Letter: Say what?

From David Hobday

I am the only reader of New Scientist among my family and friends, and so I manage to amuse them now and then by giving short lectures on the interesting things I read. However, it worries me that I am unsure of the correct pronunciation of some uncommon words.

For example, is “oxytocin” oxy-toe-sin or ock-sighter-s’n (17 May, p 34)? Making a faux pas like that would prove to a real scientist that I’m just a pretender. How about giving us correct phonetics for the key words of a new subject too?

The editor writes:

• It is pronounced oxy-toe-sin.

Bateau Bay, New South Wales, Australia