Calliope (music) - Pronunciation

Pronunciation

The pronunciation of the word 'calliope' has long been disputed. The Greek muse by the same name is pronounced /kəˈlaɪ.əpiː/ kə-LY-ə-pee, but the instrument was generally pronounced /ˈkæli.oʊp/ KAL-ee-ohp. A nineteenth century magazine, Reedy's Mirror, attempted to settle the dispute by publishing this rhyme:

Proud folk stare after me,

Call me Calliope;

Tooting joy, tooting hope,

I am the calliope.

This, in turn, came from a poem by Vachel Lindsay, called "The Kallyope Yell," in which Lindsay uses both pronunciations.