Americans have been pronouncing the name of the Swedish furniture store Ikea all wrong, "Today" found out. Instead of emphasizing the the first letter and saying "eye-kee-ah," the way the word was intended to be pronounced is apparently "ee-kay-uh."

How is IKEA actually pronounced?

It's pronounced "EE-KAY-UH," according to the company itself. IKEA has shared the pronunciation a few times over the years, but it's an easy thing to forget — especially when everyone around you says it a certain way. But don't beat yourself up if you don't nail the pronunciation, because IKEA isn't even a real word.

How do Europeans say IKEA?

We say it as eye-KEY-uh, but the real pronunciation of the retailer's name is ee-KAY-uh. If you ever shopped at an IKEA in Europe and pronounced eye-KEY-uh, those around you must have been shaking their heads in shame.

How do the Swiss pronounce IKEA?

“When Ingvar founded IKEA in 1943, he of course pronounced it with a typical Swedish accent: “Eee-KEH-Yah,” explains a spokesperson to Quartz. It's not “AYE-kee-yah,” as English speakers pronounce it, or “IK-yah,” as the Japanese might say.

How do you pronounce IKEA in Australia?

The Swedish narrators on the podcast welcome listeners to the Ikea sleep podcast. But instead of pronouncing it “Eye-KEH-Yah”, as Australians have been doing over the years, it is pronounced “Eee-KEH-Yah” — and this has led us to question everything we thought we knew to be true.

What is IKEA English?

The acronym that makes up the name stands for Ingvar Kamprad (the founder's name), Elmtaryd (the farm where the founder grew up), and Agunnaryd (the founder's hometown). Related words: big-box store.

How do you pronounce IKEA in Singapore?

Not a tongue twister. On Monday (18 October), the offcial Instagram page of IKEA Singapore posted several fun facts about the brand in conjunction with IKEA Tampines' 15th birthday. One of the fun facts was the correct pronunciation of IKEA, and it turns out that the correct pronunciation is 'ee-kay-uh'.

Is IKEA Swedish or German?

IKEA was founded by Ingvar Kamprad in 1953 and came to life as a mail order catalogue business in the forested town of Älmhult, Sweden. Today, it's a global home furnishing brand that brings affordability, design and comfort to people all over the world.

How do you pronounce IKEA UK?

3 syllables: "eye" + "KEE" + "uh"

How do you pronounce IKEA Hemnes?

This is how it's said: “Hems” with a silent 'n'.

Is IKEA a Swedish word?

As it turns out, IKEA isn't just a fun, Scandinavian word, it's actually an acronym—Ingvar Kamprad Elmtaryd Agunnaryd.

How is salmon pronounced?

The pronunciation of salmon is often object of confusion. In English, the correct pronunciation of salmon is sam-un. The "l" in salmon is silent. However, in certain dialects and varieties of English salmon is occasionally pronounced with an "l".

Why is IKEA called IKEA?

IKEA is named after the initials of founder Ingvar Kamprad, Elmtaryd, the farm on which he grew up, and Agunnaryd, the nearby village.

Why is IKEA Dutch?

Ikea's corporate structure is complicated, but the key point is that Ikea is a Netherlands-based “charity.” For many years, the vast majority of its outlets have been controlled by the Dutch company Ingka Holding, which in turn is owned by the not-for-profit Stichting Ingka Foundation, which was created in 1982 by the ...

How do you pronounce IKEA mothership?

IKEA confirms 'IKEA' is pronounced 'ee-kay-uh' - Mothership.SG - News from Singapore, Asia and around the world.

Is IKEA Swedish or Danish?

IKEA was founded (1943) in Sweden and still flaunts its origins—store exteriors are decorated in the colours of the Swedish flag (blue and yellow), in-store restaurants serve Swedish food, and the company's products carry Swedish names—but its headquarters are now in the Netherlands.

What do I and K stand for in IKEA?

Glenn Hunt. “IK” are the initials of the furniture company's founder, Ingvar Kamprad. The “EA,” on the other hand, represent Kamprad's childhood – Elmtaryd is the name of the farm on which he grew up, and Agunnaryd is the name of his village. Throw it all together, and you've got IKEA.

What does IKEA translate too?

Believe it or not, the name is actually an acronym that stands for Ingvar Kamprad Elmtaryd Agunnaryd, aka I-K-E-A.