If there's one thing we all love to disagree on, it's how certain words are pronounced - as you'll know if you've ever been in a pub arguing about how you should say 'scone'.
Well, apparently we now have a consensus on how we should say 'Aldi', the name of the beloved German supermarket chain.
While many people use a short 'a' sound (æ) to say 'Al-di', some believe it should be pronounced with a longer vowel (ɔ) so that it is 'All-di' to rhyme with... Garibaldi?
Advert
But a store insider has had their say, and has revealed that the correct pronunciation is actually 'Al-di'.
Speaking to the Mirror, the insider explained it's all down to the chain's beginnings, and the origins of its name.
They said: "The supermarket's name actually came from the surname of the brothers who started the chain in 1946, Karl and Theo Albrecht.
Advert
"The 'Al' is taken from Albrecht, and the 'di' comes from discount."
If you're not too sure how to pronounce their surname, listen to this audio clip for clarification.
As reported by CNBC, the business was originally known as 'Albrecht Discount' when it was launched in 1946 in a suburb of the German city Essen.
Advert
By keeping prices low, the discount shop earned a strong customer base in the aftermath of World War II, and the two brothers were able to open four new stores around Essen by 1948 - with more than 100 throughout the country by 1955.
In 1961, the brothers changed the name to Aldi, which is short for Albrecht Discount, and from there the business continued to grow across mainland Europe - with the first store opening in the US in 1976 with a shop in Iowa.
Other factoids revealed by the Aldi insider include the fact the store doesn't offer buy one get one free promotions - apparently the chain is 'committed to offering the lowest prices for the best quality products every single day'.
They also revealed that until 2001, all in-store Aldi employees had to remember the prices of 750 products.
Advert
Thankfully for staff this is no longer required, although the insider said there are still some who can reel off the prices of a vast array of products from memory.
And if you're the type that likes to ensure they're always pronouncing words the supposedly correct way, check out this article we shared earlier this year, in which you'll also find out how to pronounce certain French brands.
Advert
Nothing can be as bad as spending your entire life saying your own name wrong, however, like one woman discovered.
She recently took to Reddit to tell people what happened, explaining: "My name is Saoirse. I am not Irish.
"My parents named me Saoirse because my mom was reading a book with a character named Saoirse and she thought the name was really unique.
"In her head, she thought the name was pronounced 'Say-or-cee' and my dad had never heard the name before, so that's how I've grown up my whole life.
"Nobody else at school seemed to know the name either, so they trusted my pronunciation - up until recent years. A certain actress has become popular who shares my name, but she pronounces it the right way (Sur-sha).
"Most people who've just met me but have seen my name first call me by Sur-sha now, and I don't correct them, because the fact that my name is a mistake is pretty embarrassing to me."
Featured Image Credit: PATopics: Aldi, World News, News