Around Teh Table

This all started because I had a UNIX dude at an interview pronounce “/etc/init.d” as “etsy-eye-nighted.”  I had to ask him to repeat that.  So I’ve decided to put together this pronunication guide for UNIX terms.

Operating Systems and Vendors

• UNIX – YOO-niks (NOT yoo-NEEKS** or YOO-nucks**)
• Linux – LIN-ucks (also, LIN-icks or LEE-nooks (official).  NOT LINE-ucks** or LIE-nucks**)
• Solaris – so-LAIR-is (also, so-LAHR-is.  NOT SO-ler-is**)
• Irix – EYE-ricks (The first I sounds like the I in “iris.”)
• HP-UX – HAH-key-pucks (also, eych-pee-youu-ecks or EYCH-pucks)
• AIX – ayy-eye-ecks (NOT aicks**)
• SCO – ess-see-oh (also ASS-holes.  NOT skoh**)
• BSD – bee-ess-dee (also BEE-stee)
• UCB – yoo-see-bee (NOT ukbuh**)
• ATT – ayy-tee-tee (NOT at** or ayy-tee-en-TEE**)
• SysV – sis-VEE (also sis-tem-VEE.  NOT sis-FIVE** or sis-tem-FIVE**)
• SVR4 – ess-vee-arr-FOR (also sis-VEE-arr-FOR.  NOT ser-ver-FOR**)
• Debian – DAY-bee-an (also De-bee-an, NOT duh-BEE-an**)
• GNU – gee-enn-YOO (also guh-NOO (official).  NOT noo**)
• *nix – ASS-ter-nicks (also nix)
• CentOS – SENT-oh-ess (NOT KENT-oh-ess** or SENT-ohss**)

Software Packages

• X – ecks (NOT ten** or ecks-WIN-doze**)
• Xorg – ecks-ORG (NOT zorg**)
• vi – vee-EYE (NOT vie** or vee**)
• fsck – fsk (also fisk, FAH-sick, EFF-suck, EFF-sick, eff-ess-see-kay.  NOT fuck** or fusk**)
• nroff – ENN-rawf
• anything ending in a -d (like routed, crond, hald, hidd, etc.) is pronounced as WORD-dee.  Examples:  routed is ROWT-dee.  NOT ROWT-ed**. crond is KRON-dee.  NOT krond**.
• httpd – eych-tee-tee-pee-dee
• ptrace – PEE-trayss (NOT trayss**)
• sh – ess-AYCH (NOT ssh**)
• sshd – ess-ess-AYCH-dee (NOT ssh’d** or SSH-dee**)
• wget – DUH-bul-yoo-get (NOT WI-jit**)
• SELinux – ess-EE-lin-ucks (NOT SEE-lin-ucks** or SELL-in-ucks**)
• mk- emm-KAY- (or make-)
• stunnel – ESS-tun-el (NOT STUN-el**)
• sysctl – SIS-kun-troll (or SIS-see-tee-ell)
• -ctl – -kun-TROLL (or -see-tee-ELL)
• vim – vim (or vee-eye-EMM.  NOT vee-EIM**)
• xinetd – ecks-EYE-net-dee (NOT ZEYE-net-dee**)
• -env – -env (or -ee-en-VEE.  NOT -ENN-vee**)

Protocols and Languages

• LDAP – ELL-dap
• ssh – ess-ess-AYCH (NOT ssh**)

Filesystems, Directories, and Files

• / – slash (NOT root**, FOR-wurd-slash**)
• /bin – bin (also slash-BIN.  NOT bine**)
• /etc – ee-tee-SEE (or ET-see)
• /lib – lib (short i – does NOT sound like “library” unless you work for IBM or with IBM people)
• /misc – misk (NOT miss**)
• /mnt – mownt (also emm-enn-TEE.  NOT munt** or mint**)
• /opt – ahpt (also oh-pee-TEE)
• /proc – prock (NOT proke** or prahs**)
• /sbin – ESS-bin (NOT spin**)
• /srv – ess-arr-VEE (or surv.  NOT SUR-vur**)
• /tmp – temp
• /usr – YOO-zur (NOT yoo-ess-ARR**)
• /var – var (NOT vair**)
• /usr/src – YOO-zur sorce
• /etc/passwd – ee-tee-SEE PASS-wurd (NOT PASS-wood**)
• /etc/fstab – ee-tee-SEE eff-ESS-tab (NOT EFF-stab**)
• /etc/init.d – ee-tee-SEE in-IT-dot-dee
• /etc/motd – ee-tee-SEE emm-oh-tee-DEE (NOT MOT-dee**)
• /etc/virc – ee-tee-SEE vee-EYE-arr-see (NOT verk**)
• xferstats – ECKS-fur-stats (NOT TRANS-fur-stats**)

Please let me know if you think of any others or if you have a correction.  Note that many of these are specific to the U.S. and could vary by region.