the proper pronunciation of coup de grâce

A coup de grâce is a killing blow delivered as a way to end a fight or as a simple gesture of mercy to someone or something who/that is suffering, beyond help, or deserving of a dignified death. The grâce is French for "grace" or "mercy" in this context. The "mercy" aspect is easy enough to understand: the deliverer of the final blow is ending suffering. The "grace" aspect is a bit more religious in nature: the deliverer of the blow is sending someone to his/her/its reward or Maker. This could be seen as a species of mercy.

The problem comes when Americans with a tiny understanding of French think the correct pronunciation of grâce is \ grɑ \ or "grah." Many Americans are vaguely aware that, in French, there are many instances in which the final consonant sound of a word isn't pronounced. These same people don't know the further rule that, if the final letter of a French word is an "e," then the consonant right before it is pronounced. So the proper pronunciation of grâce is \ grɑs \ or "grahss." Say the "s."

If you don't say the "s" sound at the end of grâce, you're saying coup de gras. A coup is a blow; gras means "fat." So a coup de gras is "a blow of fat." Think of a fat guy delivering a death blow by swinging his gut like a weapon—Santa gone mad.

Please, for the love of God (looking at you, Styx), stop mispronouncing coup de grâce. You succeed only in making yourself look stupid.

I hope you read IPA: \ kudə ˈgrɑs \