Linguistic query

[wshaffer]

I've encountered two instances recently in two separate conversations of people pronouncing the word "meme" as "may-may". In both cases my interlocutors didn't seem to be aware that the word has a meaning beyond "things that the kids are always posting on their Facebook pages."

Is this just a random linguistic coincidence, or is this a, um, meme?

Comments

[retsuko.livejournal.com]

I pronounce it "mem" (rhymes with "rem"), but my friend pronounces it meem (rhymes with "seem".) I've never heard of "may-may"--that doesn't make any sense!

Is this to be the soda v. pop debate of our generation?!? ;)

The Selfish Meme

[obadiah.livejournal.com]

Biologist Richard Dawkins coined the term, and he pronounced it "meem" (a meme is to memetics what a gene is to genetics). Wikipedia, as always, has something to say about it.