What is the correct pronunciation of “regex”?

Solution 1:

On page 27 of Mastering Regular Expressions, Jeffrey Friedl states:

Instead, I normally use "regex." It just rolls right off the tongue ("it rhymes with "FedEx," with a hard g sound like "regular" and not a soft one like in "Regina") and it is amenable to a variety of uses like "when you regex ...," "budding regexers," and even "regexification."

So, if you are looking for an authoritative answer, the above is it.

In a footnote, Friedl also adds:

You might also come across the decidedly unsightly "regexp." I'm not sure how one would pronounce that, but those with a lisp might find it a bit easier.

FWIW, I pronounce it with the soft g simply because it sounds better to mine ears. However, most of the programmers I know do employ the hard g.

Solution 2:

Sweet reason clearly dictates, as an abbreviation of regular, it should be pronounced /ɹɛ.ɡɛks/. However, I've heard it said thousands of times and far more often than not, it is pronounced /ɹɛ.dʒɛks/. Dunno why, but there it is.

Solution 3:

It matters how you link the word to Regular Expression.

1) RegEx => /ɹɛɡ.ɛks/ => You're new to Regular Expression - the word. You're capturing it with two words Reg and Ex.

2) regex => /ɹɛdʒɛks/ => You're very familiar with the word Regular Expression - your mind doesn't remember the full word when you say regex. You think it a whole word to Regular Expression.

So, if you're pronouncing it with the hard g sound, then your mind still captures the full word. And if you're pronouncing it with soft g sound, then your mind doesn't capture the full word but you just capture the word regex as full word.

Solution 4:

I've always heard rejeks or even reejeks. Never heard any other pronunciation. It doesn't lend itself very well to extending. I've been regexing is weird. I never say "regex" to the uninitiated or even "regular expression". Stick instead with word or character pattern.