lingerie

I think it is perfectly OK to give French words adopted into English and Anglicised pronunciation. I live in France and speak French, but I wouldn't dream of using a French pronunciation of Paris, for example, when in England. Nor to I correct my French friends when they get English words wrong, though I laughed so much when I was invited to a Toopairwah party that I had to explain why.

No, I don't pronounce it Paree either, but Paris is pronounced here as written; my objection to 'lanjeray' is the ay sound at the end - where does that come from?

Can I ask how it should be pronounced?

The closest I can get is lanje-ree. You sort of suggest the middle e and then roll the r. Granjura can probably do it better! Les linges are your linens and lave-linge is a washing machine.

So the problems with the ending ... Either a long A or a long E with the latter being preferred?

Drives me mad as well, grannystrong. And what's wrong with 'underwear'?
Other irritating mispronounciations (did you see what I did there?): restauranteur and chocolateer (for chocolatier/chocolatiere)

This thread made me smile. Can't be arsed getting mad about stuff like that. Isn't the lingerie section where men tend to linger with their partners when normally they hate women's shopping?

'Underwear' does sound a bit staid...

How can your thoughts be ordered if your words are disordered?

Nothing wrong with knickers and bosom holders Ana I agree, underwear - staid.

You can choose your words...

My post was not a response to yours, Sel!

(as you know...)

I don't think I've ever used the term 'lingerie' in my life..I could pronounce it should the need arise in the future thankfully

Over shoulder boulder holders or knicker crackers for me .

Attagirl gillybob much better. My OH was American (he's been neutralised ) and insists on referring to 'panties' Knickers I tell him, knickers.

And isn't 'pantyhose' a truly horrible word...?

Restaurateur, not restauranteur, I think.

Mollie, it ends in the sound ee, like Brie. I never use the word lingerie either!

"And isn't 'pantyhose' a truly horrible word...?" - For a truly horrible item... males any woman's bum resemble a bank robber's face seen through a stocking mask...

Why people insist on pronouncing 'lingerie' as 'lonjeray' is just one of life's irritating mysteries.

My Aussie friend refers to pants/knickers etc as 'duds' and Sellotape was durex - not sure if that is still the case - caused awful confusion when they came to stay the first time!!!

Reading my early attempt to render it phonetically as lanje-ree, I should perhaps have said that it is a short a, as in flange. I suspect that the posh Anglicised pronunciation might be lonje-eree, which is still wrong, if you want to be pernickety, which I don't!

In the scheme of things an 'ee' or an 'ay' doesn't seem that important to me but if anyone overhears me getting it wrong (and I will, and do, frequently, then I apologise. I'll do my best to be polite though...

In the lingerie window of Macy's in San Francisco, I saw it coyly described as 'intimate garments'. Would never have thought of that one!