Tesla or "Tezzla" Pronunciation

[BZM3]

I've heard Elon in video interviews pronouncing Tesla with a strong ZZ.

As Elon is Elon, is this the proper pronunciation? I understand he has an accent, but he's Elon!

I have literally not heard anyone else besides Elon Musk pronounce it "tezzla".

I feel like my life is a lie! FYI I'm from New York. Interested to hear your thoughts!

 

[Nocturnal]

Elon has an accent. For Americans we would typically say "Tes-luh". The original Slavic (don't care to look up the man's actual birthplace) pronunciation is probably closer to Elon's version.

 

[jasazick]

Elon gets a pass to say it any way he wants. But every time I hear anyone else say Tezzla it is like nails on a chalkboard. People in Sweden have a very different pronunciation for Ikea than their American store counterparts. Neither are right or wrong - just different based on the region.

 

[Trips]

This has been debated and researched many times. The conclusion and even Elon has said that it should be the tezzla pronunciation.

 

[T-Mom]

Or when I go home to Alabama, it's often Taz------la Two syllables. Every word in the South I learned seems to have 2 syllables ie "Po----- lease" (spelling) Sorry fellow southerners. just had to say that.

 

[calidreamz808]

Or when I go home to Alabama, it's often Taz------la Two syllables. Every word in the South I learned seems to have 2 syllables ie "Po----- lease" (spelling) Sorry fellow southerners. just had to say that.

LOL I love this and can hear my own voice saying these words in a southern drawl... I grew up in Louisiana, so I totally get it.

 

[DanCar]

Elon says Tezzla, everyone else says Tesla.

 

[pleeau]

Elon says Tezzla, everyone else says Tesla.

I grew up hearing and saying Tezla.... In Australia though.

 

[RobStark]

Everyone who has a clue says Tezlah.

On rare occasion when I hear Tes luh it is like nails on a chalkboard.

 

[Cyberax]

The original Slavic name is "Tes-luh" (stress on the first syllable). It's not ambiguous and there's no "z", these are distinct sounds in Serb-Croatian language.

 

[XLR82XS]

TEH-SLUH!

 

[tezzla]

Did someone call me?

 

[user212_nr]

I am also from New York and it bothers me. There is a "congruity principle" (I made up that name) whereas names from a foreign source are adapted to fit into another language. English words are used in foreign languages, but they are adapted to fit the alphabet and speech patterns.

Since Elon is from South Africa, we (many of us) need to adapt "teZla" to our speech patterns because the sound "zla" is not used by us (or not frequently).