Which pronunciation of 'either' is preferred?

Question

I pronounce 'ei' in 'either' like in German (so, like 'I' in English). This is natural for me.But I've heard people pronouncing it as 'eee', so which version is correct? Or maybe both are correct?

Answer 1

This concept is very similar to how Aunt is pronounced. In the New England and coastal areas they would pronounce it "Ahnt", which uses a very broad "A"

For the Mid-Atlantic & New Jersey regions, they would use a flat "A" such as the word "Ant"

Both are acceptable.

Answer 2

Both versions are correct. From childhood, I've heard the one with the long "e" sound more, but as an adult, I've heard both the one with the long "e" and long "i" pronounced frequently depending on one's preference.

Answer 3

Either pronunciation is common. There's a great video about this on YouTube. Just look for:

American English vs British English | Either | Neither | Rachel’s English