How do you pronounce mah jongg?

In American English, mah-JONG (the j as in jump) or mah-ZHONG (the zh as in measure). Both are heard at American tables, with the stress on the second syllable. Joseph Park Babcock, who gave the game its English name, said his own version was "Mah-ZHONG".

What does mah jongg mean?

Sparrow. The name comes from the Chinese for the game, máquè, a word for the sparrow. The usual explanation is the sound: a table of tiles being shuffled sounds like a flock of sparrows squabbling.

The three dragons and the four winds, the honour tiles of an American set.

Why there are so many spellings

Mah jongg, mahjong, mah-jong, mahjongg, majiang: they are all the same game. The variety comes from the 1920s.

Babcock, an American working in China, published his rules in 1920 and chose the name Mah-Jongg because it was a name he could trademark. The trademark was filed with first use claimed in 1920. Other companies sold the same game under other names, Ma Chong and Ma Chiang among them, and once the craze spread the name became generic.

Mah Jongg, two words with a double g, is the spelling of the National Mah Jongg League, founded in 1937, which publishes the card most American players use. "Mahjong", one word, is the usual spelling for the game in general and for the Chinese and Japanese forms. This school uses "Mah Jongg" for the American game.

Questions

Is it mahjong or mah jongg?

Both are correct. "Mah Jongg" is the National Mah Jongg League's spelling and the usual one for the American game; "mahjong" is common for the game in general.

What language is mah jongg?

The name comes from Chinese, from the word for sparrow, and the English spelling Mah-Jongg was coined by Joseph Park Babcock in 1920.

Now play it

Saying it is the easy part. How to play American Mah Jongg walks a whole hand in eight steps, and the table deals you one now, free, no account needed.

Sources

Pronunciation: Wiktionary, "mahjong"; Babcock's own pronunciation and the trademark filings: The Mahjong Tile Set. Meaning and the 1920s names: Sloperama, Mah-Jongg FAQ 11.