Niche \NICH\ vs. Niche \NEESH\
NICHE (nich) French
(a) a recess in a wall, especially for a statue (b) a place, employment, status, or activity for which a person or thing is best fitted (c) A habitat supplying the factors necessary for the existence of an organism or species; or, the ecological role of an organism in a community, especially in regard to food consumption
(a) a recess in a wall, especially for a statue (b) a place, employment, status, or activity for which a person or thing is best fitted (c) A habitat supplying the factors necessary for the existence of an organism or species; or, the ecological role of an organism in a community, especially in regard to food consumption
I know what you're thinking. I made a mistake. The definitions are the same. I must have copied and pasted one incorrectly. But I did not.
In recent years a debate has surfaced about how the word “niche” is pronounced. The variants above are both considered correct and are acceptable; however, \NICH\ is the one more commonly in use and the older of the two. \NEESH\ did not gain ground until around 1917 and was not added to most modern dictionaries until the 1990s. Why did this second pronunciation come about? One might suggest the influence from native French speakers as a simple answer; I believe the difference in pronunciation arose from pretentious academics desiring to distinguishing themselves from the masses. Nevertheless, whichever pronunciation you choose to use, you would be deemed correct as long as you are using the word with the correct definition(s).
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