Super Mar-E-O or Super Mary-O?

[ShinobiMan]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMFdeYwPEQQ

The above link leads to an old commercial for Super Mario 2 on NES. Notice how the announcer pronounces Mario, "Super Mary O."

I've come to realize that this is a dialect thing... depending on where you are from in the country, you'll pronounce it differently.

Growing up in Texas, I was always confused when my cousins from New York would call Mario, Mary-o. I even found it funny. I remember visiting them in 1990. When I came back home from New York, I had adopted their way of saying Mario. The kids at school thought I was crazy. I would say, "Yeah, I can't wait to go home and play Super Mary-o Bros." They would look at me like I was insane.

How do you pronounce the famous plumbers name? Sadly enough, this is something I've been pondering for YEARS.

[jb143]

I've always said Mar-E-O, though I've heard it the other way plenty of times as well and never thought too much of it. I'm trying to remember. How does Louis say it in Ghostbusters II? I think he might say Mary-O.

[ryborg]

I'm from Buffalo, where we don't know how to pronounce the letter A without sounding nasally as hell, so I say Maaaaaa-Ree-oh.

[kupomogli]

Mar-ee-oh

[buzz_n64]

LMAO! I thought people just said it that way to make fun of it, or to be silly. MAR-E-O all the way!

[Shadow Kisuragi]

...the correct pronunciation is here, from Super Mario 64:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZhadLMDWcGA

[Emperor Megas]

I say Mar-E-O, and I always will say Mar-E-O. This whole Mary-O thing, I don't know what that's about. It's one of those things that I can't help but notice when someone says, too. I-talion is another one that bugs me.

And don't even get me started on folks who call soft drinks "pop". I know I'm probably targeting half of the people here, but Jeez it bugs me. Actually, the truth be told, I don't mind people calling it that so much as the way those who do pretend they don't know what a soft drink or a soda is when you say it.

It's pretty bad in the Mid-West. Like "Mary-O" is on the East coast.

[MissingNo_1231]

...the correct pronunciation is here, from Super Mario 64:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZhadLMDWcGA

I think that settles it.

That's the way I've always said it.

[Baloo]

It's definitely Mar-E-O, but you have to say it with a little Italian accent, so roll the R.

So it's pronounced more like Mad-E-O. But it's NOT Mary-O.

Also, Ryu is not pronounced Rye-Ooh, but rather Ree-yoo.

[Emperor Megas]

Also, Ryu is not pronounced Rye-Ooh, but rather Ree-yoo.

Do a lot of people actually say Rye-Ooh? Rye-you I can understand at least, but Rye-Ooh. Damn.

[Aussie2B]

I'm not convinced that it's a regional thing. I'm in NYC and while my Italian friend says "Mary-O", everyone else says it the standard way.

[mobiusclimber]

This is how I pronounce it. But on a related note, apparently the Chinese call him "Mary," no "o" or anything, and they seem to think he's dreamy.

[rkotm]

Marr e o, the sm64 way. I never liked maryio, my dad called him that when i was little. Mar-io has always to me felt like the ONLY way (elitist? and sp??)), but thats close minded, especially not considering other dialects and other peoples' use of the name.

[portnoyd]

People who call it Mary-O think Farmville is the best game they've ever played.

[Baloo]

Do a lot of people actually say Rye-Ooh? Rye-you I can understand at least, but Rye-Ooh. Damn.

Well, Rye-You = Rye-Ooh, I was just trying to find a good way to spell it out phonetically.

[Orion Pimpdaddy]

It is quite possible that Nintendo of Japan hired an outside marketing agency to create the commercial for them. The advertisers just read the script, but it did not have a pronunciation key.

[TonyTheTiger]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3w2fi_f5OLY

[jonebone]

Mar-E-O.

I noticed that both of my parents say "Mary-O" though. Maybe it a generation thing?

[Gapporin]

I pronounce it this way.

[thom_m]

Mar-E-O is the way we say it here in Brazil, where Mario is actually a pretty common name. Portuguese has a lot in common with Italian, so I guess that's a good reference on that matter.