Long e, short e? I assume the the the word is divided into "me" and "tol" syllables and that the "tol" is pronounced "tall." Is this correct? I had originally posted this is photo.net it was deleted for lack of photographic objective. Perhaps the moderators here will be a little more tolerant.

-- Chris Hawkins (peace@clover.net), December 31, 1999

Answers

Hi Chris, I'd like to say I avoid the whole thing by calling it "Elon", but then I'm stuck not knowing whether it's "ee"-"lon" or "ay"-"lon". O boy...I usually just slur a "metal..." out and nobody's said anything yet (guess they don't know either...). shawn

-- shawn gibson (SeeInside@hotmail.com), December 31, 1999.

I have always heard it pronounced with a long 'e'--mee-tol.

-- (edbuffaloe@unblinkingeye.com), January 03, 2000.

Metol is a contraction of Para-Methylaminophenol Sulphate, and since Methyl is usually pronounced with a long e(Meethile), then I suppose Metol should be as well.

However, I don't think anybody's going to laugh in your face if you pronounce it with a short e: Unless they're Chemists or Photographers they won't know what the hell you're talking about anyway.

-- Pete Andrews (p.l.andrews@bham.ac.uk), January 24, 2000.

Pete,

It must be another English versus American thing, but over here methyl is pronounced with a short e and a soft y (dictionary shows it as an upside down e).

-- Terry Carraway (TCarraway@compuserve.com), January 24, 2000.

You say Tomato and I say Tomato.....

Damn! It doesn't work when you write it, does it? :^)

-- Pete Andrews (p.l.andrews@bham.ac.uk), January 26, 2000.