We need to talk about Uranus.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

See, you're laughing right now. Stop it. Stop it right now.

It is impossible to discuss anything about the planet Uranus with a straight face because people will inevitably think first about the very awkward and naughty pronunciation of the planet's name. ("Uranus? Your anus? Get it?!?!??&quot

Some scientists eventually came to recognize this dilemma and they proposed an alternate pronunciation. The problem was, it wasn't that much better than "Your Anus." Instead, they proposed what amounted to "Urine-us".



So we move from butt jokes to pee-pee jokes. Essentially a lateral move.

I don't see what's so difficult about it though. There's a perfectly fine pronunciation of Uranus that will not have us giggling like eight year olds.

Uranus. U (as in "you&quot / ran (as in to move quickly with one's legs)/us (as in the collective first person).

Uranus. You-ran-us.

It works. Now we can discuss that fine planet in a scientific context without immediately debasing the conversation with thoughts of butts or peeing?

You get that, astronomers? Someone get Neil Degrasse Tyson on the line. If the man is powerful enough to demote Pluto, he can change the pronunciation of the planet immediately adjacent to it.

[Skinner]

1. So, is the stress on the second syllable?

you RAN us

or is it on the first syllable?

YOU ran us

?

[Tommy_Carcetti]

2. Either one works, I suppose.

First syllable probably makes more sense.

[Skinner]

3. Seems to me that the key is really hitting that "OO" sound.

YOO ran us

And I guess you also need to hit the "a" sound pretty hard so its clear you aren't saying "rin"

YOO RAN us

Maybe put the stress on both syllables? You'll sound like a freak, but at least you won't be using potty language.

[Tom Kitten]

4. or Uranus could go Greek

uh, that is, use the Greek name, Ouranos...

[Eleanors38]

5. The Importance of being UR'nus?

[Tommy_Carcetti]

6. Ba-dump-dump.

[clarice]

7. This is a deep issue. While we are on the subject...

Is it Sphinx or Sphincs?

[Tommy_Carcetti]

8. It's a riddle. nt

[LiberalEsto]

9. Why don't they just rename it Pluto?

Or Aphrodite?

[rug]

10. Does Uranus have a ring around it?

[lastlib]

11. yes, according to Voyager 2 photos, it does:

[CrawlingChaos]

12. This will be a quixotic struggle

People like myself who have retained much of our adolescent maturity levels will never say "you-ran-us" And we are legion.

[Xipe Totec]

13. That's a pretty big subject. nt

[Xipe Totec]

14. Futurama

Urectum (formerly Uranus) is a gas giant in the solar system. The planet's former name, Uranus, was often of the cause of much laughter in the immature English-speaking world, where its name could be interpreted as "your anus". However, by 2620, scientists finally got tired of that "stupid joke", so they renamed Uranus to Urectum, believing the revised name to be much less funny.

http://www.cc.com/video-clips/a6o404/futurama-smelloscope

[olddots]

15. Uranus looks so smooth

[pinboy3niner]

16. Why? What have you heard about it?

[betsuni]

17. I heard Uranus has a ring around it and attracts lots of moons.

Not that there's anything wrong with that.

[Tom Kitten]

18. Uranus needs to be wiped out!

Ask any Starship Captain...Uranus has Klingons!