We midwesterners have a special way of pronouncing certain words. For instance, wash often becomes "warsh" and groceries becomes "grorsheries". Sometimes creek even becomes "crick". Eeegad.
As I spoke recently on the phone with experts in the practice of niche marketing, I had forgotten the word "niche" also has more than one pronunciation. I grew up hearing and pronouncing this word with a hardness, i.e. "nitch". , I learned of the other pronunciation, a softer, gentler version, i.e. "neesh" during my phone conversations.
I expected my trusty Webster's dictionary to give me free reign in choosing either, but when I looked it up, there was only one pronunciation -- "nitch". However, wiki (the online encyclopedia) says.....the word "niche" is of French origin and it is pronounced "neesh" - NOT "nitch". But take heart friends, Merriam Webster online says you may say it either way. It's a good thing because "neesh" just won't roll off my midwestern tongue very easily. I guess I need that French knack, oui? And a new dictionary.
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