Tip Tuesday: Pronounce the word "CHAISE LONGUE"

This is probably one of my recent pet peeves (and for all of my friends and family who have recently used this word, please take no offense to this post). Yes, I know it sounds silly but the word "chaise" is so commonly and regularly mispronounced that I thought I could spread the word a little, or spread the correct pronunciation of the word that is. :)

(If some of you don't know what I am talking about when I say "chaise", the following definition will help give you some insight. (Chaise Longue/Lounge): is a long chair, with or without arms, for reclining, having a seat lengthened to form a complete leg rest and sometimes an adjustable back.)

This wonderful piece of furniture has made a huge comeback into the design world as well as many of my homes recently so I thought it's proper origin and pronunciation deserved some blog time. I know I am not a linguistics specialist nor do I try to be one, however, when possible, I try to pronounce design words as best I can when their origin is known. Funny enough I still giggle a bit when I hear designers and trade professional mispronounce it!

From my studies in design school and history I know the word 'chaise longue' originates from the French, meaning, long chair. For fun I did some more research on this topic and read that the mispronunciation of this as a 'chase lounge' or 'lounge chair' began in America as early as the early-1800s. Referring to the 'chaise longue' as a 'lounge' or a 'chase' is more a false/folk etymology or eggcorn and is the result of 'americanizing' the word more than anything else.

The general thought is that since early writers didn't know how to spell or pronounce the French word, the term "chase lounge" makes some sense given that you do in fact, lounge on this long chair. Thus, instead of keeping to the true origin and correct pronunciation, the American interpretation of the chair's 'usefulness' hung around.

So, if you want to impress your design friends, or correct a sales person at a retailer, or just sound super smart at your next dinner party, listen to this clip of chaise and start practicing!

chaise longue

  [sheyz lawng, cheyz; Fr. shez lawng]

–noun, plural chaise longues, French. chaises longues  [shezlawng]

a chair, with or without arms, for reclining, having a seat lengthened to form a complete leg rest and sometimes an adjustable back.

Also, chaise lounge  [sheyz lounj, cheyz]

Origin: 1790–1800; <>chaise lounge by folk etym.

chaise (shāz) n. Any of various light open carriages, often with a collapsible hood, especially a two-wheeled carriage drawn by one horse. A post chaise. A chaise longue. [French, chair, variant of Old French chaiere; see chair.]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Examples of chaise longues: