[kingcharles]

I had to look this up, as I (wrongly) thought the etymology was derived from the English "emoticon", but it's not, it is a purely Japanese word.

https://www.sciencefriday.com/articles/the-origin-of-the-wor...

So, yes, you are absolutely right, technically I have been mispronouncing it for almost two decades. I can't stop now though, because everyone else outside Japan is also doing the same.

[Talanes]

> So, yes, you are absolutely right, technically I have been mispronouncing it for almost two decades.

I think by this point it's just as correct to say you have been correctly pronouncing the English loanword.

[Cyberdog]

Just wait until you learn about the correct pronunciation of "karate!" :D

[kingcharles]

My first day learning Japanese...!