Kratom is widely used in many parts of the globe and is pronounced differently in different regions. Newbies or even regular buyers often get confused with different pronunciations of this botanical. Does this also put you in trouble? If yes, this is the article you can’t miss reading through.
Does Kratom Pronunciation Matter?
You will get different answers to this question while asking different sellers or users. Many people claim that pronunciation matters much when purchasing, whereas many others have the opposite opinion.
To some extent, yes, the Kratom pronunciation does matter. Especially if you live in an area where sellers are not allowed to advertise Kratom, they choose different names to sell this magical herb. Therefore, you should know those specific names to purchase Kratom in such regions efficiently.
At the same time, thousands of people say that even if you don’t know the street or regional names of Speciosa, you can ask sellers to give you the desired amount of “Kratom.” They consider that every vendor is familiar with the word “Kratom.”
How Is Kratom Pronounced Mostly?
The “Kratom” word became popular in the 1930s. The popularity went down and rose again in the 1950s. Let’s look at how this botanical is usually pronounced.
What Does Oxford University Press Say in this Regard?
The Oxford University Press played a crucial role in making people familiar with pronouncing Kratom. The Press’s dictionary listed two pronunciations for Kratom, as listed below.
1. Kra-tum
The first part, “Krat” produces a sound similar to the word “at.” Similarly, the second part, “tum” is quite similar to the word “ton.” If we talk about the whole pronunciation, it produces a sound like “atom.”
2. Cray-tum
This pronunciation is more popular compared to the above. The US residents mostly pronounce Kratom with this pronunciation. How you pronounce the word “crayon” rhymes with the first part of this pronunciation, “Cray.” The sound of the second part, “tum” is the same as “ton.”
How Should I Pronounce Kratom?
Do you live in the western part of the world? Pronounce Kratom using the above-listed pronunciations. If yes, you are not on the right track. But this is not your fault because many consumers don’t know how Southeast Asian people pronounce this tree leaf.
Since Kratom is indigenous to Southeast Asian lands; therefore, we can easily assume that the native people pronounce this herb correctly. But the question, “how should you pronounce Kratom” is still there. Well, it depends on where you live.
If you reside in the US, you can use the words “Krat-tum” or “Cray-tum” to pronounce Kratom. If you live in any other part of this world, try learning how people pronounce Kratom in those regions.
Indo, Thai, or Malay Pronunciation: Which One Should I Follow?
The same region can have different pronunciations. The same is the case with Southeast Asia, which means people living in Indonesia, Thailand, and Malaysia pronounce this herb differently. Let’s get into these specifics.
1. Indo Accent
Indonesians pronounce Kratom in a fascinating way than other Southeast Asian countries. “Kra-thom” is the pronunciation they use to purchase or sell this botanical. The first part, “Kra” is similar to the word “Spa”, whereas the second part, “thom” produces the “tom” sound but with the touch of “h.” This is what makes it more engaging.
2. Thai Accent
Thailand is one of the biggest Kratom producers. People living in this country use the pronunciation “Kruh-tome” to discuss this herb. The second part, “tome” produces the same sound as “tone,” whereas Thai people emphasis more on “Kruh.” Make sure you are familiar with this pronunciation if you are planning to visit this region.
3. Malay Accent
Malaysia is also listed among the biggest Kratom producers worldwide. It captures a significant portion of the global Speciosa industry. Malaysians are unique when it comes to pronouncing the word “Kratom.” What makes them different is that they make the sound of “r” silent. As a result, the first part sounds similar to “Kea” or “Key.” The second part, “tom” or “tum” rhymes with the word “atom.” You must be familiar with this pronunciation if you are a Malay resident or intend to visit this place anywhere in the future.
Which One is Correct?
Well, there is no single pronunciation that you can use in all Southeast Asian countries. You should be aware of the one used in your region. As you have seen in the above discussion, Malaysian, Indonesian, and Thailand communities pronounce Kratom differently. It shows there is no right or wrong pronunciation, but you need to be relevant to the region when pronouncing this botanical.
List of More Kratom Pronunciations You Should be Familiar With
Are you still confused about how exactly you should pronounce “Kratom?” If the answer to this question is yes, the simplest thing to do is to start calling this botanical by its scientific name – Mitragyna Speciosa. In fact, pronouncing the scientific name of this herb is way more difficult than its regional pronunciations.
Only a few variations of this scientific name are available to discuss. It is mainly pronounced as “me-tra-ginah” or “mi-tra-ginah.” Both are the correct pronunciations. It depends on which one you like to use.
Maeng Da is a well-known Kratom variant that is most pronounced in the wrong way. Most people pronounce this strain with “maeeng-duh,” whereas the correct pronunciations are “mang-duh” or “mung-duh.”
Have you heard of Bentuangie? Most people find it tricky to pronounce this strain. It is pretty simple. You can call it “ben-to-anjee.” One more strain people find difficult to pronounce is Hulus Kapuas. Its correct pronunciation is “hooloos-kapooas.”
Final Words
Don’t you know whether or not it is important to understand how to pronounce Kratom? Learning all the pronunciations is unnecessary, but it will be a good approach if you learn how this herb is pronounced in your area. It will make your purchases easier.
