Why? Because the verb is "pur." You don't say "PUR-sue." You say "pur SUE " (per-SOO). When you add the -er suffix to make a noun ("one who pursues"), the stress stays in the exact same place: on the SOO .
Mispronouncing "pursuer" creates a momentary friction in conversation. Your listener pauses for half a second to decode what you just said. If you say "PURSE-you-er," they might hear "purser" (the ship's officer in charge of finances) or simply get confused. how to pronounce pursuer
But then... you have to say it out loud. how to pronounce pursuer
Suddenly, that innocent-looking word becomes a linguistic speed bump. Do you stress the first syllable? The second? Does it rhyme with "reviewer" or "suer" (like in lawsuit )? how to pronounce pursuer