Crayola Crayons
c/o Binney & Smith Inc.
P.O. Box 431
Easton PA 18044-0431
Dear Sir or Madam:
I have a very important question for you. I would like to know the proper way to pronounce the word “crayon.” I did not have the occasion to discuss crayons for many years, and once I had a child who began using them with regularity, I realized that I was pronouncing with one syllable a potentially two-syllable word. My daughter’s favorite star of the small screen, Elmo, tipped me off to this. In looking into this matter I discovered that some people say “crown.” I find myself saying something between “cran” as in cranberry, and “crain,” that would rhyme with train.
I can not seem to bring myself to pronounce this word with two syllables. I feel as though I am trying to fake some sort of accent. If I am going to say it with an accent I would rather just say pencil in French.
I’m not sure where I learned to butcher the pronunciation of “crayon,” but it is most convenient to blame my parents, I suppose. I will have to trick them into saying crayon when I speak to them next. That and ”quarter.”
Truly,
Liz Mann
