s no grand purpose in this; we’re not looking to create an aggregate expression, sign you up to a mailing list, or use your videos as examples in a “101 ways to incorrectly pronounce Ubuntu” listicle!
Ubuntu is used by a diverse group of people for an equally diverse set of reasons. It’s nice to remember that, just as we all use Ubuntu differently, so we all say it different too.
We’re not a uniform amorphous blob. We’re Ubuntu.
Whilst we’re on the topic of pronunciations we thought we’d re-share this infographic. Do you pronounce the following Linux distro names differently?