Sonerai Pronunciation

[FarmAV8R]

I realize this is a trivial point, but what is the official/correct pronunciation of “Sonerai”?

I’ve always pronounced it with an ‘ah’ sound at the beginning and a long ‘i’ at the end, like: Sahn•er•ī or Sän•er•ī, but then somewhere (I think it was a Fred video) I heard it pronounced with a long ‘e’ at the end: Sahn•er•ē or Sän•er•ē.

That got me to thinking about two things:
1) Is the ai-combination an ‘uh’, a long ‘a’ or a long ‘e’ sound?
2) Is the Son• at the beginning pronounced Sahn/Sän, or would it be the ‘uh’ sound, e.g. SÉ™n•, like in sun or son?

Does anyone know how John Monnett intended for it to be pronounced when he designed it?
(Yes I know, I need to spend more time getting my plane in the air and less time worrying about how to say it. LOL)

 

[Raceair]

I have heard it pronounced by John Himself.
Sound this out……. SAHNN……..IRR…..RAY Heard some say SOWN….NER…RYE
Half the people in the Sonerai world do HIS name as MOW…NETT
And a bunch use the french style……MOW…..NAY
Sonerai was Developed from Sun-Ray, and Sonic-Ray, and Johns Nickname, Sunny…..
ED

 

[mullinspsm]

Someone needs to design a wider, fatter version and name it the "Sumori". (Sue-Mo-Rye) If your not a samurai than you may be a sumo wrestler.

 

[daddo2]

Out west it makes no difference how you pronounce it......no one knows what it is until they see it. I wish I had a nickel for every time someone said " a Soner-what?"

 

[Schmleff]

I'm with Ed, John says Sahn er A.

When flying the Fisk arrival into Oshkosh, Its a "blue RV".

When its at Oshkosh, its a "Cassutt".

Being a "G" rated site, I can't type what I currently refer to it as ; )

 

[phzabriskie]

Someone needs to design a wider, fatter version and name it the "Sumori". (Sue-Mo-Rye) If your not a samurai than you may be a sumo wrestler.

We had this thread a few years back. If I remember...up up and away in your Sonerai...but Bonzai in your Sonerai.

 

[navspex]

then he should have spelled it Soneray

Looks to me like Sohn Er Eye

 

[kennyw]

When people ask "what kinda plane is that", I tell 'em Sonerai (like bonsai). Then, they often say something like, "oh yeah, it don't look like it does in magazine adds." The first time, it took me a minute to figure out they thought its a Sonex.

 

[N84SE]

Many years ago, I heard that it rhymes with Sonic Ray.

 

[subnoize1]

"Sohn - eh - Ray" as in "Sonic Ray."

There is no "C" and the roll from "Sohn" is almost unbroken with a soft "eh" and finishing with the full word, "RAY."

 

[Chucker]

The tower here in Prescott pronounces it “the RV on downwind,” or words to that effect.

I think I saw a video where John said he derived the name from Sonic Ray. I had to retrain myself.