Learn How to Pronounce "Pfister" and More in this Harvard Pronunciation Guide

Attention eager prefrosh: Visitas weekend is a great opportunity for you to impress your new friends by navigating your way to all the midnight pizza parties with ease. Go the extra mile by saying the names of the buildings right, and people might even believe you already go here! Hooked On Phonics was a long time ago for most of us, and to be honest there are a few people and places that even current Harvard students can’t pronounce. Luckily, you have this guide to help you navigate the perils of phonetics:

Agassiz House - “AG-ah-see.” Not “Ah-GAH-see” or “AH-GAH-sees.” Named after Elizabeth Cabot Agassiz, significant contributor in the early years of Radcliffe College, Agassiz House in Radcliffe Yard is home to the Harvard College Admissions Office and the historic Agassiz Theatre, a room of impressive gilded chandeliers and uncomfortably hard seats.

CGIS - “SEE-jiss.” Not “C. G. I. S.” For those who have never taken a class in politics or international studies, it might be confusing to hear about the mysterious Seejis building. The Center for Government and International Studies is comprised of two buildings on Cambridge Street, respectively christened South and Knafel—a name that presents its own pronunciation difficulties (see below).

Dean Pfister, Interim Dean of the College - “FEAST-er.” Not “FIST-er” or “puh-FIST-er.” We hope that you had a Happy Pfister Sunday, because otherwise that’s just awkward.

Hemenway Gym - “HEH-men-way.” Not “Hemingway.” While it may or may not be true that the Harvard Law School Gym inspired “For Whom the Bell Tolls,” the gym was named after Augustus Hemenway '1875, a philanthropist and Harvard alumnus, who would appreciate if you pronounced his name correctly.

Knafel Center - “kuh-NAH-ful.” Not “NAY-ful” or “Nah-ful.” Formerly the Radcliffe Gymnasium, this building in Radcliffe Yard is now home to the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study. What was once a big swimming pool has been transformed into a large hall to host symposiums and fancy fundraising dinners headlined by Drew Faust.

Loeb - “LOBE.” Not “LOW-eb” or “LEEB.” The Loeb surname graces the Loeb Drama Center on Brattle Street, the Loeb House next to Lamont Library, and the Eda Kuhn Loeb Music Library. Exciting as it may look in between two consonants, the ‘oe’ actually doesn’t do anything funky.

Longy School of Music - “LON-jee.” Not “LUN-ghee.” Though technically not part of Harvard, this music conservatory affiliated with Bard College provides nice scenery on the walk down Garden Street to the Quad.

Mallinckrodt Laboratory - “MAL-in-krot.” When asked for clarification on how to pronounce the name of this chemistry laboratory on Oxford Street, one of the desk staff at the Harvard Information Center replied, “I’ve never seen this word before in my life.”

Maxwell Dworkin - “DWOR-kin.” Sound it out, people. Then again, if you’re not an engineering student, you may never have to visit this building.

Pforzheimer House - “FOR-tsahy-muhr.” Not “puh-FOR-tsahy-muhr.” Though many non-Quadlings may need to take the first step of learning how to spell ‘Pforzheimer,’ sooner or later it might be good to learn how to say it as well. Break out those German vowel rules, everyone.

Pusey Library - “PYOO-zee.” Not “PUH-see.” It’s still unknown whether Pusey is a library in its own right, or just the place you can get to by walking through the creepy tunnels in Widener.

Sever Hall - “SEE-ver.” Not “SEH-ver.” We heard a rumor that Ann Sever, the 19th century donor of this lecture hall in the Yard, actually pronounced her name to rhyme with the word “lever” (pronounced the American way). However, if you pronounce it that way to most people, they will just look at you weirdly, so be a conformist and make it a hard ‘e.’

Tercentenary Theatre - “TER-sen-TEN-er-ee.” Not “Tekjhfkjdfh” or “That place that’s in the Yard sort of.” Next to “Sesquicentennial Square,” this is probably the least descriptive, hardest-to-pronounce name that could have been chosen to commemorate an important anniversary year of Harvard’s founding. In 2036, will we rename a new grassy area the “Quatercentenary Quad”?

The SOCH - Usually rhymes with “gauche,” or pronounced as a homonym for “sock.” The Student Organization Center at Hilles is known for being the best place on campus that nobody ever uses except for maybe a career fair now and again. The jury is still out on the definitive pronunciation, so it’s up to you to decide.