BREAKING NEWS! Scientists finally figure out how to pronounce the word “fungi”

BREAKING NEWS! Scientists finally figure out how to pronounce the word “fungi”

by Corrado Nai for the New York Mycological Society

Is it fun·gee, fun·gai, or fun·jigh?

After intense deliberations, a committee of high-profile members of the New York Mycological Society, the Mycological Society of America, the European Mycological Association, the British Mycological Society and other international organizations reached a consensus on how to correctly pronounce the word “fungi”. The news is currently under strict embargo until the final details are agreed upon. Science writer Corrado Nai, Ph.D., reports this exclusive news to fellow members and followers of the New York Mycological Society before the official announcement in a few months.

“Fungi, fungi, or fungi? We all pronounce the word in a different way,” said fungal activist Giuliana Furci.

And that’s exactly the issue, according to a high-profile committee of mycologists working fervently behind closed doors to implement a uniform way to pronounce “fungi”.

Intense preparations to roll out the news to the whole community and to update entries in dictionaries are happening as we write. In the meantime, mycologists (those who study fungi) are defining rules to make sure this change will be effective and definitive. “The general public is encouraged to take notice,” says Dr. Vanderpimpel (Germany), reassuring that “if non-specialists pronounce the word incorrectly, they won’t suffer any consequences, for the time being.”

The same isn’t true for mycologists, warns the committee. Experts who pronounce the word “fungi” incorrectly will face a range of penalties, including unfavorable reviews of scientific manuscripts and grant proposals. Repeat offenders will have a newly identified fungus of the stinkhorn group (which are notorious for their pungent, putrid smell) named after them. Sanctions aimed at avoiding variant pronunciations will be enforced from January 2027.

Repeat offenders will have a newly identified fungus of the stinkhorn group named after them.

Cornered to elaborate more, mycologist Dr. Vanderpimpel mumbles: “Fungi are neglected organisms. I always have a hard time with small talks and dreaded my whole life the casual question: ‘So, what do you do?’

He adds: “Knowing that the answer ‘I am a mycologist’ or ‘I study fungi’ generally raises more questions, I usually talk about mushrooms just to receive an overall confused, dismissive, or condescending response.” The poorly expressed need for acceptance was likely the main drive of Dr. Vanderpimpel, one of the initiators of the committee.

The committee Chair, Dr. Gunfus from the UK, explains more eloquently: “While we are glad to see an increased fascination towards fungi, we also notice many people still confused by them.”

“Especially as more people are talking about fungi, we cannot afford that the confusion around their name might add unnecessary misunderstanding about these essential organisms,” Dr. Gunfus adds. “We must do everything in our power to minimize further confusion and are convinced that having a uniform way to pronounce the word will be the right path forward to increase understanding of fungi.”

“This whole initiative is absolutely nonsense,” —mycologist Dr. Bolloni (US)

Fungi are underdog organisms which have been understudied throughout history, with naturalists calling them “lowly members of the vegetable kingdom” until relatively recently. Until today, only about 150,000 species of fungi have been discovered and described. This is only about 5% of the total number of existing fungi, according to some estimates. (As a comparison, about 390,000 species of plants are known of the estimated 500,000 existing species.) The whole reflects poorly on the status of environmental protection of fungi, with many species at risk of extinction and, overall, a poorer protection of fungi in comparison to other organisms.

“This whole initiative is absolutely nonsense,” comments Dr. Bolloni (US), who was not part of the committee. “It will be a tremendous challenge to determine who is a specialist and who is a non-specialist, especially as more and more people, amateurs, and citizen scientists are getting involved with these fascinating organisms.”

Scorn for the decision of the committee is echoed by mycologist Dr. Tochniet (The Netherlands): “I know quite a few colleagues who will gladly have a fungus named after them, even a stinkhorn.”

Neither the author of this short communique nor the New York Mycological Society wish to take part in the debate. “Whatever side you stand, this debate won’t be solved any time soon,” explains Dr. Tochniet, reasoning that that for decades mycologists couldn’t agree on how to say “fungi”. She also echoes the words of pioneer Furci who said: “You say it however you want. The important thing is to say their name.”

But what is, exactly, the correct way to pronounce “fungi” according to the committee?

But what is, exactly, the correct way to pronounce “fungi” according to the committee? A member of the International Phonetic Association (IPA) who advised the committee and prefers to remain anonymous for fear of repercussions from his supervisors explains:

“I am not reporting the phonetic notation as no one understand how to read phonetic symbols, anyway. Me and some of my colleagues also understand and appreciate the fact that there will always be some kind of variant pronunciations based on regions, dialects, and accents.”

Nonetheless, the IPA member explains a fool-proof way to remember how to pronounce the word correctly: “The committee agreed that the correct way to pronounce the word will be by stressing the last syllable with an upward cadence. It will be something like ‘fung·yay’”.

That is, the committee mandates that people saying “fungi” will need to end the word with an enthusiastic shout-out.

The committee Chair Dr. Gunfus remarks: “We believe that the right way to infuse further enthusiasm about these fascinating organisms and unify experts and amateurs will be by having an uplifting way to pronounce the word ‘fungi’.”

With an excitement that hasn’t been his for the past three decades, Dr. Vanderpimpel can’t wait to answer the casual question, “So, what do you do?” at his next party with “I study fung·yay”.

Corrado Nai has a PhD in fungal ecology and is a science writer with bylines in Smithsonian Magazine, New Scientist, Asimov Press, Small Things Considered, Fungi Magazine, and many more. He lives in Jakarta with his wife and baby daughter, of whom he’s proud to be primary caretaker. He is currently writing and producing a graphic novel about the introduction of agar to science and medicine by forgotten pioneer Fanny Angelina Hesse, which can be followed and supported on Patreon at www.patreon.com/corradonai