American pronunciation? Is that what Maltz is trying to describe there?

As an American, I have never heard anyone say "wiki" in a way that rhymes with "Mickey".

Oh yes, that is how nearly everyone pronounces wiki. It rhymes perfectly with Mickey.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wiki
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/46/En-us-wiki.ogg

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SuStel
http://trimboli.name