I wonder why so many scholars of Islam pronounce Caliph as 'CAY-liff' & not 'cah-LEEF'

[Bucky]

Have I been saying it wrong all these years? I'm asking as World History teacher for over 20 years. I've always assumed it was just a British eccentricity, like the way they mispronounce "con-TRAH-vuh-see" or "SHED-jule" (don't even remind me what they do to "Junta'')

But recently I've see a few videos on YouTube where accredited scholars, normal American scholars mind you, some of Middle Eastern origin, use this sure-sounds-eurocentric pronunciation of "CAY-liff" for Caliph. Does anyone here know what's the correct way to say this? (I seriously don't need to repeat my infamous "purrogative" incident of 2003)

[LakeArenal]

1. I guess the same reason they Eye-ran instead of Ear-rahn.

[Ilsa]

2. Heavens, don't forget Eye-rack for Ear-rock. LOL.

Even Rachel Maddow says Moscow (ow) vs Moscōw, but both versions are in the dictionary.

[Bucky]

5. Eye-see

what you did there

[brush]

3. Try Kay-lif.

[Bucky]

4. I have. It still feels badly westernized

The Wikipedia pronunciation file of "khalifa" sounds more like ah than ay