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© Copyright L. Craig Schoonmaker 1998, 1999
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For a discussion of the concept behind this wordlist and the principles by which approved pronunciations have been chosen, click here. If in your browser the table below seems to have only three columns, shift right to see the fourth, very important column labeled "But NOT", which lists unacceptable pronunciations. Be patient as this page loads. There are 1,700+ words and over 120 usage notes, alphabetically arranged in table format, in a file of over 488,000 bytes. Once the entire file is loaded, navigating between sections should be fast.
Tho most of the phonetic spellings will be clear to readers of American English, there is one vowel and one consonant that may cause problems: (1) O before any consonant (short-O) is pronounced like the O in "on" or A in "father"; thus OR is as in "forest" (in Fanetik, "fórast"), never as in "nor" (which, phonetically, is spelled "naur"); and (2) Q is silent, used only to "cue" readers to the fact that a vowel at the end of a word is short (e.g., "Poq" for "Pa", a colloquial reference to "father") or, in advanced use in the general spelling reform of which this page is only one part, to cue the difference between homophones that otherwise would show no written difference (e.g., "mask" (concealment for the face) vs. "maskq" ("masque": a masquerade ball or allegorical entertainment); or "bi" (meaning "via") vs. "bie" ("buy", meaning "to purchase") vs. "bieq" ("bye", meaning "goodbye" or 'a pass to a higher level in a contest like a tennis match'). For the table that sets out all the rules of the phonetic system in which the pronunciations are spelled, click here.
The various notes about proper usage that are scattered thru the table, tho keyed to specific words, discuss principles of wider application, and are written in a conversational style. To skip directly to those notes, search for * (asterisk) if the Find feature in your browser's Edit menu works. (It has been my experience that Netscape allows one to Find in a webpage even if MS Internet Explorer does not.)
If you have comments or questions, please contact Fanetiks@aol.com.
[Revised 7/20/99] Go to B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W XYZ End
| Word | Pronounced | Or | But NOT |
| a | a | when stressed: ae | |
| abdomen | áab.da.man | aab.dóe.man | |
| aberrant | áa.ber.ant | a.bér.ant | |
| abhor/rent | aab.háur/.ant | a.báur/.ant, ab.hór/.ant, aab.hór/.ant | |
| absent | adj, prep: áab.sant | v: aab.sént | |
| absolute/ly | àab.sa.lúet/.lee | àab.sa.lyúet/.liq | |
| absorb | ab.záurb | aab.sáurb | |
| abstract | n, adj: áab.straakt | v: aab.stráakt | |
| absurd | ab.sérd | ab.zérd | |
| accent | n: áak.sent | v: aak.sént | |
| access | n: áak.ses | v: aak.sés | |
| accessory | aak.sés.a.rèe | a.sés.a.rèe (illiterate) | |
| accident | áak.si.dènt | áak.si.dant | |
| acclimate | áak.li.maet | a.klíe.mat | |
| acclimate* | The first and second pronunciations of "acclimate" have reversed places in the last few decades. In 1967, Webster's Seventh New Collegiate Dictionary showed a.clíe.mat first and áak.li.màet second. By the Ninth edition of that work in 1985, the two pronunciations had changed places. | ||
| accolade | áa.ka.laed | áa.ka.lod | |
| accouterment/s | a.kúe.ter.mant/s | ||
| accoutrement/s | a.kúe.troo.mant/s | a.kúe.ter.mant/s | |
| accoutrement/s* | If the spelling "accoutrement" is used, a.kúe.troo.mant is the better choice, though a.kúe.ter.mant is also permissible. If the spelling "accouterment" is used, however, only a.kúe.ter.mant would apply. | ||
| accuracy | áak.ya.ra.sèe | áak.a.ra.sèe | |
| accurate | áak.yoo.rat | áa.ka.rat | |
| across | a.kráus | a.kráust (illiterate) | |
| actor | áak.ter | áak.taur | |
| actually | áak.chue.wa.lee | áak.sha.lee, áak.cha.lee | |
| actually* | In formal speech all four syllables of "actually" are articulated. In casual speech, the word is more commonly pronounced as though written "actially". | ||
| acuity | a.kyúe.wi.tee | a.kúe.wi.tee | |
| acumen | áak.yoo.man | a.kyúe.man, áak.yue.man | |
| adagio | a.dój.o | a.dój.ee.yò | |
| address | place (n): áa.dres direct to a place (v): a.drés |
speech (n & v): a.drés | |
| Aden | Áe.dan | Ód.an, Áa.dan | |
| adept | adj: a.dépt | n: áa.dept | |
| administrative | aad.mìn.i.stráe.tiv | aad.mín.i.stra.tìv | |
| adult | n: áad.ult | adj: a.dúlt | |
| adulthood | a.dúlt.hood | áa.dult.hood | |
| advance/d | aad.váans/t | aad.vóns/t | |
| advantage | aad.váan.taj | aad.vón.taj | |
| adverse | alone: aad.vérs | before noun: áad.vers | |
| advert | n: áad.vert | v: aad.vért | |
| advertisement | aad.ver.tíez.mant | aad.vér.tiz.mant | |
| advertiser | áad.ver.tìez.er | ||
| advocate | n: áad.va.kat | v: áad.va.kàet | |
| aegis | ée.jis | áe.jis | |
| aerie | áe.ya.ree | ái.ree, ée.ya.rèe, áaq.a.rèe, íe.ya.ree, etc. | |
| aesthete | és.ttheet | ées.ttheet | |
| aesthetic | es.tthét.ik | ees.tthét.ik | |
| affect | n: áaf.ekt | v: a.fékt | |
| affiant
|
a.fíe.yant | áaf.ee.yant | |
| affiant* | Though many readers will see the unusual, legal word "affiant" (which refers to a person who makes an affidavit) as áa.fee.yant, it is actually parallel in pronunciation to "defiant". | ||
| affluent | áa.flue.want | a.flúe.want | |
| aficionado | a.fìsh.ee.ya.nód.oe | ||
| aforementioned | a.fáur.men.chand | áaf.er.mèn.shand | |
| after | áaf.ter | óf.ta | |
| aftermath | áaf.ter.màatth | óf.ta.mòtth | |
| afternoon | n: aaf.ter.núen | adj: áaf.ter.nùen | òf.ta.núen, óf.ta.nùen |
| again/st | a.gén/st | a.gáen/st | |
| aged | n, adj (elderly): áe.jad | v, adj: aejd | |
| aggrandizement | àa.graan.díez.mant | a.gráan.diz.mant | |
| aircraft | áir.kraaft | ái.kroft | |
| albino | aal.bíe.no | aal.bée.no | |
| Allah | A.lóq | Ó.la, Áa.la | |
| alleged | a.léjd | a.léj.ad | |
| allegedly | a.léj.ad.lee | ||
| allied | a.líed | WW II: Áal.ied | |
| alloy | n: áa.loi | v: a.lói | |
| ally | n: áal.ie | v: a.líe | |
| almanac | ául.ma.naak | áal.ma.naak | |
| almond | óm.and | ól.mand, áal.mand, áa.mand, ául.mand | |
| almond* | Modern readers of English are hostile to silent letters — as well they should be — so what linguists call "spelling pronunciations" proliferate in new readers of English and in willful people who see no reason a given letter "should" be silent. They see an L in a word like "almond" or "palm", and they pronounce it, even though that's not easy to do. They also back-form their pronunciation for "palm" from the way they hear the personal surname "Palmer" pronounced on television (as in the case of the professional golfer Arnold Palmer or former baseball player and present-day TV spokesman for a loan company Jim Palmer), which includes a sounded-L (Pól.mer). Once they have put a sounded-L before the M in "palm", they then use that pattern as the model for pronouncing the seemingly parallel word "almond". But the noun "palm" is not a back-formation from the surname "Palmer". If anything, the surname derives from the noun, and some "Palmers" do not pronounce the L. I too am hostile to silent letters, so am tempted to sound the L in words like "palm" and "almond". But I find doing so difficult and clumsy. It might be useful to employ both pronunciations in the case of "palm": without the L, for "part of the hand" and with the L, for the tree (or the other way around). A phonetic spelling system for English would enable authorities to mandate such a distinction, but without phonetic spelling few readers will be clear on when to use which pronunciation. At present, then, I recommend treating the L as silent in both senses of the word "palm" (pom always, not ever polm), as well as in the word "almond" (óm.and). | ||
| altruist | áal.true.wist | ául.true.wist | |
| altruistic | àal.true.wís.tik | ául.true.wís.tik | |
| alumnae | a.lúm.nee | ||
| alumnae* | In Latin, "alumnae" is pronounced a.lúem.nie and "alumni" as a.lúem.nee. Some antique mispronunciations of borrowed Latin words have been corrected — for instance, "armada" (the English version of medieval Latin "armata") was once said or.máe.da but is now said in the Romance fashion, or.mód.a). Many Latin words admitted to English long ago also have been fully anglicized, for instance, "mater" and "pater" (máe.ter and páe.ter) and seem unlikely to revert to a Latin pronunciation. Similarly, a.lúm.nie for "alumni" is so entrenched that only Latinists speaking to other Latinists will be understood to mean the masculine if they say a.lúm.nee and the feminine if they say a.lúm.nie. Even then, unless the context is clear, they may have to clarify which they mean with some explanatory remark. Is it worth the trouble? Or should we just accept that "alumni" and "alumnae", absent a phonetic spelling system for English, must be said in wholly anglicized fashion? We could, of course, obviate the problem by eliminating these irregular plurals and making the words "alumnas" and "alumnuses". Why not? Remembering irregular plurals is at least as troublesome as knowing when to give a word borrowed from another language a fully anglicized pronunciation as against when to give it the pronunciation it has in its original language, or when to use a pronunciation that is neither wholly anglicized nor wholly foreign. | ||
| alumni | a.lúm.nie | ||
| alumni* | See note to "alumnae". | ||
| Alzheimer's | Ólts.hie.merz | Áalz.hie.merz | |
| am | aam | aim | |
| amateur | áam.a.cher | áam.a.ter, àa.ma.tér, áam.a.chùer | |
| amateurish | àa.ma.chúer.ish | áa.ma.chùer.ish, àa.ma.túer.ish | |
| Amazon | Áa.ma.zòn | Áa.ma.zan | |
| ambience | òm.bee.yóns | áam.bee.yans | |
| ambient | áam.bee.yant | ||
| ameba (see "amoeba") | |||
| amen | o.mén | ae.mén | |
| amenable | a.mée.na.bool | a.mén.a.bool | |
| America | Amáirika | A.mér.i.ka, A.máa.ri.ka | |
| amnesia | aam.née.zha | aam.née.zee.ya | |
| amoeba/ameba | a.mée.ba | ||
| amoebae/amebae | a.mée.bee | ||
| amoebae* | This un-Latin pronunciation of the -AE ending can be avoided by using the plural "amoebas"/"amebas", which is in any case more common nowadays, at least in lay language. | ||
| amok | a.mók | ||
| amphitheater | áam.fi.tthèe.ya.ter | áam.pi.tthèe.ter | |
| amuck | a.múck | ||
| amulet | áam.yoo.lat | áam.yoo.lèt | |
| an | aan | unstressed: an | |
| an* | "An" is the pair for "a". It inserts an N-glide so that we don't have to stop the air flow abruptly to show where the article "a" stops and the vowel that starts the following word begins ("a' accident"), nor risk losing the "a" to merger into the following word. (Such a jarring halt between words is achieved by means of a glottal stop, that is, an interruption to the flow of air produced by closing the glottis, the valve that shuts off the lungs from the esophagus when we swallow, not by moving the tongue or any other speech organ.) "An" is NEVER used before a sounded consonant. The affectations "an historic" and "an Hispanic" are absurd. Only people who are very insecure about what is "correct" say such irrational things. Since we don't say "an history", we should assuredly not say "an historic". "An Hispanic" is equally absurd, because though H may be silent in Spanish, "Hispanic" is an English word, and the H is sounded in that English word. (See also the note at the listing for "historic".) | ||
| anchovy | áan.chòe.vee | àan.chóe.vee, áan.cha.vèe | |
| Andean | Aan.dée.yan | Áan.dee.yan | |
| Andes | Áan.deez | ||
| anesthetist/anaesthetist | a.nés.ttha.tìst | aa.nées.ttha.tìst | |
| angina | aan.jíe.na | áan.ji.na | |
| annex | n: áan.eks | v: a.néks | |
| answer | áan.ser | ón.sa | |
| antarctic | aant.órk.tik | aant.ór.tik | |
| anti- | áan.tee- | occasionally: áan.tie- | áan.tiq- |
| antihistamine | àan.tee.hís.ta.min | àan.tee.hís.ta.mèen | áan.ti.hís.ta.min |
| antitrust | aan.tee.trúst | aan.tie.trúst | |
| anxious | áangk.shas | ||
| anybody | én.ee.bùd.ee | én.ee.bòd.ee, én.ee.bàu.dee, én.i.bàu.diq | |
| anything | én.ee.tthing | én.i.tthing | |
| apartheid | a.pór.taet | a.pór.tied, a.pór.tthied | |
| aphrodisi ac | àa.froe.dée.zee.yaak | àa.fra.dée.zee.yàak | àa.fra.dée.zhee.yàak, àa.froe.dée.zhee.yàak |
| aphrodisiac* | Shortening the O in "aphrodisiac" to a schwa seems to me both unnecessary and undesirable. An O that is long in sound quality (oe) but short in spoken duration (as in "domain") is easy enough to say. Why change the quality of the sound just because the syllable in which it occurs isn't stressed? On the other hand, pronouncing the O as such might suggest that the first part of this word is "afro", and thus somehow related to Africa or black Americans, which would be a needlessly confusing association if anyone would make it. But since the word is well known and has no such association, there remains no good reason to schwa the O. Still, that is what most people seem to do, so I allow both pronunciations. | ||
| Appalachia/n | Àa.pa.láe.cha/n | Àa.pa.láa.chee.ya/n, Àa.pa.láa.sha/n | |
| Appalachia/n* | The short, unstressed, neutral vowel sound called "schwa" (the most common vowel in English) varies widely in actual pronunciation, depending in part upon whether it is closed (followed in the same syllable by a consonant) or open (falling at the end of the word). In "Appalachia", "Asia", "America" and the like, the open schwa at the end of the word approaches a full short-U in sound quality. "Appalachian", "Asian", and "American", however, contain a closed schwa: the added N shortens the schwa in both duration and sound quality, so that it approaches a very brief short-I. I say schwa "approaches" one or another of the full vowels, because it doesn't quite equal any full vowel. In "churches" or "business", one is tempted to treat the schwa as if it were a full short-I: chér.chiz, biz.niz, temp.tid. But that wouldn't be quite right. | ||
| apparatus | àa.pa.ráa.tas | àa.pa.ráe.tas | |
| appellee | àa.pa.lée | ||
| applicable | áap.li.ka.bool | a.plík.a.bool | |
| appointee | a.póin.tee | ||
| appreciate | a.prée.shee.yaet | a.prísh.ee.yaet, a.prée.see.yaet | |
| appreciative | a.prée.sha.tiv | a.prèe.shee.yáe.tiv | |
| apricot | áap.ri.kot | áe.pri.kot | |
| April | Áe.prool | Áe.pril | |
| aqua | áak.wa | ók.wa | |
| aqua/marine | àak.wa.ma.réen | òkwa.ma.réen | |
| aquatic | a.kwáat.ik | a.kwót.ik | |
| aqueduct | áa.kwa.dukt | ók.wa.dukt | |
| aquiline | áa.kwi.lìen | áa.kwi.lèen | |
| arbitrage | ór.bi.trozh | ór.bi.traj | |
| archetype | ór.ki.tiep | ||
| archipelago | òr.ki.pél.a.goe | òr.chi.pél.a.goe | |
| archivist | ór.ka.vist | ór.kie.vist | |
| arctic | órk.tik | ór.tik | |
| Argentine (person) | Ór.jan.tien | Ór.jan.teen | |
| Argentine (relating to Argentina as a country) | Ór.jan.teen | ||
| aristocrat | a.rís.ta.kràat | áar.is.ta.kràat | |
| arithmetic | n: a.rítth.ma.tik | adj: àar.itth.mét.ik | |
| armada | or.mód.a | or.máe.da | |
| artisan | ór.ti.zan | ór.ti.zàan | |
| asbestos | aaz.bés.tas | aaz.bés.toes | |
| Asia/n | Áe.zha/n | Áe.sha/n | |
| ask | aask | aaks (illiterate), osk | |
| aspirin | áas.prin | áa.sper.in | |
| ass | aas | os | |
| assay | n: áa.sae | v: aa.sáe | |
| assignee | àa.si.née | ||
| assignor | a.síe.ner | àa.si.náur | |
| associate | n: a.sóe.see.yat, a.sóe.shee.yat | v: a.sóe.see.yàet, a.sóe.shee.yàet | |
| assuage | a.swáej | a.swáezh, a.swózh | |
| asterisk | áas.ta.risk | áas.ta.rik (illiterate) | |
| asthma | áaz.ma | áas.ma, áazth.ma | |
| ate | aet | et | |
| athlete | áatth.leet | áa.ttha.leet (illiterate) | |
| atoll | áatol | ||
| atoll* | So chaotic has English pronunciation become that dictionaries list six pronunciations for this five-letter word: áa.tol, áa.toel, áa.taul; áe.tol, áe.toel, áe.taul. It is to end that kind of mad chaos that this work was created. | ||
| attitude | áa.ti.tued | áa.ti.tyued | |
| augur | áur.ger | óg.yer | |
| august | n: Áu.gast | adj: au.gúst | |
| auk | auk | ouk | |
| aunt | ont | aant, aint | |
| aurora | a.ráu.ra | ||
| Aussie | Áu.see | Óz.ee | |
| authoritative | au.tthò.ri.táe.tiv | a.tthó.ri.ta.tìv | |
| authority | au.tthó.ri.tee | a.ttháu.ri.tee | |
| auto | áu.toe | ót.oe | |
| auxiliary | aug.zíl.ya.ree | aug.zíl.a.ree (illiterate) | |
| available | a.vái.la.bool | a.váe.la.bool | |
| avalanche | áa.va.làanch | áa.va.lònsh | |
| avenue | áav.an.yue | áav.a.nue | |
| average | áav.raj | áa.ver.aj | |
| aviation | àe.vee.yáe.shan | àa.vee.yáe.shan | |
| awesome | áu.sam | ó.sam | |
| awful | áu.fool | óf.al | |
| awkward | áuk.werd | ók.werd | |
| awry | a.ríe | áu.ree | |
B [Return to top.] |
|||
| baboon | baa.búen | ba.búen | |
| bade (see Note at "forbade") | baed | baad | |
| badminton | báad.min.tan | báad.mit.an | |
| baleen | ba.léen | ||
| balk | bauk | baulk | |
| balk* | This is one case in which I strongly prefer the spelling-pronunciation, which sounds the L in "balk". I baulk at bauk, but in the interest of creating a single standard, consent to drop the L and treat it as a pair to "walk", "talk", "chalk", or "stalk". | ||
| ballet | baa.láe | báal.ae | |
| balletic | ba.lét.ik | ||
| balm/y | bólm/ee | bóm/ee | |
| balm/y* | Though some authorities prefer that the L in "balm" be silent, that would make "balm" a needless homonym for "bomb". A "bomb" destroys. A "balm" heals. To pronounce the two opposed words the same would be odd indeed. | ||
| balsamic | baul.sáa.mik | bául.sa.mik | |
| banal | ba.nól | báe.nal, ba.náal | |
| banal* | The other two common pronunciations for "banal" parallel "canal" and "anal". "Banal" is an unusual and pretentious word. An unusual and pretentious pronunciation suits it. | ||
| banana | ba.náa.na | ba.nón.a | |
| baptize | báap.tiez | baap.tíez | |
| baptize* | Though it is more common in English for a verb to be stressed on the last syllable than the first, there is no noun with which "baptize" can be confused, so it doesn't matter that the more common pronunciation of this verb stresses the first syllable. | ||
| barbaric | bor.bái.rik | bor.báa.rik | |
| barbiturate | bor.bí.cha.rit | bor.bích.ue.wit | |
| baroque | ba.róek | ba.rók | |
| barrage | ba.rózh | báa.rozh | |
| basalt | ba.sáult | báe.sault, baa.sáult | |
| bases | pl. of "base": báe.saz
pl. of "basis": báe.seez |
||
| basically | báe.sik.lee | báe.sik.a.lee | |
| basically* | If, as here, the base adjective to which -LY is added to form a -CALLY ending does not itself include -CAL (the word here is "basic", not "basical"), it is perfectly reasonable to drop the sound that the -CAL ending would ordinarily be given. Other such words are "dramatically", "drastically", "scientifically" (dramáatiklee, dráastiklee, sìeyentífiklee), since the adjective they derive from does not end in -CAL ("dramatical", "drastical", "scientifical"). By contrast, where the adjective does include -CAL, it is better to pronounce the adverb to include that syllable: médikalee, fízikalee, fìlasófikalee for "medically", "physically", "philosophically". | ||
| basil | personal name: Báa.zool | herb: báe.zool | |
| Basque | Baask | Bosk | |
| Basque* | This word surprisingly does not take the "Continental" value of A (as in "father"; in this work, short-O), even though it is the name of a European people. In that the Basque language is apparently not related to any of its neighbors, nor, as far as is known, to any other language on Earth, it is fitting that its name is pronounced in an unexpected manner. | ||
| bath | baatth | botth | |
| bathe | baeth | botth | |
| bathos | báe.tthoes | ||
| bathos* | This literary word is parallel in spelling to another literary word of Greek origin: "pathos", which has six different pronunciations (páe.tthos, páe.tthaus, páe.tthoes; páa.tthos, páa.tthaus, páa.tthoes). Curiously, lexicographers allow only one pronunciation for "bathos": báe.tthos. That is intellectually insupportable. Students of foreign languages will be inclined to give continental-European values to foreign-looking words like these, which would yield the pronunciations bó.tthoes and pó.tthoes. Neither is recognized by lexicographers (and pó.tthoes is the name of a popular houseplant, the "pothos". Since the next closest pronunciation, páe.tthoes, is a recognized pronunciation for the pair to "bathos", I opt for páe.tthoes and báe.tthoes. | ||
| baths | baathz | baatths | |
| batik | ba.téek | báa.tik | |
| baton | ba.tón | báat.an, báa.ton | |
| baton* | This is French for "stick". In the 20th century, until about the 1980s, it was used popularly only for the stick with which a conductor leads an orchestra. In the euphemistically-inclined 1980s and 1990s, the traditional term "nightstick" for a police officer's club was gradually displaced by "baton", an inappropriately gentler term. This use does, however, find sanction in the history of the word. When it entered English, in the un-gentle 16th century, the first meaning of "baton" was cudgel or truncheon. The pronunciation báa.tan holds only for the name of the capital city of Louisiana, Baton Rouge ("red stick" in French, the original colonial language of Louisiana). | ||
| battery | báa.ter.ee | báa.tree | |
| bayonet | n: báe.ya.net, bae.ya.nét | v: bae.ya.nét, báe.ya.net | báe.ya.nat |
| be- | The prefix "be-" (as in words like "believe" and "behind" can easily be pronounced as though it were the full word "be" (bee), but abbreviating it to biq does little harm to comprehensibility. (Remember, in this pronunciation scheme, Q is silent, the only letter that is silent). It is not "wrong" to say either beeléev or biléev. Just be certain not to say baléev or, worse still, buléev. | ||
| beatific | bèe.ya.tíf.ik | báe.ya.tíf.ik | |
| beatitude | bee.yáa.ti.tùed | ||
| beautiful | byúe.ti.fool | byúe.tee.fool (illiterate) | |
| beautifully | byúe.ti.flee | byúe.ti.foo.lee | |
| because | bee.káuz | bi.káuz | bee.káus |
| been | bin | been, ben | |
| behave | bee.háev | bu.háev | |
| behavior | bee.háev.yer | bu.háev.yer | |
| behind | bee.híend | bu.híend (illiterate) | |
| Beijing | Bae.jíng | Bae.zhíng | |
| Beijing* | Native speakers of English tend to group all the languages of the Earth into two categories: (1) English and (2) foreign. Historically, the most important "foreign" language to speakers of English has been French, with which English fought a death struggle in Britain for 400 years following the Conquest of England by Norman invaders who imposed French as the language of government and the upper classes. Though English ultimately drove French from England and has practically obliterated French as an international language of consequence, to native speakers of English, "foreign language" still somehow equates with "French". Thus all words and place names of non-English origin tend to be pronounced as though they were French: "Beijing" is said Bae.zhíng (even though Bae.jíng is clearly more "Chinese-y"), because in French, J is pronounced ZH. (See note at "maharajah".) The Spanish surname "Chavez" is mispronounced Sha.véz (see note at "Chavez Ravine") because in French CH is pronounced SH and stress is placed on the last syllable. The problem is that not all foreign languages are French. Though it is of course easier to learn the sound system of one language and apply it to all others, it is a foolish way to approach a planet on which some 6,000 languages are spoken, each with its own sound system. | ||
| belief | bi.léef | bee.léef | bu.léef |
| believe | bi.léev | bee.léev | bu.léev |
| beloved | bee.lúv.ad | bi.lúvd | |
| below | bi.lóe | bee.lóe | |
| beneficiary | bèn.a.físh.a.ree | bèn.a.físh.ee.yèr.ee | |
| Bengal/s | adj, football team: Béng.gal/z | place: Ben.gául | |
| berserk | ber.zérk | ber.sérk | |
| besiege | bee.séej | bee.séezh | |
| bestiality | bès.tee.yáa.li.tee | bèe.stee.yáa.li.tee | |
| beta | báe.ta | bée.ta | |
| beverage | bév.raj | bév.er.aj | |
| bewilder/ed | bee.wíl.der/d | bi.wíl.der/d | ba.wíl.der/d, bu.wíl.der/d |
| beyond | bee.yónd | bee.ónd | |
| biathlon | bie.yáatth.lon | bie.yáa.ttha.lon | |
| bilingual | bie.líng.gwal | bie.líng.gyu.wool | |
| Birmingham | Alabama: Bér.ming.hàam | England: Bér.ming.am | |
| blessed | blest | religion: blés.ad | |
| body | bód.ee | báu.diq | |
| Boer | Buer | Baur | |
| Boise | Bói.see | Bói.zee | |
| Boise* | The spelling "Boise" is a perfect Fanetik rendering of this city's name, but it is commonly mispronounced Bóizee. | ||
| bona fides | bóe.na fíe.deez | ||
| bona fide | bóe.na fied | bón.a fied | bóe.na fíe.dee |
| Bosnia-Herzegovina | Bóz.nee.ya-Hèr.tsa.goe.vée.na | Bós.nee.ya-Her.tsa.góe.vi.na | |
| Boston | Báu.stan | Bós.tan | |
| bough | bou | ||
| bought | baut | bot | |
| bouquet | flowers: boe.káe | aroma: bue.káe | |
| bow | knot; and arrow: boe | gesture of respect: bou | |
| braggadocio | bràa.ga.dóe.see.yoe, bràa.ga.dóe.shee.yoe | puristic Italian pronunciation: bràa.ga.dóe.choe | |
| branch | braanch | bronch | |
| brass | braas | bros | |
| bravura | bra.vyúe.ra | bro.vúer.a | |
| breath | bretth | ||
| breathe | breeth | ||
| broach | broech | ||
| broadcast | bráud.kaast | bráud.kost | |
| brochure | broe.shúer | bróe.sher | |
| brooch | bruech | broech | |
| brusk / brusque | brusk | bruesk | |
| bubo | búe.boe | byúe.boe | |
| bubonic | byue.bón.ik | bue.bón.ik | |
| Buddha | Búe.da | Bóod.a | |
| Buddha* | The puristic pronunciation Bóoda is one that people who learn the word from reading will not themselves think to say. Búeda is far more common, even among highly-educated native speakers of English. | ||
| Buddhism | Búe.diz.am | Bóod.iz.am (see note at "Buddha") | |
| buffet | n (food): ba.fáe | n, v (strike): búf.at | bue.fáe, búe.fae |
| buoy | n: búe.wee | v: boi | |
| buttock/s | bút.ak/s | bú.tok/s | |
| Byzantine | Bíz.an.teen | Bíe.zan.teen, Bi.záan.teen, Bi.záan.tien, Bie.záan.teen, Bie.záan.tien | |
C [Return to top.] |
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| cabal | ka.ból | ka.báal | |
| cabana | ka.báa.na | ka.báan.ya | |
| cabana* | In its original Spanish, this word is spelled with a tilde over the N and pronounced ka.bón.ya. If it were to come into English today, we would probably pronounce it either as in Spanish or with the A's anglicized: ka.báan.ya. But the word in fact came into English in 1890 and has been fully naturalized as ka.báa.na. Today, the Spanish pronunciation sounds affected. | ||
| cacti | káak.ti | ||
| cadre | káad.ree | kód.rae, káad.rae | |
| caesarean | si.zái.ree.yan | see.sái.ree.yan | |
| cafe | kaa.fáe | ka.fáe, káa.fae | |
| caffeine | n: kaa.féen | adj: káa.feen | ka.féen |
| caffeine* | In phrases, such as "caffeine-free", "caffeine" is used as an adjective, and the syllabic stress shifts forward to the first syllable: káaf.een. This is a common pattern where nouns are used as part of a phrase: báalae dàanser, kláureen tàest. | ||
| California | Kaa.li.fáurn.ya | Kaa.li.fáur.nee.ya | |
| caliph | káelif | káal.if, ka.léef | |
| caliphate | káal.i.faet | káe.li.faet | |
| call | kaul | kol | |
| calm | kom (See note at "almond".) | kolm | |
| camera | káam.ra | káam.er.a | |
| camouflage | káa.ma.flòzh | kóm.a.flòzh, káam.a.flòj | |
| campaign | kaam.páen | ||
| can't | kaant | kont | |
| can't* | This is one of the few cases in which British usage is superior to American. Brits can readily distinguish between the positive and negative forms of the word "can", even when the negative precedes a word that starts in T ("I kont tauk nou"), whereas Americans cannot: "I kaant tauk nou" may sound pretty much the same as "I kaan tauk nou", though in unstressed use, "can" is generally pronounced "kan" (with a schwa) rather than "kaan" (with the full vocalic short-A). This indistinctness in American usage sometimes forces a request for clarification: "Did you say you can talk now or can't?" Compare "do" with "don't", "will" with "won't", and you will see that ideally all speakers of English should adopt the kaan/kont distinction. Adopting this useful contrast would also help salve British pride over the progressive loss of control over `their own language' to upstart Yanks and other "colonials". But I won't be the first American arbiter of correct speech to adopt this distinction in my own speech, because I do not wish to be thought British-affected. When the Modern Language Association or some other authoritative body puts its imprimatur on making the kaan/kont distinction and large numbers of newscasters start using it, I will too. | ||
| canal | ka.náal | ||
| canalize | káan.a.liez | ||
| candidate | káan.di.daet | káan.di.dit | |
| candor | káan.der | káan.daur | |
| canine | káe.nien | káa.nien | |
| cannot | káa.not | ka.nót | |
| caprice | ka.prées | ||
| capricious | ka.prísh.as | ka.prée.shas | |
| caramel | káa.ra.mel | kór.mal, káa.ra.mal | |
| carcinogen | kór.sin.a.jan | kòr.sín.a.jan | |
| Caribbean | Ka.ríb.ee.yan | Kàa.ri.bée.yan | |
| Casablanca | Kò.sa.blóng.ka | Kàa.sa.bláang.ka | |
| cashew | káa.shue | ka.shúe, kaa.shúe | |
| cast/e | kaast | kost | |
| castle | káas.ool | kós.ool | |
| casualty | káa.zhal.tee | káa.zhoo.wal.tèe | káazh.wal.tèe, káaz.yue.wal.tèe |
| catatonia | kàa.ta.tóe.nee.ya | kàa.ta.tón.ee.ya | |
| category | káa.ta.gàu.ree | káa.ta.ga.rèe | |
| catercorner | káat.a.kàur.ner | ||
| catercorner* | This American term has many different spellings — cater-corner(ed), catty-corner(ed), kitty-corner(ed) — and pronunciations. The "cater" part comes from Latin quattuor (`four') via French quatre, and has nothing to do with cats or kitties, so should be pronounced káata, not kítee. | ||
| Catholic | Káatth.lik | Káa.ttha.lik | |
| caulk | kauk | kaulk | |
| caveat emptor | kóv.ae.yot émptaur | káa.vee.yot émp.ter | |
| caveat emptor* | This Latin phrase (which means "let the buyer beware") can be anglicized (the second pronunciation above) or said in the Latin fashion (first), depending upon one's inclination and audience. It's a bit highfalutin in any case, and may not be understood by some listeners no matter how it's said. I therefore prefer the Latin pronunciation. If you're not going to be understood by your entire potential audience, you might at least come across as educated to those you do reach. | ||
| caveat | káa.vee.yot | kóv.ee.yòt | |
| cayenne | kie.yén | kae.yén | |
| cayenne* | This word looks French but really derives from a Brazilian Indian language, Tupi, so does not take the pronunciation kae.yén that it would have if it were French. Cayenne is the capital of French Guiana, which adjoins Brazil, so the confusion is understandable. But the name of the pepper derives from Tupi kyinha. How that is pronounced in the original Tupi is not indicated in my references, but it looks as though kie.yén is closer than kae.yén. Then again, perhaps the French took the name of their town from the same word, so we should assume that kae.yén was a reasonably accurate rendering of what the French heard when they wrote it down as "Cayenne". One problem remains: "cayenne" is ambiguous in French too, and could represent an attempt by an early explorer to write kie.yén! | ||
| celebratory | sél.a.bra.tàu.ree | sèl.a.bráe.ta.ree | |
| celestial | sa.lés.chal | sa.lés.tee.yal | |
| cellulite | sél.yoo.líet | sél.yue.lèet | |
| Celtic/s | Kél.tik | basketball team: Sél.tiks | |
| cemetery | sém.a.tèr.ee | sém.i.tree | |
| censure | sén.sher | sén.see.ya | |
| centurion | sen.chúer.ee.yan | sen.túer.ee.yan, sen.tyúer.ee.yan | |
| cerebral palsy | sér.a.bral pául.zee | ||
| cerebral | ser.ée.bral | ||
| ceremony | sér.a.mòe.ne | sér.a.mun.iq | |
| certificate | n: ser.tíf.i.kat | v: ser.tíf.i.kàet | |
| cesarean (see "caesarean") | |||
| chaise longue/s | shaez laung/z | ||
| chalcedony | kàal.séd.a.nee | káal.sa.dòe.nee | |
| chamois | sháam.ee | ||
| champagne | shaam.páen | ||
| chance | chaans | chons, chains | |
| chancellor | cháan.sa.ler | chón.sa.la, cháan.sa.laur | |
| chaps | chaaps | shaaps | |
| chaps* | "Shaaps" is another Frenchified mispronunciation of a word actually derived from Spanish: chaparreras. See discussions of Francization at "Beijing", "Chavez Ravine", and "maharajah". | ||
| charade | sha.ráed | sha.ród | |
| chassis | singular: cháa.se, sháa.se | plural: cháa.seez, sháa.seez | cháa.sis |
| chassis* | The spelling of this word has produced a change in its most often heard pronunciation away from the original, French-CH (pronounced SH in English) to the English-CH (as in "church"). The SH pronunciation now sounds old-fashioned, even affected. When a French-CH is pronounced in the English fashion, you know the word has been fully "naturalized" (that is, it is no longer seen as foreign). | ||
| chastise | cháas.tiez | chaas.tíez | |
| chauffeur | n: shoe.fér | v: shóe.fer | |
| chauffeur* | "Chauffeur" came into English around 1899 as a noun, and took its French stress pattern, on the last syllable, with it. That pronunciation became familiar and popularly accepted, just as "garage", another word borrowed from French around the same time, became accepted with an un-English stress on the last syllable. After a couple of decades, people started to use "chauffeur" as a verb as well as a noun, and used the typical English device of reversing the syllabic stress to distinguish a verb from a noun. However, since the familiar noun was stressed on the last syllable, to create the verb they shifted the stress to the first syllable — the reverse of the typical pattern. | ||
| Chavez Ravine | Chóv.es Ra.véen | Sha.véz Ra.véen | |
| Chavez Ravine* | The "CH sound" in English is the same as the "CH sound" in Spanish: church, chico (though Spanish has only that one pronunciation for CH, whereas English also allows a K sound as in "chemistry", an SH sound as in "champagne", and even a KH sound (a harsh guttural) as in "Chanukah"). In the particular instance of Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, correct Spanish, in addition to pronouncing the CH in "Chavez" the same way English generally pronounces CH, also puts the spoken stress on the first syllable of the word, as is customary in English as well: Chávez (pronounced Chóv.es). Indeed, the Spanish has an ACCENT on the first syllable, which should clearly indicate to even the most linguistically innocent speaker of English that it is that syllable that is stressed. How, then, if English would pronounce this word Chóv.ez, if it were originally English, and Spanish pronounces it Chóv.es, did most people in the United States come to think it should be pronounced Sha.véz? Well, that common (mis)pronunciation is a bizarre Frenchification that doesn't even follow the rules of French. If "Chavez" were French, the Z would be silent: Sho.váe. Native speakers of English seem to feel that all foreign languages are French (see notes at "Beijing" and "maharajah"), so should be pronounced that way, but they don't know French very well. They know that a final-T in French is often silent (see "valet"), but they don't know that the Z in an -EZ ending is typically also silent in French (see "oyez"). | ||
| Chevy | car: Shév.ee | Maryland city and comic actor Chevy Chase: Chév.ee | |
| chicle | chík.ool | chík.lee, chée.klae | |
| chiffon | shi.fón | shí.fon | |
| Chile | Chíl.ee | Chée.lae | |
| Chilean | Chíl.ee.yan | Chi.láe.yan | |
| Chilean* | Semi-educated people often try to give Spanish pronunciations to words of Spanish origin, even when they have long been established as English words in their own right. (See "junta".) Alas, many such people do not really know Spanish. The Spanish word for a person from Chile is "chileno" (chee.láe.no), which is so different from the English "Chilean" that it is pointless to spanicize the English, since it will not approximate its Spanish equivalent. It is not disrespectful of Spanish to pronounce English words in the English fashion. "Chilean" is English, not Spanish, so should be pronounced in an authentic English fashion, not a pseudo-Spanish fashion. | ||
| chimera | kie.mée.ra | ||
| chimpanzee | chim.paan.zée | chim.páan.zee | |
| Chinese | n: Chie.néez | adj: Chíe.neez, Chie.níeez | Chie.nées |
| Chinook | Shi.nóok | Chi.nóok | |
| chiropodist | shi.róp.a.dist (preferred) | ki.róp.a.dist (infrequent) | |
| chivalric | shi.váal.rik | chív.al.rik | |
| chocolate | cháuk.lat | cháu.ka.lat | chók.lit, chók.a.lit |
| Christian | Krís.chan | Krís.tee.yan | |
| Christianity | Krìs.tee.yáan.i.te | ||
| chromosome | króe.ma.sòem | króe.ma.zòem | |
| Churchill | Chér.chool | Chérch.hil | |
| Churchill* | This is a collapsed version of "church hill" but the H-sound in "hill" is silent in the collapsed term. Contrast "threshold". | ||
| circuit | sér.kit | ||
| circuitous | ser.kyúe.wi.tas | ||
| cirri | séer.ie | ||
| cirrus | séer.as | ||
| civilization | sì.vi.li.záe.shan | sì.vi.lie.záe.shan | |
| clamber | kláam.ber | kláa.mer | |
| clandestine | klaan.dés.tin | kláan.di.stìen | |
| clapboard | kláa.berd | kláap.baurd | |
| class | klaas | klos | |
| clerk | klerk | klork | |
| clientele | klìe.yan.tél | klèe.yonn.tél | |
| clique | kleek | klik | |
| cloth | klautth | klotth | |
| clothes | kloethz | kloez | |
| codify | kód.i.fie | kóe.di.fie | |
| coercion | koe.wér.shan | koe.wér.zhan | |
| coffee | káu.fee | kóf.ee | |
| coffers | kóf.erz | káu.ferz | |
| coherent | koe.héer.ant | koe.hér.ant | |
| collage | ka.lózh | ||
| collate | kóe.laet | kól.aet | |
| Colorado | Kol.a.ród.o | Kol.a.ráad.o | |
| comatose | kóm.a.toes | kóe.ma.toes | |
| combat | n: kóm.baat | v: kam.báat | |
| combatant | kam.báa.tant | kóm.ba.tant | |
| combine | v: kam.bíen | n: kóm.bien | |
| comfortable | kumf.ter.bool | kúm.fer.ta.bòol | kúmf.ta.bool |
| comfortably | kúm.fer.ta.blèe | kúmf.ter.blèe | |
| command | ka.máand | ka.mónd | |
| commensurate | ka.mén.shoo.rat | ka.mén.zhoo.rat, ka.mén.sa.rat | |
| commingle | ka.míng.gal | koe.míng.gal | |
| communal | ka.myúe.nal | kóm.yoo.nal | |
| commune | n: kóm.yuen | v: ka.myúen | |
| compact | n: kóm.paakt | v, adj: kam.páakt | |
| complex | n: kóm.pleks | adj: kam.pléks | adj: kóm.pleks, kom.pléks |
| component | kam.póe.nant | kóm.poe.nant | |
| composite | kam.póz.it | kóm.pa.zit | |
| compound | n: kóm.pound | v: kam.póund | |
| comptroller | kan.tróe.ler | kómp.troe.ler, komp.tróe.ler | |
| comrade | kóm.raad | kóm.raed | |
| concerted | kan.sért.ad | kón.sert.ad | |
| conch | konch | kongk | |
| conciliatory | kan.síl.ee.ya.tàu.ree | kan.síl.a.tàu.ree | |
| concrete | n: kón.kreet | adj, v: kan.kréet | kóng.kreet, kong.kréet |
| concretize | kón.kri.tìez | ||
| condor | kón.daur | kón.der | |
| conduct | n: kón.dukt | v: kan.dúkt | |
| conduit | kón.due.wit | kón.dwit, kón.dyue.wit, kón.dit | |
| conference | kón.frans | kón.fer.ans | |
| conflict | n: kón.flikt | v: kan.flíkt | |
| conifer | kón.i.fer | kóe.ni.fer | |
| connectivity | kòn.ek.tív.i.tee | ||
| connoisseur | kon.a.sér | kon.a.súer | |
| conquest | kón.kwest | kóng.kwest | |
| conquistador | koen.kée.sta.daur | kan.kwís.ta.daur | |
| conscience | kón.chans | kón.shans | |
| conscious | kón.chas | kón.shas | |
| conscript | n, adj: kón.skript | v: kan.skrípt | |
| consequence | kón.sa.kwans | ||
| consequences | kón.sa.kwèns.az | ||
| consort | n: kón.saurt | v: kan.sáurt | |
| consortium | kan.sáur.sham | kan.sáur.tee.yam | |
| Constantine | Kón.stan.tèen | Kón.stan.tìen | |
| consummate | v: kón.soo.maet | adj: kan.súm.at, kón.soo.mat | |
| content | n: kón.tent | v: kan.tént | |
| contest | n: cón.test | v: kan.tést | |
| contract | n: kón.traakt | v (shrink, become infected): kan.tráakt
v (commit to): kan.tráakt, kón.traakt |
|
| contractor | builder: kón.traak.ter | muscle: kan.tráak.ter | |
| contrary | opposite: kón.trer.ee | willful: kan.trái.ree | |
| contrast | n: kón.traast | v: kan.tráast | |
| controversial | kòn.tra.vér.shal | kòn.tra.vér.see.yal, kòn.tra.vér.shee.yal | |
| controversy | kón.tra.vèr.see | kan.tróv.er.see | |
| convert | n: kón.vert | v: kan.vért | |
| copper | kóp.er | káu.pa | |
| coral | kó.ral | káu.ral | |
| cordial | káur.jal | káur.dee.yal | |
| cordillera | kàur.dee.yái.ra | kaur.díl.a.ra, kàur.dil.yái.ra | |
| corespondent | kòe.ree.spón.dant | kòr.a.spón.dant, kàur.a.spón.dant | |
| cornucopia | kàur.na.kóe.pee.ya | kàur.nyue.kóe.pee.ya | |
| corollary | kór.a.lèr.ee | káu.ra.lèr.ee, ka.ról.er.ee | |
| coroner | kó.ra.ner | káu.ra.ner | |
| correspondent | kòr.a.spón.dant | kàu.ra.spón.dant | |
| corridor | kó.ri.der | káu.ri.daur | |
| cosmos | kóz.moes | kóz.mos | |
| cost | kaust | kost | |
| Costa Rica | Kóe.sta Rée.ka | Kós.ta Rée.ka | |
| costume | kós.chuem | kós.tuem | |
| cough | kauf | kof | |
| council/counsel | kóun.sal | kón.sal | |
| coup de grâce | kùe doo grós | kùe da gróq | |
| coup de grâce* | (a) The odd but popular mispronunciation kùe da gróq (where Q is silent and merely signals that the O is short) finds no sanction in either English or French, but presumably arises from the mistaken notion that S (sounds) at the end of a word in French are always silent. Actually, final-S is pronounced in some French words (e.g., the apple brandy calvados); but in any case grâce doesn't end in S. (b) This three-word phrase has a characteristic stress pattern, as though it were one word of three syllables. The primary stress falls on the third word-syllable. A secondary stress falls on the first word-syllable. This is a common pattern in English phrases. Compare "New York State" or "New York City" with the two-word phrase "New York". "New York" is pronounced as though one word, stressed on the second syllable. But add the word "State" or "City" and "New York" becomes an adjective modifying the noun "State" or "City", so the syllabic stress within the two-word phrase "New York" shifts from "York" to "New" in the three-word phrase, in order that the complete phrase will have a stressed-unstressed-stressed rhythm and so that a speaker can clarify whether he is talking about the State or the City by stressing that information in moving the stress to the syllable that matters most. Many other phrases have their own characteristic stress patterns: an MTV cable VJ took the appellation "dówntòun Jùlie Brówn", and you just wouldn't say that phrase any other way. | ||
| coupe | kue.páe | kuep | |
| coupe* | This French word came into English around 1834 for a type of carriage. It was later applied to a closed automobile with two doors, and in the latter usage was shortened over several decades to one syllable, kuep rather than kuepáe. This needless saving of one syllable may have made the word minimally shorter and easier to say, but it also created a needless new homophone for the Middle English word "coop" (house for chickens), which had already been given a new homograph by the shortening of "cooperative" (apartment complex), first to "co-op" and then to "coop"! Though it would be better for clarity's sake if the older pronunciation kuepáe could be restored to 'preferred' status, anyone using that pronunciation for the automobile risks being thought affected. If being thought affected is not important to you and you agree that kuepáe is a more sensible pronunciation for the spelling "coupe", by all means say it. Just be prepared to shift to kuep if kuepáe isn't understood. | ||
| coupon | kúe.pon | kyúe.pon | |
| courier | kér.ee.yer | kúe.ree.yer | |
| courtesan | káur.ta.zan | káur.ta.zon | |
| coven | kúv.an | kóe.van | |
| covert | koe.vért | kóe.vert | |
| coyote | kò.yóe.tee | kó.yoet | |
| coyote* | The popular, but wrong, pronunciation ko.yoet is a spelling-pronunciation. People whose native language is English see many words with a silent-E at the end, so learn to ignore most E's at the end of a word. However, a final, single-E is pronounced in many words and names, from "Penelope" to "epitome", "abalone" to "provolone", "synecdoche" to "anemone". There are, indeed, over 100 common and uncommon words and names in English in which the final-E is sounded. "Coyote" is one of them, and is the proper, formal pronunciation, despite its slangy sound. | ||
| craft | kraaft | kroft | |
| creativity | krèe.yae.tív.i.tee | krèe.ya.tív.i.tee | |
| creek | kreek | krik | |
| cremate | krée.maet | kri.máet | |
| cretin | krée.tin | krét.in | |
| crewell | krúe.wal | ||
| crimson | krím.zan | krím.san | |
| Cro-Magnon | Kroe-Máag.nan | Kroe-Máan.yan | |
| Croat | Króe.waat | Kroet, Króe.wat | |
| croissant | kwó.sonn | kra.sónt | |
| croissant* | This silly word, nearly unpronounceable by ordinary speakers of English, should never have been brought into the language. A croissant is just a flaky crescent roll, and we already had the term "crescent roll" , which could readily have been shortened to "crescent" — an ordinary English word, easily pronounced — if people tired of saying the two-word phrase "crescent roll" over and over. The French is krhwo.sonn (syllabic stress pretty much even), which converts to a nasalized English kwó.sonn, with the T silent. People impatient with such half-naturalized words that retain foreign sounds have opted for kra.sónt, but that makes educated people 'krinj'. Ideally, the word "croissant" should be given back to France and the English term "crescent" installed in its place. Until or unless that happens, however, people who cannot bring themselves to say kra.sónt should feel free to use the pure French or the partly-naturalized pronunciation. At a fast-food restaurant, however, don't be surprised if any pronunciation other than kra.sónt leaves the counterperson staring in blank incomprehension. | ||
| croquet | kroe.káe | króe.kae | |
| cruel | kruel | krúe.wal | |
| cruller | krúl.er | króol.er | |
| crystalline | krís.ta.lin | krís.ta.leen, krís.ta.lien | |
| culinary | kyúe.li.nèr.ee | kúl.i.nèr.ee, kúel.i.nèr.ee | |
| cuneiform | kyúe.nee.yi.fàurm | kyue.née.yi.fàurm | |
| curator | kyúer.ae.ter | kyoo.ráe.ter, kyóo.ra.ter | |
| curvature | kér.va.cher | kér.va.tyùer | |
| cyan | síe.yan | síe.yaan, sée.yan | |
| cyclic/al | sík.lik/.al | síe.klik/.al | |
D [Return to top.] |
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| daft | daaft | doft | |
| dahlia | dól.ya | dáal.ya, dáel.ya | |
| daily | dáil.ee | dáe.lee | |
| daiquiri | dáa.ka.ree | díe.ka.ree | |
| daiquiri* | Though díe.ka.ree is closer to the original Spanish word, for a place in Cuba (Daiquirí, pronounced Die.kee.rrée), dáa.ka.ree is in fact more common and díe.ka.ree is perilously close to the often-disparaging slang term for a lesbian, "dyke", which makes "daiquiri" sound like a noun meaning "the state of being or things associated with being a dyke". All things considered, then, dáa.ka.ree doesn't sound so bad, un-Spanish though it be. | ||
| dais | dáe.yis | díe.yis | |
| damask | dáa.mask | dáa.maask | |
| dance | daans | dons, dains | |
| dandelion | dáan.di.lie.yan | dáin.dee.lie.yan | |
| data | dáe.ta | dáa.ta | dót.a |
| database | n: dáe.ta.baes | adj: dáa.ta.baes | |
| database* | As a noun, dáe.ta seems the better pronunciation, because it gives full value to the main vowel. In adjectival use, however, shortening the vowel seems better, especially since it will cue the listener to the fact that what is being talked about is not "data" as such but something involving data. In like fashion, "database" can be used as both a noun and an adjective ("database information"). One could justify, therefore, a continuation of this noun-adjective distinction: "a dáetabaes" but "dáatabaes records"). See discussion of the concept of "check morpheme" at the listing for the word "the". | ||
| daughter | dáu.ter | dót.er, dáu.ta | |
| dawn | daun | don | |
| dazzling | dáaz.ling | dáa.zal.ing | |
| de facto | dae fáak.to | dee fáak.to | |
| de- | See "be-", to which it is parallel. | ||
| debauch/er/y | di.báuch/er/ee | di.báush/er/ee, di.bóch/er/ee, dibósh/er/ee | |
| debauchee | dèb.a.sháe | di.báuch.ee, di.bóch.ee, dèb.a.shée | |
| debris | da.brée | dáe.bree, déb.ree | |
| debut | n: dáe.byue | v: dae.byúe, di.byúe | |
| decade | dék.aed | de.káed, di.káed | |
| decathlon | di.káatth.lon | dee.káatth.a.lòn (illiterate) | |
| decorative | dék.ra.tiv | dék.a.ra.tiv | |
| decoy | n: dée.koi | v: dee.kói, di.kói | |
| decrease | n: dée.krees | v: dee.krées | |
| defect | n: dée.fekt | v: dee.fékt | |
| defense | dee.féns | sports: dée.fens | |
| deference | déf.rans | déf.er.ans | |
| degradation | degeneration: deg.ra.dáe.shan | tone, in art: dèe.gra.dáe.shan | |
| deify | dée.yi.fie | dáe.yi.fie | |
| deism | dée.yi.zam | dáe.yi.zam | |
| deity | dée.yi.tee | dáe.yi.tee | |
| deja vu | dàe.zhoq vúe | dàe.zha vyúe | |
| deja vu* | The English pronunciation mangles the French phrase "déjà vu" because the French is so very un-English. For one thing, it has two stressed syllables in a row, the JA and the VU. English alternates syllabic stress, so moved the stress in the first word to the DE. Second, English has by historic accident been spared the difficult and unpleasant European sound that occurs in the French pronunciation of "vu". That sound is described in some language-instruction texts as being said like an English EE pronounced through lips rounded to say "burn". Of all the sounds of French (and German), this is the one that most native speakers of English will never master. | ||
| delay | dee.láe | di.láe | da.láe, du.láe |
| delegate | n: dél.a.gat | v: dél.a.gàet | |
| delicious | di.lísh.as | du.lísh.as (illiterate), dee.lísh.as | |
| deliver | di.lív.er | du.lív.er | |
| deluge | dél.yuej | dél.yuezh, da.lúej, dáe.luej, dáe.luezh | |
| demand | di.máand | dee.máand | di.mónd |
| demise | da.míez | da.méez | |
| depot | dée.poe | dép.oe | |
| deputy | dép.yoo.tee | dép.a.tee | |
| derisive | di.ríe.siv | der.ís.iv | |
| derisive* | Many readers of this largely literary word (seen in print more often than heard in ordinary conversation or in oral media) will see it as der.ís.iv. It derives from "deride" (di.ríed) and is related to "derision" (der.í.zhan). A case can be made for either di.ríe.siv or der.ís.iv as being usefully distinct from both "deride" and "derision". It might not make any significant difference which pronunciation is chosen, since there is no other word like it. I opt for di.ríe.siv, but I'm not married to it. | ||
| desolate | adj: dés.a.lat | v: dés.a.làet | |
| despair | di.spáir | da.spáe.ya | |
| desperate | dés.prat | dés.per.at | |
| despicable | dés.pi.ka.bool | di.spík.a.bool | |
| despot | dés.pat | dés.pot | |
| desultory | déz.ul.tàu.ree | da.súl.ta.ée | |
| detail | n: dée.tail | v: di.táil | |
| detailed | di.táild | dée.taild | |
| deteriorate | dee.téer.ee.ya.ràet | dee.téer.ee.yàet (illiterate) | |
| devolution | dèv.a.lúe.shan | dèe.va.lyùe.shan | |
| devotee | dèv.a.tée | dèv.a.táe, di.vóe.tee | |
| dew | due | dyue | |
| diabetes | dìe.ya.bée.teez | dìe.ya.bée.tis | |
| diagnose | die.yag.nóes | die.yag.nóez, díe.yag.noez, díe.yag.noes | |
| diamond | díe.mand | díe.ya.mand | |
| diamond* | To many people, díe.ya.mand, even in formal speech, will sound stilted and unnatural. | ||
| diaper | díe.per | díe.ya.per | |
| diaper* | To many people, díe.ya.per, even in formal speech, will sound stilted and unnatural. | ||
| diaspora | die.yáas.pa.ra | dee.yáas.pa.ra, dìe.yaa.spáu.ra | |
| dictate | dík.taet | dik.táet | |
| dictator | dík.tae.ter | dik.táe.ter, dik.táe.ta | |
| dictatorship | dik.táe.ter.shìp | dík.tae.ter.shìp | |
| diesel | dée.zool | dée.sool | |
| diesel* | This word derives from the German proper name of the inventor, Rudolf Diesel, of the engine it is used for. In German, an S between vowels is pronounced Z, as it often is in English: nosy, noisy, resentful, desert. There is no reason to change the German pronunciation. It's perfectly easy to say dée.zool. | ||
| difference | díf.rans | díf.er.ans | |
| different | díf.rant | díf.er.ant | díf.ernt (illiterate) |
| difficult | díf.i.kult | díf.i.kalt | |
| digest | n: díe.jest | v: di.jést | |
| digestion | di.jés.chan | die.jés.chan | |
| dilate | v: díe.laet | adj: di.láet | |
| dilemma | di.lém.a | die.lém.a | |
| dimension | di.mén.shan | die.mén.shan | |
| diocesan | die.yó.si.san | ||
| diocese | díe.ya.sìs | díe.ya.sèez | |
| dioceses | díe.ya.sìs.iz | ||
| dioceses* | "Dioceses" is an awkward word. In that English ordinarily pluralizes by adding S or ES, no pluralizable word that ends in the sound -sis should have been admitted to the language. In that "diocese" is long established, in a major social institution, I guess we're stuck with it. But if another loan-word is proposed with the same ending, it should be rejected out of hand. | ||
| diphtheria | dif.tthée.ree.ya | dip.tthée.ree.ya | |
| diphtheria* | Though many people look down on the pronunciation diptthéereeya, the word is unique, so listeners are not likely to be confused about what is meant. What's the dif? | ||
| diphthong | díf.tthong | díp.tthong | |
| diphthong* | There is no one word with which this unusual word might be confused, so it may not make much difference, in context, whether one says díf.tthong or díp.tthong. However, "dip" and "thong" are words in themselves, to which "diphthong" bears no relation. A listener who misses part of the word or sentence might be momentarily misled by the seeming compound dip-thong, so dif.tthong is probably the better choice. Nonetheless, díp.tthong is more common, even among educated people. | ||
| direct/ly | di.rékt/.lee | die.rékt/.lee | |
| direction | di.rék.shan | die.rék.shan | |
| disaster | di.záas.ter | di.zós.ta | |
| disastrous | di.záas.tras | di.záas.ter.as, di.zós.tras | |
| disastrous* | "Disastrous" and "wintry" are among words commonly mispronounced by the insertion of an ER sound between the T and the R, because the noun from which both adjectives derive has an ER: "disaster" and "winter". But in the adjective, the -TER is collapsed to -TR- in both spelling and pronunciation. | ||
| discharge | n: dís.chorj | v: dis.chórj | |
| disciplinary | dís.i.plin.èr.ee | dis.i.plín.er.ee | |
| discount | n: dís.kount | v: dis.kóunt | |
| discriminatory | di.skrím.in.a.tàu.ree | di.skrim.i.náe.ta.ree | |
| disgust | dis.gúst | dis.kúst | |
| disgust* | Although a careful speaker may make a distinction between "disgust" and "discussed", the ordinary person won't generally draw any difference because of the phenomenon of assimilation. English consonants comprise two types: voiced and unvoiced. A voiced consonant engages the larynx (voicebox): for instance, B, D, V, G, J, Z, and ZH). A voiceless or unvoiced consonant does not engage the voicebox but is sounded solely through expulsion of air: P, T, F, K, CH, S and SH). The voiced/unvoiced pairs in English are thus B/P, D/T, V/F, G/K, J/CH, Z/S and ZH/SH. In many languages, including English, an unvoiced consonant that precedes a voiced consonant will ordinarily overpower the voiced sound because it is easier to leave the voice out and continue voiceless to the vowel without shifting gears. Thus SG will be pronounced as if SK: disgust = dis.kúst. It often happens in English, however, that the reverse pattern occurs: a voiced consonant that precedes a voiceless consonant may give the entire pair a voiced quality: "exit" will be pronounced either ég.zit (voiced pair) or ék.sit (voiceless pair), but not either ék.zit or ég.sit. Between vowels, the single letter X actually represents one of three different pairs of consonant sounds. One is voiceless: K-S, as in "ax". The other two are voiced: G-Z as in "exist" and G-ZH as in "luxurious". Due to the dynamics of assimilation, however, X has no K-Z, K-ZH, nor G-S sound. | ||
| disparate | dís.pa.rat | di.spáa.rat | |
| dispatcher | dis.páach.er | dís.paach.er | |
| dissect | díe.sekt | die.sékt or di.sékt | |
| dissect* | "Dissect" is an unusual word, so can be treated unusually. Its spelling suggests a short-I, and its being a verb suggests stress on the last syllable, which would yield di.sékt. But it is generally pronounced díe.sekt. In that pronouncing "dis" as though it were "di" leaves the listener thinking of "cutting in two [pieces only]" rather than "cutting apart", this may be a bad choice, but not very bad. Díe.sekt is the way most people have pronounced it in recent decades, and unless society establishes a radically phonetic spelling system that can cue people to the pronunciation di.sékt, it will likely remain díe.sekt, tho in recent years both di.sékt and die.sékt have become fairly common. | ||
| divan | di.váan | díe.van | |
| diverge | di.vérj | die.vérj | |
| diversion | di.vér.zhan | die.vé(r).shan | |
| diversity | di.vér.si.tee | die.vér.si.tee | |
| divert | di.vért | die.vért | |
| divest | di.vést | die.vést | |
| divisive | di.víe.siv | di.vís.iv | |
| divisive* | See note at "derisive". | ||
| divorcee | dèe.vaur.sáe | ||
| divorcee* | This word, spelled either with or without the accent ("divorcée or "divorcee") and its masculine equivalent "divorcé" (rarely used), is at an awkward stage of linguistic "naturalization". It is a French word that has become commonplace, due to changing mores. Nobody seems to know whether to pronounce it in a fully French fashion (dèe.vaur.sáe); a partly French fashion, giving the vowels their ordinary English sounds but putting syllabic stress at the end of the word, "un-English" though that may be to do with a noun (di.vaur.sáe); or even a fully-anglicized fashion (di.váur.see). Part of me says, "Naturalize it all the way, on the model of `employee': di.váur.see." Part of me says, "Naturalize it, but on the model of `trustee' as against `trustor': di.vaur.sée." And part of me says, "Until people make up their minds what is `correct', it doesn't hurt to keep the French pronunciation (though, of course, with an English-R rather than the gargled (uvular) French-R): dèe.vaur.sáe." Few listeners will regard that as affected and unreasonable. I suspect that the ultimate naturalized pronunciation will be di.váur.see, since there is no common word "divorcer" from which it needs to be distinguished. But I don't like the sound of it, a function, perhaps, of my age (I was born 11 days before the start of 1945). As of July 1999, I say dèe.vaur.sáe. | ||
| docile | dós.ool | dóe.sie.yal | |
| doctrinal | dók.tri.nal | dok.tríe.nal | |
| document | n: dók.yoo.mant | v: dók.yoo.mènt | |
| dog | daug | dog | |
| dogged | v: daugd | adj: dóg.ad | dáug.ad |
| doggone/d | dò.gón/d | ||
| domesticity | dòm.es.tì.si.têe | dòe.mes.tì.si.têe | |
| domicile | dóm.i.sìe.yal | dóe.mi.sìe.yal | dóm.i.sìl, dóm.i.sòol |
| Don Quixote | Doen Kee.hóe.tae | Don Kee.hóe.tae | Don Kwík.sit |
| donate | dóe.naet | doe.náet | |
| dour | dòu.wer | duer, dùe.wer | |
| downtown | n, adv: doun.tóun | adj: dóun.tòun | |
| draft | draaft | droft | |
| drama | dróm.a | dráa.ma | |
| dramatization | dròm.a.ti.záe.shan | dràa.ma.ti.záe.shan | |
| dramatize | dráa.ma.tiez | dróm.a.tiez | |
| drawer | draur | dráu.wer | |
| dual | dúe.wal | dyúe.wal, júe.wal | |
| ductile | dúk.tool | dúk.tie.yal | |
| duel | dúel | dúe.wal, dyúe.wal, júe.wal | |
| duke | duek | dyuek, juek | |
| duplicative | due.plík.a.tiv | dùe.pli.káe.tiv | |
| durable | dúer.a.bool | dóor.a.bool, dér.a.bool | |
| during | dúe.ring | dóo.ring, júe.ring. jóo.ring | |
| duty | dúe.tee | dyúe.tee, júe.tee | |
| dynastic | die.náas.tik | di.náas.tik | |
| dynastic* | This is another of the rare cases where British pronounciation (di.náas.tik) may be better than American (which prefers die.náas.tik). It is a bit unusual and awkward to use a long-I in an unstressed syllable of short duration. Contrasting díe.na.stee as noun with din.áas.tik as adjective draws a useful distinction. (See my discussion of "check morpheme" at the listing for the word "the".) If saying di.náas.tik would, however, make one feel self-conscious and affected, die.náas.tik will be the better choice. | ||
| dynasty | díe.na.ste | ||
E [Return to top.] |
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| Ebullience | ee.búl.yans | ee.bóol.yans | |
| ebullient | ee.búl.yans | ee.bóol.yant | |
| echidna | e.kíd.na | i.kíd.na | |
| ecological | èe.ka.lój.i.kal | ||
| ecology | e.kól.a.jee | ||
| ecology | i.kól.a.jee | e.kól.a.jee | |
| economic/s | ee.ka.nóm.ik/s | ek.a.nóm.ik/s | |
| ecosystem | ée.koe.sìs.tam | ék.oe.sìs.tam | |
| ecru | ék.rue | áe.krue | |
| ecumenism | i.kyúe.ma.niz.am | èe.kyúe.ma.niz.am | |
| eczema | ég.za.ma | ig.zéema, ék.sa.ma | |
| eczematous | eg.zém.a.tas | ||
| education | è.joo.káe.shan | èd.yue.káe.shan | |
| effect/ive | i.fékt/.iv | ee.fékt/.iv | |
| either | ée.ther | íe.ther | |
| elect | ee.lékt | a.lékt. el.ékt | |
| elector | ee.lék.ter | ee.lék.taur | |
| electoral | ee.lék.ta.ral | ee.lek.táu.ral | |
| electric/al | èe.lék.trik/.al | èl.ék.trik/.al | |
| electricity | èe.lek.trís.i.tee | èl.ek.trís.i.tee | |
| electrify/ing | ee.lék.tri.fìe/.ying | a.lék.tri.fìe/.ying | |
| electronic/s | èe.lek.trón.ik/s | èl.ek.trón.ik/s | |
| elephantine | él.a.fan.tìen | ||
| eleven/th | ee.lév.an/tth | a.lév.an/tth | |
| Elijah | Ee.líe.ja | Ee.líe.zha | |
| elusive | ee.lúe.siv | ee.lyúe.siv | |
| emaciated | ee.máe.shee.yàe.tad | ee.máe.see.yàe.tad | |
| emphysema | èm.fa.zéema | èm.fi.sée.ma | |
| employee | em.plói.yee | em.pláu.wee | |
| employee* | Usage as to stressing the "-ee" ending of words like "employee" has shifted over time. Forty years ago, em.ploi.yée was the ordinary pronunciation, to distinguish from "employer" even if "employer" did not occur in the same sentence. Nowadays, em.plói.yee is the ordinary pronunciation unless the distinction is being drawn against "employer", in which case even the "-er" of "employer" might also be stressed. See note at "divorcee". | ||
| emu | ée.myue | ée.mue | |
| en masse | on mós | en máas | |
| encephalopathy | en.sèf.a.lòp.a.tthêe | en.séf.a.la.pàa.tthee | |
| enclave | ón.klaev | én.klaev, ón.klov | |
| endive | én.diev | ón.deev | |
| endure | en.dúer | en.dyúer | |
| English | Íng.glish | Íng.lish | |
| enigmatic | èe.nig.máa.tik | èn.ig.máa.tik | |
| ensemble | on.sóm.bool | ón.som | |
| ensign | én.sin | én.sien | |
| entrance | n: én.trans | v: en.tráans | |
| entrepreneur | òn.troo.proo.nér | òn.tra.pra.núer | |
| entrepreneurial | òn.tra.pra.nóo.ree.yal | ||
| envelop | en.vél.ap | ||
| envelope | ón.va.loep | én.va.loep | |
| environment | en.víe.ran.mant | en.víe.yern.mant | |
| environmental/ism | en.vìe.ran.men.tal/iz.am | en.víe.yern.men.tal/iz.am | |
| environs | en.víe.ranz | en.víe.yernz | |
| envoy | ón.voi | én.voi | |
| epicurean | èp.i.kyúe.ree.yan | èp.i.kyoo.rée.yan | |
| epoch | ée.pok | é.pok | ép.ak |
| epoch* | "Epoch" should not be confused with "epic", so either é.pok or ée.pok is preferable to ép.ak. A long-E seems appropriate for a word that refers to a long time. | ||
| equator | ee.kwáe.ter | ée.kwae.ter | |
| equine | ée.kwien | ék.wien | |
| era | éer.a | ér.a, ái.ra | |
| erase | ee.ráes | ee.ráez | |
| err | er | air | |
| erudite | ér.yoo.diet | ér.a.diet | |
| erudition | èr.yoo.dí.shan | èr.a.dí.shan, èr.a.dísh.an | |
| escape | e.skáep | ek.skáep (illiterate) | |
| escort | n: és.kaurt | v: e.skáurt | |
| espionage | és.pee.ya.nòzh | e.spíe.ya.naj | |
| esplanade | és.pla.nod | és.pla.nàed | |
| essay | n: és.ae | v: e.sáe | |
| essential | e.sén.shal | i.sén.shal | ee.sén.shal |
| esthete | és.ttheet | ées.ttheet | |
| esthetic | es.tthét.ik | ees.tthét.ik | |
| estimate | n: és.ti.mat | v: és.ti.màet | |
| estrogen | és.tra.jan | ée.stra.jan | |
| etc. (et cetera) | et.sé.ter.a | ek.sét.ra (illiterate), et.sét.ra | |
| ether | ée.tther | étth.er | |
| evasive | ee.váe.siv | a.váe.siv | |
| evening (the score) | ée.van.ing | ||
| evening (night) | éev.ning | ée.va.ning | |
| everlasting | èv.er.láast.ing | èv.a.lóst.ing | |
| every/thing | év.ree/tthing | év.er.ee/tthing | |
| everybody | év.ree.bùd.ee | [ ]bùd.ee, [ ]bòd.ee, [ ]bàu.dee | |
| evidently | év.i.dant.lee | èv.i.dént.lee | |
| evil | ée.vool | ée.vil | |
| evolution | èv.a.lúe.shan | èe.va.lyúe.shan | |
| example | eg.záam.pool | eg.zóm.pool | |
| excerpt | n: ék.serpt | v: ek.sérpt | |
| excess | ék.ses | occasionally: ek.sés | |
| excise | adj: ék.siez | v: ek.síez | |
| exemplar | eg.zém.pler | eg.zém.plòr | |
| exemplar* | Egzémplòr is more than a bit highfalutin, but not so objectionable as to belong in the "But NOT" column. | ||
| exhume | eg.zyúem | eg.zúem | |
| exit | n: ék.sit | v: ég.zit | |
| exorcise | ék.saur.sìez | ék.ser.siez | |
| expatriate | n, adj: èks.páe.tree.yat | v: èks.páe.tree.yàet | èks.páa.tree.yat, èks.páa.tree.yàet |
| experiment | ek.spér.i.mant | ek.spée.ri.mant, ek.spáir.i.mant | |
| expert | n: ék.spert | adj: ek.spért | |
| expertise | ek.sper.téez | ek.sper.tées | |
| expiry | ék.spa.rèe | ek.spíe.(ya.)ree | |
| expletive | ék.spla.tiv | ek.splée.tiv | |
| explicable | ek.splík.a.bool | ||
| exploit | n: éks.ploit | v: ek.splóit | |
| export | n: ék.spaurt | v: ek.spáurt | |
| exquisite | ék.skwi.zit | ek.skwíz.it | |
| extant | ék.stant | ek.stáant | |
| extraordinary | ek.stráur.di.nèr.ee | èk.stra.áur.di.ner.ee | |
| extremist | ek.strée.mist | ek.strém.ist | |
F [Return to top.] |
|||
| facade, façade | fa.sód | fa.káed, fa.sáad | |
| falcon | fáal.kan | fául.kan, fáu.kan | |
| familial | fa.míl.ee.yal | fa.mée.lee.yal | |
| family | fáam.lee | fáa.mi.lee | |
| fanatic | fa.náa.tik | fáan.a.tik | |
| fancy | fáan.see | fón.see | |
| fast/er
fast/est |
fáast/.er
fáast/.ast |
fóst/.er
fóst/.ast |
|
| fatality | fa.táa.li.tee | fae.táa.li.tee | |
| favorite | fáev.rit | fáe.va.rit | |
| February | Féb.rue.wer.ee | Féb.yue.wer.ee (illiterate) | |
| federalist | féd.ral.ist | féd.er.al.ist | |
| ferment | n: fér.ment | v: fer,mént | |
| ferry | fér.ee | fái.ree | |
| feta | fét.a | fáe.ta | |
| fete | fet | faet | |
| feted | fáetad | fétad | |
| fete/d* | The pronunciation fet for "fete" is better than faet because it avoids confusion with "fate". Conversely, fáe.tad is a better pronuncation that fét.ad despite possible confusion with "fated" because it would be worse to confuse a festive word with "fetid", which means "foul-smelling". Because there are so many homonyms in English, choices aren't always either easy or consistent. | ||
| fiance/e, fiancé/e | fèe.yon.sáe | fee.yón.sae | |
| fiasco | fee.yáas.koe | fee.yós.koe | |
| fidelity | fi.dél.i.tee | fie.dél.i.tee | |
| figure | fíg.yer | fíg.er, fíg.a | |
| filing | n: fíe.ya.ling | adj: fíe.ling | |
| finale | fi.náa.lee | fi.nó.lee | |
| finality | fi.náa.li.tee | fie.náa.li.tee | |
| finally | fíe.na.lee | fíen.lee | |
| finance | n: fíe.naans | v: fi.náans | fie.náans |
| financial | fi.náan.chal | fie.náan.chal | |
| finger | fíng.ger | fíng.er | |
| flaccidity | flaak.síd.i.tee | fla.síd.i.tee | |
| flacon | fláa.kan | fláa.kon, fla.kóenn | |
| Florida | Fló.ri.da | Fláu.ri.da | |
| Florida* | Remember that in this work's pronunciation scheme, or is pronounced like the traditionally-spelled word "are". The traditionally-spelled word "or" (as in "either . . . or") is written aur (ée.ther . . . aur). | ||
| flotilla | fla.tíl.a | floe.tíl.a | |
| fog | fog | faug | |
| foliage | fóe.lee.yaj | fóe.laj | |
| forbade | faur.báed | faur.bád | |
| forbade* | There are two alternative spellings for the past tense of "forbid": "forbad" and "forbade". "Forbad" — without the superfluous E — fits perfectly with "drank" "sang", "rang", and such. "Forbade" is a pair only to "bade". "Forbad" would seem the better choice, as to both spelling and pronunciation (faur.báad). But if the spelling is "forbade", the pronunciation should be faur.báed. | ||
| forecast | n: fáur.kaast | v: faur.káast, fáur.kaast | |
| forecastle | fóek.sal | fáur.kaas.al | |
| forecastle* | Perhaps this "should" take the "spelling-pronunciation" fáur.kaas.al, but the thing to which it refers has nothing to do with a castle. It is the forward part of a ship, where the relatively low-paid portion of the crew is housed. The traditional pronunciation, fóek.sal, is less misleading than would be the spelling-pronunciation. | ||
| forehead | fáur.hed | fór.hed, fór.id | |
| foreign | fó.ran | fáu.ran | |
| forest | fó.rast | fáu.rast | |
| formidable | fáur.mi.da.bool | far.míd.a.bool | |
| forte (strong point) | fáur.tae | faurt, foert, fáur.te, faur.táe | |
| forte* | This usage note appears in Merriam-Webster's Tenth
New Collegiate Dictionary (except that I have substituted the
Augméntad Fanétik pronunciation for their diacritic-filled
version):
"In forte we have a word derived from French that in its "strong point" sense has no entirely satisfactory pronunciation. Usage writers have denigrated fáur.tae and fáur.tee because they reflect the influence of Italian-derived forte. Their recommended pronunciation faurt, however, does not exactly reflect French either: the French would write the word le fort and would rhyme it with English for. So you can take your choice, knowing that someone somewhere will dislike whichever variant you choose. All are standard, however. In British English fáu.tae and faut predominate; fáur.tae and faur.táe are prob. the most frequent pronunciations in American English." Further, the pronunciation faurt creates a needless homophone with "fort", whereas fáur.tae keeps the word distinct, so is preferable to a pronunciation that would give us yet another homophone in a language overflowing with homophones. In general conversation — that is, absent a context where one might expect the word "forte" to pop up — a sentence that sounds like "That's my fort" would be puzzling to most listeners. |
||
| fortune | fáur.chan | fáur.tyuen | |
| foyer | fói.yer | fói.yae, fwóq.yae | |
| fracas | fráe.kas | fráa.kas | |
| fragile | fráa.jool | fráa.jie.yal | |
| fragment | n: fráag.mant | v: fraag.mént | |
| France | Fraans | Frons | |
| frequent | adj: frée.kwant | v: fri.kwént, frée.kwant | |
| Friday | Fríe.dae | Fríe.dee | |
| frontier | frun.téer | fròn.téer, frún.teer | |
| frustrated | frús.trae.tad | frus.tráe.tad | |
| frustration | frus.tráe.shan | fra.stráe.shan | |
| fuel | fyuel | fyúe.wal | |
| full | fool | ful | |
| fuselage | fyúe.sa.lòzh | fyúe.za.lòzh, fyúe.sa.lòj | |
| futile | fyúe.tool | fyúe.tie.yal | |
G [Return to top.] |
|||
| gala | gái.la | gól.a, gáe.la, gáa.la | |
| gallant | courageous: gáa.lant | courteous: gáa.lant, ga.lónt | |
| gamble | gáam.bool | ||
| gamble* | "Gamble" is two syllables, as are "gambler" and "gambling". Seemingly parallel words like "file"/"filing" and "tile"/"tiler"/"tiling", however, more ordinarily become three syllables with the addition of suffixes; that is, the root contains two syllables to itself and the suffix provides the third. | ||
| gambler | gáam.bler | gáam.bool.er | |
| gambling | gáam.bling | gáam.bool.ing | |
| garage | ga.rózh | ga.rój, gáar.aj | |
| gaseous | gáa.shas | gáa.see.yas | |
| gazebo | ga.zée.boe | ga.záe.boe | |
| general | jén.ral | jén.er.al | |
| generous | jén.ras | jén.er.as | |
| Genghis Khan | Jèng.gis Khón | Jèng.gis Kón | Gèng.gis Kón |
| genre | zhón.ra | jón.ra | |
| gentle | jén.tool | ||
| gentler | jént.ler | jén.tool.er | |
| genuine | jén.yoo.win | jén.yue.wìen | |
| ghastly | gáast.lee | góst.lee | |
| gibber/ish | jíb.er/ish | gíb.er/ish | |
| gigolo | jíg.a.lo | zhíg.a.lo | |
| giraffe | jer.áaf | jer.óf | |
| glacier | gláe.sher | gláa.see.yer | |
| glance | glaans | glons, glains | |
| glass | glaas | glos | |
| glaucoma | glou.kóe.ma | glau.kóe.ma | |
| gloss/y | glaus/.ee | glos/.ee | |
| glossary | glós.a.ree | gláu.sa.ree | |
| gobbledygook | gób.ool.dee.gòok | gób.ool.dee.gùek | |
| going to | góe.wing tu | gún.a | |
| going to* | Most people, even the most highly educated, usually do not, in conversational speech, carefully enunciate goe.wing tu everywhere it occurs but ordinarily say gún.a except in situations in which "slangy" usage would raise eyebrows. See "want to". | ||
| golf | golf | gaulf | |
| gondola | gón.da.la | gon.dóe.la | |
| gone | gaun | gon | |
| gook | gook | guek | |
| got | got | gaut | |
| gourmet | n: guer.máe | adj: gúer.mae | |
| government | gúv.ern.mant | gúv.er.mant | |
| graduate | n: gráa.joo.wat | v: graa.jue.wàet | |
| graham cracker | gráim kràak.er | gráam kràak.er | |
| granary | gráa.na.ree | gráe.na.ree | |
| grand prix | gron prée | gronn prée | |
| grandeur | majesty: gráan.jer | self-importance: gron.dér | gráand.yer, gráan.dee.ya |
| grasp | graasp | grosp | |
| grass | graas | gros | |
| greasy | grée.see | grée.zee | |
| grimace | grím.as | gri.máes | |
| grimace* | At present, grím.as is the more common pronunciation for both noun and verb. Gri.máes is regarded as old-fashioned. But since there are noun and verb forms, it might make sense to use grím.as for the noun and gri.máes for the verb, which comports with the pattern of many other noun/verb pairs, as to both syllabic stress and conversion of a short vowel in an unstressed syllable to a long vowel when the syllable is stressed (see, e.g., "subordinate", "delegate"). Using grím.as everywhere is, however acceptable. Using gri.máes everywhere would, however, seem absurdly highfalutin to most people. | ||
| grovel | gróv.ool | grúv.ool | |
| guarantee | gaa.ran.tée | ||
| guaranty | gáar.an.tee | gaa.ran.tée | |
| guillotine | gée.ya.teen | gíl.a.teen | |
| guitar | gi.tór | gí.tor (illiterate) | |
| gymnast | jím.nast | jím.naast | |
H [Return to top.] |
|||
| had | haad | hod | |
| hajj | haaj | Hoj | hozh |
| half | haaf | hof | |
| halfpenny | háaf.pen.ee | háep.nee | |
| halibut | háa.li.bat | háa.li.but | |
| Halloween | n: Haa.la.wéen, Hol.a.wéen | adj: Háa.la.ween, Hól.a.ween | |
| Halloween* | Halloween (originally "All Hallow Even" — All Saint's Eve) has nothing to do with the concept of hollowness but does have a linguistic and religious connection with persons "hallowed" (made holy), even though today's secular celebrations are often more readily identified with things unholy than holy. Thus Haaloween makes better sense. Still, Holoween is often heard, especially in the Eastern United States. | ||
| halve | haav | hov | |
| hand | haand | hond | |
| happiness | háa.pee.nas | háa.pa.nas | |
| hara-kiri | hó.ra.kée.ree | háa.ree.káa.ree | |
| hara-kiri* | See "hari-kari". | ||
| harass/ment | ha.ráas/mant | háar.as/mant | |
| hari-kari | háa.ree-káa.ree | ||
| hari-kari* | This is an anglicized form of "hara-kiri". If you like the traditional English-language pronunciation, háa.ree-káa.ree, you should use the spelling "hari-kari". If you prefer a pronunciation closer to the original Japanese, you should use the spelling "hara-kiri" and its pronunciation (which see). | ||
| havoc | háa.vak | háa.vok | |
| Hawaii | Ha.wíe.yee | Ha.wóq.ee, Ha.vóq.ee, Ha.wíe.ya | |
| hectare | hék.tair | hék.ter, hék.tor | |
| hedonist/ic | hèe.da.níst/.ik | hèd.a.níst/.ik | |
| hegemony | he.jém.a.nee | héj.a.mòe.nee | |
| hegira | he.jée.ra | he.jíe.ra | |
| height | hiet | hietth, hiet-tth (a T sound followed by the voiceless TTH sound) (both pronunciations are illiterate) | |
| heinous | háe.nas | hée.nas | |
| helicopter | hél.i.kòp.ter | hée.li.kòp.ter | |
| hello | intj, v: he.lóe | n: hél.o | hu.lóe, húl.oe |
| help | hep (illiterate) | ||
| herb | érb | herb | |
| herbicide | hér.bi.sied | ér.bi.sied | |
| herbivore | hér.bi.vàur | ér.bi.vaur | |
| Herculean | Hèr.kyoo.lée.yan | Her.kyúel.ee.yan | |
| heritage | hér.i.taj | hée.ri.taj | |
| hermitage | hér.mi.taj | her.mi.tózh | |
| heroic | her.óe.wik | heer.óe.wik | |
| heroine | hér.oe.win | héer.oe.win | |
| heroism | hér.oe.wìz.am | hée.roe.wìz.am | |
| Himalayas | Hìm.a.láe.yaz | Hi.mól.yaz | |
| historic | hi.stáu.rik | hi.stór.ik | |
| historic* | The usage "an historic(al)" is affected and should never be used. After all, no one says "an history", so it is foolish to say "an historic". This peculiar usage survives only because many people have heard educated people say it, so think they too "should" use it, lest they seem uneducated. The same popular hesitancy (not to say linguistic cowardice) impedes the progress of "proved" and "showed" in replacing the antique irregulars "proven" and "shown", but courageous and sensible people are gradually regularizing the language and getting rid of antique and irrational forms that make English needlessly difficult to master. (See also the note at "an".) | ||
| historical | hi.stáu.ri.kal | hi.stó.ri.kal | |
| holocaust | hól.a.kaust | hóe.la.kaust, hól.a.kost | |
| holograph/ic | hól.a.graaf/.ik | hóe.la.graaf/.ik | |
| homage | hóm.aj | óm.aj, oe.mózh | |
| homicide | hóm.i.sied | hóe.mi.sied | |
| hominid | hóm.i.nid | hóe.mi.nid | |
| homogeneity | hòe.moe.ja.née.yi.tee | hòe.moe.ja.náe.yi.tee | |
| homogeneous | hoe.moe.jée.nee.yas | ha.mój.a.nas | |
| homosexual | hòe.moe.sék.shue.wal | hòm.a.sék.shue.wal | |
| homosexual* | The OE in the second syllable of "homosexual" is very brief, like the O in "domain". People who have difficulty saying that should use a schwa there (hòe.ma.sék.shue.wal) lest that vowel come out too long in duration and attract too much attention to that syllable. | ||
| Hong Kong | Hóng Kòng | occasionally: Hòng Kóng | Háung Kàung, Hàung Káung |
| hoof | hoof | huef | |
| hoopla | húep.la | húep.loq | |
| hooves | huevz | ||
| horrible | hó.ri.bool | háu.ri.bool | |
| horror | hó.rer | háu.rer | |
| hosiery | hóe.zha.ree | hóe.za.ree | |
| hospitable | hós.pi.ta.bool | ho.spít.a.bool | |
| hostile | adj: hós.tool | n: hós.tie.yalz | hóe.stie.yal;
adj: hós.tie.yal |
| house | n: hous | v: houz | |
| houses | hóu.zaz | hous.iz | |
| hovel | húv.ool | hóv.ool | |
| hover/craft | húv.er/.kraaft | hóe.ver/.kroft | |
| huge | hyuej | yuej | |
| human | hyúe.man | yúe.man | |
| humongous / humungous | hyue.múng.gas | hyue.móng.gas, yue.múng.gas, yue.móng.gas | |
| humongous / humungous* | Whoever coined this word apparently spelled it "humongous" even though it is more commonly pronounced hyue.múng.gas than hyue.móng.gas. Perhaps he/she wrote "-mong-" on the model of "among", expecting others to see the comparison. However, the spelling seems to have given rise to an alternative pronunciation in which the ONG is given the pronunciation one would expect it to have (as in "bong", "tongs", and the Chinese name Ong): hyue.móng.gas. Of course, it is possible he or she initially did pronounce the new word hyue.móng.gas, and people who encountered it in print rather than in sound mistakenly took it as parallel to "among", so MISpronounced it hyue.múng.gas. Had the person who coined the word intended it to be read hyue.múng.gas and written it "humungous", the alternative pronunciation hyue.móng.gas might never have arisen. | ||
| hurricane | hér.i.kàen | hú.ri.kan | |
| hussar | ha.zór | ha.sór | |
| hussy | hús.ee | húz.ee | |
| hygiene | híe.jeen | ||
| hygienic | hie.jén.ik | hie.jée.nik | |
| hygienist | hie.jén.ist | hie.jée.nist | |
| hysteria | hi.stér.ee.ya | hi.stée.ree.ya | |
| Hyundai | Hyún.dae | Hún.dae | |
I [Return to top.] |
|||
| I'll | Iel | Ol | |
| -ically, -icly | See note at "basically". | ||
| idealism | íe.dee.ya.lìz.am | Ie.dée.yal.ìz.am | |
| idealize | ie.dée.ya.lize | ||
| ideolog/ue | íd.ee.ya.lòg | íe.dee.ya.lòg | |
| ideological | ìd.ee.ya.lój.i.kal | ìe.dee.ya.lój.i.kal | |
| ideology | ìd.ee.yól.a.jee | ìe.dee.yól.a.jee | |
| idly | íed.lee | íe.dal.lee | |
| Illinois/an | Ìl.i.nói/.yan | Ìl.i.nóiz/.an | |
| imagery | ím.aj.ree | ím.aj.er.ee | |
| imbecile | ím.ba.sool | ím.ba.sìl | ím.ba.sìe.yal, ím.ba.sèel |
| immature | ìm.a.chúer | ìm.a.tuer | |
| immediate/ly | i.mée.dee.yat/.lee | i.mée.jat/.liq | |
| immune | resistant: i.myúen | short for "immunological": ím.yuen | |
| impact | n: ím.paakt | v: im.páakt | |
| import | n: ím.paurt | v: im.páurt | |
| impound | v: im.póund | adj: ím.pound (as in "ímpound lot", where impóunded cars are kept) | |
| imprimatur | ìm.pri.mó.ter | im.prím.a.chuer | |
| imprint | n: ím.print | v: im.prínt | |
| inaugural | i.náug.yoo.ral | i.náu.ga.ral | |
| incendiary | in.sén.dee.yèr.ee | in.sén.ja.riq | |
| Incoherent/ly | ìn.koe.hér.ant/.lee | ìn.koe.héer.ant/.lee | |
| income | ín.kum | íng.kam | |
| incongruity | ìn.kan.grúe.wi.tee | ||
| incongruous | in.kóng.grue.was | ||
| increase | n: ín.krees | v: in.krées | |
| incubate | |||
| indent | n: ín.dent | v: in.dént | |
| India | Ín.dee.ya | Ín.ja | |
| individual | ìn.di.ví.jue.wool | ìn.di.víd.yue.wool | |
| inept | i.népt | ìn.épt | |
| inexplicable | ìn.ek.splík.a.bool | in.ék.splik.a.bòol | |
| inextricable | in.ék.stri.ka.bool | ìn.ek.strík.a.bool | |
| inextricably | in.ék.stri.ka.blèe | ìn.ek.strík.a.blêe | |
| influence | ín.flue.wans | in.flúe.wans | |
| ingenious | in.jéen.yas | in.jée.nee.yas | |
| ingenue | áann.zha.nue | ||
| inherent | in.hér.ant | in.hée.rant | |
| inherent* | See note at "coherent". | ||
| inhospitable | ìn.ho.spít.a.bool | ìn.hós.pi.ta.bool | |
| initiate | v: i.nísh.ee.yaet | n: i.nísh.ee.yat | i.nís.ee.yaet |
| inland | ín.land | in.láand | |
| innovative | ìn.a.váe.tiv | ìn.oe.váe.tiv | i.nóv.a.tiv, ín.a.va.tìv |
| inquiry | official proceeding: in.kwíe.ya.ree | ordinary question: ín.kwa.ree | |
| insert | n: ín.sert | v: in.sért | |
| inside | n, adj, prep: ín.sied | adv: in.síed | |
| insider | ín.sied.er | in.síe.der | |
| insular | ín.syoo.ler | ín.sa.ler | |
| insulate | ín.soo.laet | in.syoo.laet | |
| insult | n: ín.sult | v: in.súlt | |
| insurance | in.shúer.ans | ín.shuer.ans (illiterate) | |
| integral | ín.ta.gral | in.tég.ral | |
| intercept | v: in.ter.sépt | n: ín.ter.sept | |
| interest | curiosity: ín.trast | self-dealing, finance: ín.ter.est | |
| intern | n: ín.tern | v: in.térn | |
| internecine | ìn.ter.née.seen | ìn.ter.née.sin | in.tér.na.sèen |
| intifada, intifadeh | ìn.ti.fód.a | ín.ti.fòd.a | |
| intrigue | n: ín.treeg | v: in.tréeg | |
| invite | v: in.víet | n: ín.viet | |
| involve | in.vólv | in.váulv | |
| Iran | Ee.rón | Ie.ráan, Ie.rón, I.ráan, A.rón | |
| Iranian | Ee.rón.ee.yan | Ìe.ráe.nee.yan | |
| Iraq/i | Ee.rók/.ee | Ie.ráak/.ee, Ee.ráak/.ee, I.ráak/.ee, A.rók.ee | |
| iron | íe.yern | ||
| iron* | This is the only word (with its derivatives, such as "ironing") in the whole of the English language in which the four-letter sequence i-r-o-n is pronounced íe.yern. Curiously, people are so taken by that oddity, that many insist on pronouncing i-r-o-n, íe.yern everywhere they see it, in words like "irony", "environs", and "environmentalism" that have no relationship to metallic "iron" at all. This would seem a linguistic version of the economic concept that "bad money drives out good": bad pronunciation drives out good. No, i-r-o-n is not always pronounced íe.yern. | ||
| irony | íe.ra.nee | íe.yer.nee | |
| Iroquois | Ée.ra.kwoi | Ée.ra.kwoiz, Ée.ra.kwoq | |
| irrefutable | i.réf.yoo.ta.bool | i.ree.fyúe.ta.bool | |
| irreparable | i.rép.a.ra.bool | i.ree.páir.a.bool | |
| irrevocable | i.rév.a.ka.bòol | i.ree.vóek.a.bòol | |
| Islam | I.slóm | ||
| Islamic | Is.lóm.ik | Is.láa.mik, Iz.láa.mik | |
| Islamist | Ís.la.mìst | Is.lóm.ist, Iz.lóm.ist, Íz.la.mìst | |
| Israel | Íz.ree.yal | Ís.roq.èl | |
| Israeli | Iz.rái.lee | Is.roq.áe.lee | |
| issue | í.shu | ís.yue | |
| isthmus | ís.mas | ístth.mas | |
| -ization | -i.záe.shan | -ie.záe.shan | |
J [Return to top.] |
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| jaguar | jáag.wor | jáag.yue.wor | |
| jail | jail | jael | |
| jalapeño | hò.la.páen.yoe | hò.la.péen.yoe | |
| jeopardy | jép.er.dee | ||
| Jerusalem | Jer.úe.sa.lam | Jer.úe.za.lam | |
| Jesuit | Jéz.ue.wit | Jézh.ue.wit | Jéz.yue.wit |
| jewel/ry | júel/.ree | júe.wal/.ree | júel/.er.ee |
| jihad | ji.hód | jèe.hód, zhèe.hód | |
| Judaism | Júe.dee.yìz.am | Júe.daq.iz.am | |
| judiciary | n: jùe.dísh.ee.yèr.ee | adj: jue.dísh.a.ree | |
| junior | júen.yer | júe.nee.ya | |
| junta | jún.ta | hóon.ta, húen.ta, khúen.ta | |
| junta* | This word entered English in about 1620. Surely after more than 375 years it should be treated as an English word, not a newly borrowed Spanish word. | ||
| juvenile | júe.va.nìe.yal | júe.va.nal | |
| juvenile* | "Juvenile" is an adjective that can be treated the same in all places or distinguished depending on whether it is used before the noun, stands alone, or occurs as a predicate, far from the noun: júe.va.nal di.líng.kwan.se but "Don't be júe.vi.nìe.yal." Since it is an unusual word that is not likely to be confused with anything but the name of the ancient Roman poet Juvenal (Júe.va.nal) — which doesn't come up often — it doesn't much matter. | ||
K [Return to top.] |
|||
| kamikaze | kòm.i.kóz.ee | kàa.mi.kóz.ee | |
| karaoke | kàa.ree.yóe.kee | ||
| karaoke* | This Japanese word of very recent coinage even in Japan (1985-1990) and thus very recent borrowing, came into English in a pre-anglicized form. No attempt was made to give it an authentic Japanese feel. Rather, from the first, it has been pronounced as though it were written "kari-oki" and was related somehow to the familiar Brazilian-Portuguese word "carioca" (resident of Rio de Janeiro). | ||
| Kauai | Kóu.wie | Ka.wíe | |
| Kazakh | n: Ka.zók | adj: Kóz.ok | |
| kibosh | n: kíe.bosh | v: ki.bósh | |
| kiln | kiln | kil | |
| kilometer | ki.lóm.a.ter | kíl.a.mee.ter | |
| kilometer* | An international conference of scientists decided that this word should be stressed on the first syllable because that is the case with other terms in the metric system. However, scientists do not control the processes of language, and the bulk of speakers of English continue merrily to say kilómater as a parallel to "thermometer", "hydrometer", etc. The notion that "kilometer" as a unit of measurement should be distinguished from instruments that measure is the kind of distinction that scientists like, but few others see any point to. A meter measures. Whether the "meter" at issue is a device (e.g., a gas or electric meter) or a unit of measurement is not important. | ||
| Kismet | Kíz.met | Kíz.mat | |
| kudos | kúe.does | kyúe.doez, kúe.doez | |
L [Return to top.] |
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| laboratory | láab.ra.tau.ree | la.báu.ra.tàu.ree | |
| Labrador | Láa.bra.daur | Laa.bra.dáur | |
| laissez-faire | lès.ae-fáir | làe.zae-fáir | |
| lama (see also "llama") | lóm.a | láa.ma | |
| lambaste | laam.báest | ||
| lamentable | láam.an.ta.bool | la.mén.ta.bool | |
| language | láang.gwaj | láang.waj | |
| languish | láang.gwish | láang.wish | |
| languor/ous | láang.ger/.as | láang.er/.as | |
| larvae | lór.vee | ||
| larvae* | This long-anglicized Latin word "should", puristically, be pronounced lórvie, but isn't. Anglicizing the word in form to "larvas" would solve the problem, but would at present stand out like the proverbial sore thumb. Like "algae" (áaljee), "larvae" is likely to retain an EE sound rather than its proper Latin IE sound far into the future. | ||
| larynx | láar.ingks | lór.niks (illiterate) | |
| last | laast | lost | |
| laugh/ter | láaf/.ter | lóf/.ta, láif/.ta | |
| lava | lóv.a | láa.va | |
| law/yer | láu/yer | ||
| law/yer* | Some dialects of American English avoid the sound AU, presumably because some people find it unpleasant. But without AU, "law" becomes a homophone for "la" as in "la-di-da". If you then add "-yer" to make "lawyer", you come up with LAH-yer, the same pronunciation as the word "liar". Though cynics would say that that is appropriate, "lawyer" is not remotely the only word so affected by the loss of a vowel from a language that has so many words as has English. Some years ago, a TV commercial for Mazola Corn Oil that was apparently produced in California employed an announcer whose dialect excised the vowel sound AU — which is part of both "corn" and "oil". The name of the product came out "Mazola Car Nile" (Ma.zóe.la Kor Níe.yal). That is not what he meant, and does not make sense. English is so filled with words that are close in pronunciation but radically different in meaning that it is vital we retain all the differentiation we can. The loss of a single vowel creates dozens, and perhaps even hundreds, of new homophones in a language already overloaded with homophones. We cannot afford more confusion. | ||
| lawman | láu.maan | láu.man | |
| layman | láe.man | ||
| leaped | leept | ||
| leapt | lept | leept | |
| Lebanon | Léb.a.nòn | Léb.a.nan | |
| lederhosen | láe.der.hòe.zan | lée.der.hòe.zan | |
| legitimate | adj: la.jít.i.mat | v: la.jít.i.maet | |
| legume | lég.yuem | le.gúem, li.gyúem | |
| leisure | lée.zher | lézh.er | |
| length | lengktth | laentth, lentth | |
| lenient | léen.yant | lée.nee.yant | |
| leopard | lép.erd | ||
| lever/age | lév.er/aj | lée.ver/aj | |
| liaison | lee.yáe.zon | láe.yi.zon, lée.ya.zon | |
| library | líe.brèr.ee | líe.bra.ree, líe.ber.ee (illiterate) | |
| licorice | lík.a.ris | lík.er.ish | |
| liege | leej | leezh | |
| lieutenant | lue.tén.ant | lef.tén.ant | |
| lilac | líe.laak | líe.lok | líe.lak |
| linage | líe.naj | ||
| lineage | lín.ee.yaj | ||
| lingerie | lon.zha.ráe | ||
| lingerie* | The standard English pronunciation, lòn.zha.ráe, mangles the original French, which would be said more like làann.zhrée. A compromise, làan.zha.rée, could be popularized if English were written phonetically; but it's not. So, ignorant distortions of borrowed words, like lòn.zha.ráe, will remain. | ||
| liposuction | líe.poe.sùk.shan | líp.oe.sùk.shan | |
| liqueur | li.kér | li.kyúer | |
| literally | lít.er.a.lee | lít.ra.lee | |
| literature | lít.er.a.chèr | lít.ra.chèr, lít.er.a.tùer, lít.er.a.chùer, lít.ra.cha | |
| liverwurst | lív.er.wèrst | lív.er.wersht | |
| llama | lóm.a | yóm.a | |
| llama* | The customary English pronunciation is lóm.a, which is a homophone for "lama" (as in "Dalai lama"). The Spanish of the region where these animals originate says yóm.a. The United States today is starting to correct ignorant mispronunciations of Spanish words under the impact of heavy immigration from Spanish America and self-assertion by U.S.-born Latinos. It seems wise to revert to the original Spanish pronunciation, yóm.a, especially since doing so would leave "lama" a unique term, for a Tibetan monk, and thus eliminate one of English's hundreds of annoying homophones. | ||
| locate | lóe.kaet | loe.káet | |
| long | laung | ||
| longer | adj: láung.ger | n: láung.er | |
| longest | láung.gast | láung.ast | |
| longevity | laun.jév.i.tee | lon.jév.i.tee | |
| longitude | lón.ji.tùed | láung.i.tùed | |
| Los Angeles | Laus Áan.ja.las | Loez Áang.ga.leez, Laus Áan.ja.leez | |
| Louisiana | Lue.wèe.zee.yáa.na | Lùe.zee.yáa.na | |
| lowland/s | lóe.land/z | lóe.laand/z | |
| lost | laust | lost | |
| luxurious | lug.zhúer.ee.yas | luk.shúer.ee.yas | |
| luxury | lúk.sha.ree | lúg.zha.ree | |
M [Return to top.] |
|||
| macabre | ma.kób.ra | ma.kób, ma.kób.er | |
| machete | ma.shét.ee | ma.chét.ee | |
| machete* | This is a Spanish loanword that should be pronounced as it generally isn't: ma.chét.ee or ma.chét.ae. But because it is a foreign word and many native speakers of English seem to think all foreign words are French (see discussions at "Beijing", "Chavez Ravine" and "maharajah") "machete" has been given the French pronunciation of CH: SH. Actually, this isn't too bad, because machetes are used in Brazil, too, and the pronunciation in southern Brazil is close to ma.shét.ee (though the pronunciation in northern Brazil is more like ma.shé.chee). | ||
| machination/s | màa.ki.náe.shan/z | màa.shi.náe.shan/z | |
| macho | móch.oe | máach.oe | |
| madras | fabric: máad.ras | place: Ma.drós | |
| Mafia | Móf.ee.ya | Máa.fee.ya | |
| Mafioso | Mò.fee.yóe.zoe | Máa.fee.yóe.soe | |
| magazine | maa.ga.éen | máa.ga.zeen | |
| magistrate | máa.ji.straet | máa.ji.strat | |
| magnate | máag.naet | máag.nat | |
| maharajah | mò.ha.rój.a | mò.ha.rózh.a | |
| maharajah* | "Raj", "rajah" and "maharajah", along with the name of the famous mausoleum "Taj Mahal", are words of Hindi or Sanskrit origin taken into English by the British during their reign (raj) as colonial overlord of the Indian subcontinent. Alas, although the J in all these words is properly pronounced in the ordinary English fashion, many people see them as foreign words and so assign the only foreign pronunciation they know for J, the French: ZH. Such psuedo-French pronunciations are wrong. See notes at "Beijing" and "Chavez Ravine". | ||
| mael | |||
| majority | ma.jór.i.tee | ma.jáu.ri.tee | |
| malfeasance | maal.fée.zans | maal.fée.sans | |
| -man, -men | In words like "workman" and "salesman", the singular and plural ("workmen", "salesmen") sound much alike, but a careful speaker will draw a distinction in formal usage, -man versus -men, where the singular contains a schwa but the plural a full short-E sound. In some words, like "businessman", it is more customary to treat the -man as though it were the word "man", and accord it a full short-A sound (-maan) and the plural a full short-E sound (-men). | ||
| man | maan | mon | |
| mandatary | máan.da.tèr.ee | ||
| mandatory | máan.da.tàu.ree | màan.dáe.ta.ree | |
| maniacal/ly | ma.níe.ya.kal/.ee | màe.nee.yáak.al/.ee | |
| mankind | máan.kiend | maan.kíend | |
| mansion | máan.shan | ||
| mansion* | Whether the -NTION or -NSION combination in words like "attention" and "mansion" is said with an SH or CH sound makes little difference. Neither is incorrect, no matter which one a given dictionary may choose for a given word. In that there is a hinted-at T between the N and TION or SION sounds, and TSH is another way of writing the English-CH sound, trying not to include that semi-T as would create the combination -chan will seem pointlessly affected and puristic to many careful speakers. | ||
| mantra | máan.tra | món.tra | |
| manufacture | maan.yoo.fáak.cher | maan.a.fáak.cher | |
| marathon | máa.ra.tthon | máa.ra.tthan | |
| margarine | mór.ja.rin | ||
| maria | name: Ma.rée.ya | pl of "mare": mór.ee.ya | |
| maria* | Until fairly recently in historical terms, the typical English pronunciation of the feminine personal name "Maria" was Ma.ríe.ya. Thus the colloquial name for a paddy wagon (that is, a police or patrol wagon), coined in 1847, was "Black Maria", pronounced Bláak Ma.ríe.ya, and the song "They Call the Wind Maria" from a Broadway musical set in the Old West employs the same pronunciation, Ma.ríe.ya. Modern listeners would expect to find each of these terms spelled "Mariah", and indeed a present-day pop singer, Mariah Carey, does spell her name with a final H, which plainly indicates that it is not pronounced as "Maria" is now said, in the Italian and Spanish fashion (Ma.rée.ya). | ||
| married | máa.reed | máa.rid | |
| marry | máa.re | mái.ree | |
| Mary | Mái.ree | Máa.ree | |
| mask | maask | mosk | |
| masonry | máe.san.ree | máe.sa.nèr.ee | |
| massacre | máas.a.ker | ||
| massage | ma.sózh | ma.sój | |
| mastaba | máas.ta.ba | ma.stób.a | |
| master | máas.ter | mós.ta | |
| mathematics | maa.ttha.máa.tiks | maatth.máa.tiks | |
| matrimony | máa.tri.mòe.nee | máa.tri.ma.nee | |
| mature | ma.chúer | ma.túer, ma.chér | |
| mausoleum | mau.za.lée.yam | mau.sa.lée.yam | |
| mauve | moev | mauv | |
| mayoral | máe.ya.ral | mae.yáu.ral | |
| measure | mézh.er | máe.zher | |
| medicine | méd.i.sìn | méd.sin | |
| medieval | mi.dée.val | mi.dee.yée.val | |
| memento | mi.mén.toe | moe.mén.toe | |
| mentor | mén.ter | mén.taur | |
| memorabilia | mèm.a.ra.bíl.ee.ya | mèm.a.ra.béel.ee.ya | |
| mercantile | mér.kan.tìe.yal | mér.kan.til | mér.kan.tèel |
| mercantilism | mér.kan.til.ìz.am | mèr.kan.téel.iz.am | |
| merchandise | n: mér.chan.dìes | v: mér.chan.dìez | |
| mercury | mér.kyoo.ree | mér.ka.ree | |
| merry | mér.ee | mái.ree | |
| messianic | mès.ee.yáa.nik | ||
| metamorphose | mèt.a.máur.foez | ||
| metamorphose* | I find this technical term of biology a very clumsy word. The sole pronunciation given in the dictionary, and thus shown above, seems to me counterintuitive. As a verb, it would more sensibly take stress on the last syllable: mètamaurfóez. "Hwen a káterpìler chaenjaz intu a búterfli, it iz sed tu haav ùndergáun metamáurfasìs, aur tu haav mètamaurfóezd". Since few nonscientists are likely to use the word often, and scientists love their own peculiar ways of pronouncing their pet jargon, this word may stay fixed in its current unnatural state. But I for one will put the accent on the last syllable, dictionaries to the contrary notwithstanding. | ||
| metaphorical | mèt.a.fáu.ri.kal | mèt.a.fó.ri.kal | |
| methadone | méth.a.doen | méth.a.dòn | |
| methane | métth.aen | mée.tthaen | |
| midwifery | mid.wíf.er.ee | midwíeferee | |
| migraine | míe.graen | mée.graen | |
| minature | mín.ee.ya.cher | ||
| miniaturize | mín.i.cha.rìez | ||
| minority | n: mìe.nó.ri.tee | adj: mi.nó.ri.tee | ma.náu.ri.tee |
| minute | n: mín.it | adj: mie.núet | |
| misanthropic | mìz.an.tthróp.ik | mìz.an.tthróe.pik | |
| mischievous | mís.cha.vas | mis.chée.vee.yas (illiterate) | |
| miserable | míz.ra.bool | míz.er.a.bool | |
| missile | mís.ool | mís.ie.yal | |
| Missouri | Mi.zúer.ee | Mi.zúer.a | |
| mobile | adj: móe.bool | n (sculpture): móe.beel | móe.bie.yal |
| moderate | adj: mód.er.at | v: mód.er.àet | |
| modulate | mój.oo.laet | mód.yoo.laet | |
| module | mój.ool | mód.yuel | |
| modus operandi | latinized: móe.das oe.per.ón.dee | anglicized: móe.das op.er.áan.die | |
| molest | ma.lést | ||
| molestation | mòl.as.táe.shan | mòe.las.táe.shan | |
| monastery | món.a.stèr.ee | món.a.stree,
món.a.striq |
|
| Monday | Mún.dae | Mún.dee | |
| Mongol | Móng.goel | Móng.gal | |
| Mongolian | Mòn.góe.lee.yan | Mòng.góe.lee.yan | |
| monologist | ma.nól.a.jist | ||
| montage | mon.tózh | moen.tózh | |
| moral | mó.ral | máu.ral | |
| morale | ma.ráal | ma.ról | |
| mores | máu.raez | ||
| Morris | Mó.ris | Máu.ris | |
| morrow | mó.roe | máu.roe | |
| Moscow | Russia: Mós.kou | Idaho: Mós.koe | |
| mosquito | ma.skée.toe | mòs.kée.toe | |
| moth | mautth | motth | |
| moths | mauthz | mautths, motths, mothz | |
| motorcycle | móe.ter.sìe.kool | móe.ter.sìk.ool | |
| mourning | máur.ning | múer.ning | |
| mouth | n: moutth | v: mouth (platitudes), moutth [auf] (mouth off) | |
| mouths | mouthz | moutths | |
| mozzarella | mòet.sa.rél.a | mòt.sa.rél.a | |
| multi- | múl.tee- | múl.tie- | |
| mundanity | |||
| Murray | Mér.ee | Mú.ree | |
| Murray* | Few people will hear a distinction worth worrying about between Mér.ee and Mú.ree. Mér.ee will more commonly be said in the United States; Mú.ree in Britain. | ||
| muse | myuez | myues | |
| Muslim | Múz.lim | Mue.sléem, Múez.lim, Múes.lim. Móos.lim | |
| Muslim* | The traditional English word for an adherent of Islam is "Moslem", which everyone knows how to pronounce. "Muslim" is an arabicization to accommodate the fact that Arabic has no vowel O. Internationalist pedants insist on substituting U for O in all English words of Arabic origin (as forces the new spellings "Muhammed" and "Muslim" for the long-established English forms "Mohammed" and "Moslem") even though the traditional English words sound better to most native speakers of English, and even though many native speakers of English don't know how to pronounce "Muslim". People who prefer "Moslem" to "Muslim" should use "Moslem" without shame. English and Arabic are separate languages, each entitled to its own way of doing things. It is as inappropriate for Arabic to impose upon English as for English to impose upon Arabic. Arabic could perfectly well accept the vowel O into its alphabet (though it might have to be written differently, since the Arab character for the number 5 looks like a small English O; of course, Arabic could adopt "O" as the letter and substitute "5" for the number). But Arabic has no obligation to accommodate Western languages by intruding O into its alphabet, and English has no obligation to substitute U for O in words derived from Arabic. | ||
| mustache | mús.taash | ma.stáash, ma.stósh | |
| my | mie | mee | |
| myopia | mie.yóe.pee.ya | ||
| myopic | mie.yóp.ik | ||
| myriad | méer.ee.yad | méer.ee.àad | |
N [Return to top.] |
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| nabob | náe.bob | na.bób | |
| nacho/s | nóch.oe/z | náa.choe/z | |
| nail | nail | nael | |
| naked | náe.kad | nék.id (illiterate) | |
| nasty | náas.tee | nós.tiq | |
| natural | náach.ral | náa.cha.ral | |
| naturalization | nàach.ral.i.záe.shan | nàa.cha.ral.i.záe.shan | |
| naughty | náu.tee | nót.ee | |
| nausea | náu.zee.ya | náu.see.ya, náu.sha, náu.zha | |
| nauseate | náu.zee.yaet | náu.zhee.yaet | |
| nauseous | náu.shas | náu.zee.yas | |
| Nazi | Nót.see | Náat.see, Nóz.ee | |
| Neanderthal | Nee.yáan.der.tthaul | Nae.yáan.der.taul | |
| necessary | nés.a.sèr.ee | né.sa.sree | |
| negotiate | ni.góe.shee.yaet | ne.góe.see.yaet | |
| neither | née.ther | níe.ther | |
| Nepal | Ne.pául | Ne.pól | Na.páal |
| nephew | néf.yue | név.yue | |
| neutral | núe.tral | nyúe.tral | |
| Nevada | Na.vód.a | Na.váad.a | |
| new/s | nue/z | nyue/z | |
| Newfoundland | Núe.fand.land | Nue.fóund.land, Núe.fand.làand | |
| Nicaragua | Nik.a.róg.wa | Nee.ka.rróg.woq | |
| niche | nich | neesh | |
| nicotine | ník.a.tèen | nik.a.téen | |
| nihilism | née.yal.ìz.am, née.hil.ìz.am | níe.ya.lìz.am | |
| nonsense | nón.sens | nón.sans, nón.zans | |
| nonwhite | nòn.hwíet | non.hwíet | |
| nostalgia | nos.táal.ja | na.stól.ja, nos.táal.zha | |
| nostalgic | nos.táal.jik | na.stól.jik | |
| nuclear | núe.klee.yer | núe.kyoo.ler (illiterate) | |
| nuclei | núe.klee.yie | ||
| nuclei* | The standard English pronunciation (núe.klee.yie) is maddening to people who have studied Latin, but the Latin núe.klae.yèe is never heard. Rather than fight for a Latin pronunciation that is unlikely to triumph, Latinists should just use the thoroughly anglicized "nucleuses". Yes, that really is an alternative plural accepted by standard dictionaries. | ||
| nucleic | nue.klée.yik | nue.kláe.yik, nyue.klée.yik, nyue.kláe.yik | |
| nucleus | núe.klee.yas | núe.kyoo.las (illiterate) | |
| nuptial/s | núp.shal/z | núp.chal/z, núp.chue.wool/z | |
O [Return to top.] |
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| obligor | ob.li.gáur | ób.li.gaur | |
| oblique | oe.bléek | a.bléek, oe.blíek (illiterate) | |
| obsolete | adj: ob.sa.léet | v: ób.sa.lèet | |
| obsolete* | Because the adjective, the older word, is pronounced with stress on the last syllable, the verb, to differentiate from the adjective, takes stress on the first syllable, the reverse of the usual pattern. | ||
| occasion | a.káe.zhan | òe.káe.zhan | |
| occult | n, v, adj: a.kúlt | adj: ók.ult | |
| occult* | In most uses, and especially when the word is part of the phrase "the occult", the pronunciation is a.kúlt. In some phrases, however, such as "occult powers", ók.ult may be the better pronunciation. | ||
| occur/rence | a.kér/.ans | òe.kér/.ans | |
| off | auf | of | |
| offal | óf.al | áu.fool | |
| offense | a.féns | sports: óf.ens | |
| offensive | a.fén.siv | sports (adj): óf.en.siv | oe.fén.siv |
| official/ly | a.físh.al/.ee | òe.físh.al/.ee | |
| offset | n: áuf.set | v: auf.sét | |
| often | áu.fan | áuf.tan / óf.tan (dialect), óf.an | |
| ogle | óe.gal | óg.al | |
| oil | áu.yal | erl (illiterate) | |
| oligarchy | ól.i.gòr.kee | óel.i.gòr.kee | |
| Olympic/s | A.lím.pik/s | Òe.lím.pik/s | |
| on-line, online | adj: ón.lien | adv: on.líen | |
| onerous | óe.ner.as | ón.er.as | |
| oops | oops | ueps | |
| opera | óp.ra | óp.er.a | óp.ree (illiterate) |
| opportunity | òp.ar.túe.ni.tee | òp.ar.tyúe.ni.tee, òp.ar.chúe.ni.tee | |
| opposite | óp.a.sit | óp.a.zit | |
| opposite* | "Opposite" derives from "oppose" (a.póez), which inclines some people to use a Z sound to conform to the sound given the S in the verb. That is exactly the wrong thinking. Similar but different words should be clearly differentiated from each other. Even tho a.póez is already distinct in sound from either óp.a.zit or óp.a.sit, óp.a.sit remains the better choice because it is distinct from "apposite" (áa.pa.zit). | ||
| or | Aur | or | |
| orange | ó.ranj | áu.ranj | |
| orangutan/g | a.ráang.a.taang | a.ráang.a.tàan | |
| orangutan/g* | This word came into English in 1691 as "orangutang" and continues to be pronounced as though the final G is still there, even though the spelling "orangutan" was in 1998 more common. The term derives from two Malay words spelled in English as "orang hutan". Though that would suggest that the final NG sound we give it in English is incorrect, (a) there are some languages in which a final N sometimes does take an NG sound (some speakers of Spanish say beeyéng for "bien", at least when it stands alone) and (b) a word borrowed into English need not sound the same as it does in its original language. Compare "champagne" (English, shaam.páen; French, shom.pón.ya); "intelligentsia" (English, in.tel.i.jént.see.ya; Russian, èen.tel.ee.gén.tsee.ya); "junta" (English, jún.ta; Spanish, khúen.ta); "frankfurter" (English, fráangk.fer.ter; German, frhóngk.fuerh.terh); "potato" (English, pa.táe.to; Spanish/Taino: ba.tót.a). English has been saying the mellifluous and rhyming a.ráang.a.tàang for a long time. There's no reason to change that. | ||
| orator | áur.a.ter | ó.ra.ter | áu.rae.ter |
| ordinary | áur.di.nèr.ee | áud.nriq | |
| Oregon | Áu.ra.gòn | Ó.ra.gan | |
| organization | àur.ga.ni.záe.shan | àur.ga.nie.záe.shan | |
| origin | áu.ri.jin | ó.ri.jin | |
| osprey | ós.pree | ós.prae | |
| Ottawa | Ó.ta.wa | Ó.ta.woq | |
| Ouija | Wée.jee | Wée.ja | |
| our | óu.wer | or | |
| outside | n, adj, prep: óut.sied | adv: out.síed | |
| overhaul | n: óe.ver.haul | v: oe.ver.hául | |
| overhead | n, adj: óe.ver.hed | adv: oe.ver.héd | |
| overload | n: óe.ver.lòed | v: oe.ver.lóed | |
| overthrow | n: óe.ver.tthro | v: oe.ver.tthró | |
| Ovid | Óv.id | Óe.vid | |
| Ovid* | "Ovid" is the English shorthand designation for the renowned poet of ancient Rome, Publius Ovidius Naso (Púe.blee.yues Oe.vée.dee.yues Nós.o). As an English term, it can rightly take an anglicized pronunciation, Óvid. But since it refers to a man who wrote in Latin, a Latinized pronunciation, Óevid, will seem better to Latinists. Since many non-Latinists won't know whom you are talking about either way you pronounce the name, and Latinists will understand either pronunciation, which you use is wholly a matter of personal preference. I prefer Óe.vid, which happens also to be closer to the modern French name "Ovide" (Óe.veed, sometimes anglicized to Óe.vid, as in the case of the onetime chief of Canada's Assembly of First Nations, Ovide Mercredi. | ||
| oyez | óe.yae | óe.yez | óe.yes, oe.yés |
| oyez* | This legal term, French for "hear ye", is used in court to command attention. In proper French, it would be oe.yáe, but it has been in English since the fifteenth century, so an English preference for stressing the first syllable seems reasonable, especially inasmuch as the phrase will be perceived as "Hear ye!", which English phrase takes stress on the first syllable. But the partially French pronunciation óe.yae seems preferable to me to the wholly anglicized óe.yez or óe.yes. | ||
P [Return to top.] |
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| padre | pód.rae | pód.ree | |
| paean | pée.yan | páe.yan | |
| painstaking | páen.staek.ing | páenz.taek.ing | |
| painstaking* | This word means "taking pains", not "staking pain". But since it is written as one word, the written-S is assimilated to the following T, and thus changes from the Z sound it would have if "pains" were a word to itself, to an S sound instead. That's just the way things work in this case. See discussion at "disgust". | ||
| Pakistan | Pók.i.stòn | Páak.i.stàn | |
| paleontology | pài.lee.yan.tól.a.jèe | pài.lee.yôn.tól.a.jee | |
| palisade/s | paa.li.sáed/z |
|
|
| palisade/s* | My first, childhood home was in Palisades Park, New Jersey, in the name of which the syllabic stress of "Palisades" shifted forward to the beginning of the word to accommodate a main stress for the phrase overall on "park": Pàa.li.saedz Pórk. Because English hates to have two stressed syllables abutting, and the most important word in a phrase (usually a noun) receives the major stress, words that would ordinarily be considered nouns (like "palisades") are treated as adjectives in phrases like "Palisades Park", and the adjective's own stress pattern is subordinated to the stress of the noun it serves. English often changes nouns into adjectives and pronounces them as such by rules that are rather consistent, once you understand them. If "palisades" kept its stress on the last syllable, the phrase "Palisades Park" could not be said fluently and continuously. Rather, there would have to be a brief pause between the words to allow a "beat" for prosody, since stressed and unstressed syllables pretty much have to alternate in English. Departing from such a pattern doesn't sound right. | ||
| palm (see "almond") | pom | polm | |
| papoose | paa.púes | pa.púes | |
| paprika | paa.prée.ka | pa.prée.ka | |
| paradise | páa.ra.dies | páa.ra.diez | |
| Paraguay | Páa.ra.gwae | Páa.ra.gwie | |
| parent | páa.rant | pái.rant | |
| parliament | pór.la.mant | pór.lee.ya.mant | |
| parliamentarian | pòr.la.men.tái.ree.yan | pòr.lee.ya.man.tái.ree.yan | |
| parliamentary | pòr.la.mén.ta.ree | pòr.lee.ya.mén.ta.ree | |
| parmesan | pór.mi.zòn | pór.ma.zhòn, pór.ma.zan | |
| parmesan, parmigiana* | Both pórmazhòn and pòrmazhóna are illiterate Frenchifications of words of Italian origin. See notes at "Beijing", "maharajah" and "Chavez Ravine". | ||
| parmigiana | pòr.mi.jón.a | pòr.ma.zhón.a | |
| parquet | por.káe | ||
| participate | por.tís.i.paet | per.tís.i.paet | |
| particular | pèr.tík.yoo.ler | pòr.tik.yoo.lèr | |
| pass | paas | pos | |
| passé | paa.sáe | po.sáe | |
| past | paast | post | |
| pasta | pó.sta | páas.ta | |
| pastoral | páa.sta.ral | paa.stáu.ral | |
| pasture | páas.cher | pós.cha | |
| patent | legal right (n and adj): páat.ant | obvious (adj): páe.tant | |
| path | paatth | potth | |
| pathos | páe.tthoes | páa.tthos, páe.tthos | |
| paths | paathz | paatths, potths, pothz | |
| patina | páa.ti.na | pa.tée.na, pa.téen | |
| patriot | páe.tree.yat | páat.ree.yot | |
| patriotic | pae.tree.yót.ik | paat.ree.yót.ik | |
| patronage | business: páe.tra.naj | politics: páa.tra.naj | |
| patronize | business: páe.tra.nìez | condescend: páa.tra.nìez | |
| paucity | páu.si.tee | póu.si.tee | |
| pearl | perl | pel | |
| pecan | pée.kaan (but, "bút.er pi.káan" ice cream) | pi.kón | |
| pectoral/s | pék.ta.ral/z | pek.táu.ral/z | |
| pedophilia | ped.a.fíl.ee.ya | pèe.da.fíl.ee.ya, pèd.a.féel.ee.ya | |
| penalize | pée.na.liez | pén.a.liez | |
| penchant | pén.chant | ponn.shónn, pónn.shonn | |
| penchant* | "Penchant" is English, and has been since 1672. Giving it a puristic French pronunciation is a pathetic and irritating affectation. | ||
| peninsula | pa.nín.syoo.la | pa.nín.sa.la | |
| penniless | pén.i.las | pén.ee.las | |
| people | pée.pool | ||
| Percheron | Pér.cha.ròn | Pér.sha.ròn | Pér.cha.ron |
| Percheron* | This is a really weird word, in that the preferred pronunciation employs an English CH in a French loanword, even though in other words regarded as foreign (e.g., machete), CH is given the (French) value SH even though they're not French at all and the original language pronounces CH as English does. (See note at "Chavez Ravine".) Perhaps the names of "domestic" animals are given "domestic" pronunciations. | ||
| perfume | n: pér.fyuem | v: per.fyúem | |
| permit | n: pér.mit | v: per.mít | n: per.mít (illiterate) |
| perpetuity | pèr.pa.túe.wi.tee | ||
| persona | per.sóe.na | per.són.a | |
| pervert | n: pér.vert | v: per.vért | |
| phalanx | fáe.laangks | fáal.anks | |
| pharaoh | fáa.roe | fér.oe, fáe.roe | |
| Philippines | Fíl.i.peenz | Fil.i.péenz | |
| Philistine | Fíl.i.steen | Fíl.i.stìen | |
| pianist | pee.yáan.ist | pée.ya.nist | |
| piano | pee.yáa.no | pee.yón.o | |
| picture | pík.cher | pí.cher (illiterate) | |
| piranha | per.ón.a | puristically: pi.rón.ya | per.áa.na |
| piranha* | The H in "piranha" is not superfluous (silent) in the original Brazilian-Portuguese. Rather, NH is the way Portuguese spells the sound that Spanish writes as an N with a tilde (Ñ), the sound of -NY- in "canyon" (written cañón in Spanish). Loanwords like "lasagna" from Italian employ another spelling for this same sound: GN. Readers of English accept Ñ and GN as variant spellings for -NY-, but somehow refuse to accept NH. I guess most of us are too accustomed to silent-H's to see NH as anything but N followed by a silent-H. So per.ón.a will likely remain the standard pronunciation of "piranha". | ||
| pirouette | pi.rue.wét | pèer.ue.wét | |
| placate | pláe.kàet | plae.káet, pláa.kaet | |
| placatory | pláak.a.tau.ree | pláe.ka.tau.ree | |
| plant | plaant | plont | |
| plateau | plaa.tóe | pláa.toe | |
| plaza | plóz.a | pláaz.a | |
| pleasure | plézh.er | pláe.zher | |
| plebiscite | pléb.i.siet | plée.bi.siet | |
| Pleiades | Plée.ya.deez | Pláe.ya.deez | |
| plenty | pléntee | plúntee | |
| plover | plúv.er | plóe.ver | |
| poem | póe.wam | poem | |
| poinsettia | poin.sét.ee.ya | poin.sét.a | |
| polka | póel.ka | póe.ka | |
| poor | puer | paur | |
| porridge | pó.rij | páu.rij | |
| Porsche | Páur.sha | Paursh | |
| Porsche* | The one-syllable pronunciation Paursh is slang, on the order of "Beemer" for another German sportscar, the BMW. Anyone can use any slang pronunciation he wants, in his own in-group. I mockingly say Páurskee for Porsche among friends and family. But the respectful pronunciation is Páur.sha. | ||
| Port-au-Prince | Páurt-a-Prìns | French: Paur.toe.Práanns | |
| portrait | páur.trat | páur.traet | |
| potato | pa.táe.to | pa.táe.ta | |
| potato* | Not even Britons say pa.tót.o, despite the popular song "Let's Call the Whole Thing Off": "You say tamaeto and I say tamoto. You say pataeto and I say patoto . . ." | ||
| precedence | prés.a.dans | pree.sée.dans | |
| precedent | n: prés.a.dant | adj: pri.sée.dant, prés.a.dant | |
| precursor | pree.kér.ser | prée.ker.ser | |
| predecessor | préd.a.sès.er | prée.da.sès.er, pred.a.sés.er | |
| predicate | n, adj: préd.i.kat | v: préd.i.kàet | |
| preferable | préf.er.a.bòol | pree.fér.a.bòol | |
| preferably | préf.ra.blee | préf.er.a.blee | pree.fér.a.blee |
| prehensile | pree.hén.sool | pree.hén.sie.yal | |
| prelude | práe.lued | prél.yued | |
| premature | pree.ma.chúer | pree.ma.túer | |
| premier/e | pri.méer | pree.méer | prem.yáir, prée.meer |
| preparatory | prép.a.ra.tàu.ree | pri.pái.ra.tàu.ree, pri.páa.ra.tàu.ree | |
| preposition | prèp.a.zí.shan | ||
| preposterous | pree.pós.ter.as | ||
| present | n: préz.ant | v: pree.zént | |
| presentation | prèz.an.táe.shan | prèe.zen.táe.shan | |
| prestige | pres.téezh | pres.téej | |
| prestigious | pres.tíj.as | pres.tée.jas, pres.tée.zhas | |
| pretense | prée.tens | pri.téns | |
| prima donna | opera: prèe.ma dón.a | p.i.a.: prìm.a dón.a | |
| primarily | prie.mér.i.lee | príe.ma.ra.lee | |
| primer | book: prím.er | paint: príe.mer | |
| princess | prín.ses | prin.sés, prín.sas | |
| pristine | prís.teen | pri.stéen | prís.tien |
| privacy | príe.va.see | prív.a.see | |
| privilege/d | prív.laj/d | prív.i.laj/d | |
| probably | prób.a.blee | unacceptably careless: pról.ee | |
| proboscis | pra.bós.is | pra.bós.kis | |
| process | n, v (to handle): prós.es | v (move in procession): proe.sés | próe.ses |
| processor | prós.es.er | prós.es.aur, pró.se.sa | |
| produce | n: próe.dues | v: pra.dúes | pród.yues, pra.dyúes |
| productivity | pròe.duk.tív.i.tee | pròd.uk.tív.i.tee | |
| professorial | pròf.es.áu.ree.yal | pròe.fe.sáu.ree.yal | |
| program | próe.graam | próe.gram | |
| progress | n: próg.res | v: pra.grés | próe.gres |
| project | n: prój.ekt | v: pra.jéct | próe.jekt |
| promenade | n: próm.a.nod | v: pró.ma.naed | |
| promulgate | próm.ul.gàet | pra.múl.gaet | |
| promulgate* | The first and second pronunciations of "promulgate" have changed places in the past forty years. Próm.ul.gàet has now so thoroughly ousted the old-fashioned pra.múl.gaet as to warrant placing the earlier pronunciation in the "But NOT" column. | ||
| pronunciation | pra.nùn.see.yáe.shan | pra.nòun.see.yáe.shan (illiterate) | |
| propagandize | prop.a.gáan.diez | próp.a.gàan.dîez | |
| prophetic | pra.fét.ik | proe.fét.ik | |
| protean | proe.tée.yan | próe.tee.yan | |
| protection | pra.ték.shan | proe.ték.shan | |
| protein | próe.teen | próe.tee.yan | |
| protest | n, adj: próe.test | v: pra.tést | v: próe.test |
| protestation | pròt.as.táe.shan | pròe.tas.táe.shan | |
| protester | pra.tést.er | pròe.test.er | |
| provolone | pròe.va.lóe.nee | pròv.a.lóen | |
| provost | próe.voest | próv.ast, próe.vast, próe.voe | |
| psalm/ist | sóm/.ist | sólm/.ist | |
| psychiatrist | sie.kíe.ya.trist | si.kíe.ya.trist, sa.kíe.ya.trist | |
| psychology | sie.kól.a.jee | sa.kól.a.jee | |
| psychopathy | si.kóp.a.tthee | síe.ka.pàa.tthee | |
| puberty | pyúe.ber.tee | púe.ber.tee | |
| Pulitzer | Pyúe.lit.ser | Póol.it.ser | |
| pulpit | púl.pit | póol.pit | |
| puma | púe.ma | pyúe.ma | |
| puma* | Some people will think the pronunciation púe.ma "un-English". That's because "puma" is Spanish, a loanword. There is no reason to anglicize it to pyúe.ma, however, in that YUE-sounds in English are being abandoned right and left in favor of simple-UE (nuez, stue.dant, Tuez.dae, rather than nyuez, styúe.dant, Tyúez.dae, etc.) | ||
| pupae | pyúe.pee | ||
| pupae* | This is another long-anglicized scientific word (like "larvae") whose un-Latin EE ending (where the -ae is pronounced IE in Latin) can be avoided simply by using the regularized-English plural: "pupas" (pyúepaz). | ||
| purposive | pér.pa.siv | per.póe.siv | |
| purposive* | There may be places within a sentence when the first pronunciation of this word, which stresses the first syllable, will not fit the meter, whereas stressing the second syllable will. In such a situation, one's first thought might be to say per.pús.iv, but dictionaries don't recognize that pronunciation, perhaps because it gives rise to false (and unpleasant) associations with "pus". Many speakers will find per.póe.siv artificial, as do I. They should always say pér.pa.siv, regardless of the metrical context. | ||
| pursuant | per.súe.want | pér.sue.want | |
| pyramidal | pi.ráa.mi.dal | peer.a.míd.al, péer.a.mìd.al | |
| python | píe.tthon | píe.tthan | |
Q [Return to top.] |
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| quagmire | kwáag.mie.yer | kwóg.mie.yer | |
| qualm | kwolm | kwom | |
| qualm* | Though parallel in structure to "palm" and similarly centuries-old, "qualm" is an uncommon word that most people are likely to encounter mainly in print, so the spelling-pronunciation kwolm is more likely to make plain what word one is using. Especially is this true today, when Asian names like Kwon are proliferating in people's consciousness, as to give pause to a listener who hears kwom; "was that 'Kwom'?" Kwolm will more readily be spelled out in the listener's mind as "qualm", and then recognized as a word of infrequent occurrence but whose meaning he does know. | ||
| quart | kwaurt | kaurt | |
| quarter/back | kwáur.ter/baak | káur.ter/baak | |
| quartet | kwaur.tét | kaur.tét | |
| quasi- | kwóz.ee- | kwáe.zie- | |
| quay | kee | ||
| Quebec | Ke.bék | Kwee.bék | |
| quiescent | kwee.yés.ant | kwie.yés.ant | |
| quintuple | kwin.túe.pool | kwin.túp.ool, kwín.ta.pool | |
| quixotic | kwik.sót.ik | ||
R [Return to top.] |
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| rabid | ráa.bid | ráe.bid | |
| raceme | rae.séem | raa.séem, ra.séem | |
| raconteur | ràa.kon.tér | ràa.kon.túer | |
| radiator | ráe.dee.yàe.ter | ráad.ee.yàe.ter | |
| ragged | v: raagd | adj: ráagad | |
| raj | rój | rozh | |
| rajah | rój.a | rózh.a | |
| rampage | n: ráam.paej | v: raam.páej | |
| ranch | raanch | ronch | |
| rather | adv: ráath.er | intj: ro.thér | ró.ther |
| ration | ráash.an | ráe.shan | |
| raunch | raunch | ronch | |
| re ("concerning") | rae | ree | |
| realtor | réel.ter | rée.la.ter (illiterate) | |
| rebel | n: réb.al | v: ree.bél | |
| rebound | n, adj: rée.bound | v: ree.bóund | |
| recall | n: rée.kaul | v: ree.kául | |
| recess | n (rest period): rée.ses (niche): ri.sés, ree.sés |
v: ri.sés, ree.sés | |
| recluse | rék.lues | ri.klúes | rék.luez, ri.klúez |
| reconciliation | rèk.an.sil.ee.yáe.shan | rèe.kan.sil.ee.yáe.shan | |
| record | n: rék.erd | v: ree.káurd | rék.àurd |
| recuperate | ree.kúe.per.aet | ri.kyúe.per.aet | |
| redress | n: rée.dres | v: ri.drés, ree.drés | |
| referee | ref.a.rée | réf.a.ree | |
| reference | réf.rans | réf.er.ans | |
| refill | n: rée.fil | v: ree.fíl | |
| refuge | réf.yuej | réf.yuezh | |
| refund | n: rée.fund | v: ree.fúnd | |
| refuse | n: réf.yues | v: ree.fyúez | |
| regalia | ri.gáil.ya | ra.gáal.ya, ra.gáa.lee.ya | |
| regime | re.zhéem | ràe.zhéem | ri.jéem |
| regulatory | rég.yoo.la.tàu.ree | règ.yoo.láe.ta.ree | |
| reject | n: rée.jekt | v: ree.jékt | |
| relapse | n: rée.laaps | v: ri.láaps, ree.láaps | |
| relative | rél.a.tiv | ree.láe.tiv | |
| relax | ree.láaks | rel.áaks, ra.láaks | |
| relay | n: rée.lae | v: (pass along) ree.láe; (lay again) rée.láe | |
| relief | ri.léef | ree.léef | |
| relocate | rèe.loe.káet | ree.lóe.kaet | |
| renaissance | rén.a.sòns | ra.náe.sans, rén.a.zòns, rén.a.sans | |
| renege | ri.níg | ri.nég, ri.néeg, ri.náeg | |
| repartee | rè.por.táe | rèp.er.tée | |
| repast | ri.páast | ri.póst | |
| repatriation | ree.pàe.tree.yáe.shan | ri.pàa.tree.yáe.shan | |
| repeat | n: ree.péet, rée.peet | v: ree.péet, ri.péet | |
| repercussion | rèp.er.kúsh.an | rèeperkúshan | |
| reportage | ree.páur.taj | rèp.aur.tózh | |
| reprise | repeat: ri.préez | take back, charge: ri.príez | |
| reptile | rép.tie.yal | rép.tool | |
| rerun | n: rée.run | v: ree.rún | |
| research | n, adj: rée.serch | v: ri.sérch, ree.sérch | |
| researcher | ri.sérch.er | ree.sérch.er | rée.serch.er |
| resite | rée.síet | ||
| resource | rée.saurs | rée.zaurs, ri.sáurs, ri.záurs | |
| resourceful | ri.záurs.fool | ree.sáurs.fool | |
| respite | rés.pit | ri.spíet, rés.piet | |
| restaurant | rés.ta.rònt | rés.ta.rònn, rés.ta.rant | |
| restaurateur | rès.ta.ra.tér | rès.ta.ron.túer | |
| retard | n: rée.tord | v: ree.tórd | |
| rethink | n: rée.tthingk | v: ree.tthíngk | |
| retort | n: rée.taurt | v: ri.táurt | |
| retread | n: rée.tred | v: ree.tréd | |
| revamp | v: ree.váamp | n: rée.vaamp | |
| revenue | rév.an.yue | rév.a.nue | |
| reverend | rév.rand | rév.er.and | |
| rewrite | n: rée.write | v: ree.ríet | |
| ridiculous | ri.dík.yoo.las | rèe.dík.ya.las | |
| rigmarol | ríg.a.ma.ròel | ríg.ma.ròel | |
| rigmarol* | A puristic pronunciation of this word would follow the spelling: ríg.ma.ròel. But in fact most people insert an additional syllable between the G and M. Indeed, because that is so common a pronunciation, there has arisen a variant spelling "rigamarole". Though ríg.ma.ròel is certainly not "wrong", it's not exactly right either. | ||
| Rio de Janeiro | Réeyoe dae Zha.nái.roe | Réeyoe dee Zha.nái.roe | |
| Rio de Janeiro* | The pronunciation heard most commonly in the United States is a mix of Spanish and French: Rée.yoe dae Zha.nái.ro. Proper Spanish is Rrrée.yoe dae Kha.náe.rro, but English does not trill or tap R, and the typical native speaker of English rebels at reading J as KH, but insists on reading J in foreign words as they understand J to be said in French: ZH. In Rio itself, the local speakers of the Northern Brazilian/Carioca dialect of Portuguese say Rhée.yue jee Zha.náe.rrue. Yes, there is another language than English that pronounces the letter E as we do: EE. (In Brazilian Portuguese, this pronunciation for E occurs in unstressed syllables.) The closest equivalent in English would be Rée.yue dee Zha.náe.rue, but the typical English-speaker will not read O as U except in ancient English words like "do" and "to". The upshot of all this? A speaker respectful of Brazil's Portuguese, not Spanish, culture, but uncomfortable with the idea of being thought affected if he pronounces O as though U, will say Réeyoe dee Zha.nái.roe. | ||
| riparian | rie.pái.ree.yan | ri.pái.ree.yan | |
| robust | roe.búst | róe.bust | |
| rococo | ròe.ka.kó | ra.kóe.ko | |
| romance | n, adj: róe.maans | v: roe.máans | |
| roof | ruef | roof | |
| room | ruem | room | |
| root | ruet | root | |
| root* | "Root", "route", "rout" are three words that could be distinguished into three separate sounds (root, ruet, rout) if English were written phonetically, but it's not. The parallel of "root" to "boot", "shoot", "toot", "loot" and such is too powerful to overcome. "Foot" is an odd pronunciation for its spelling, and many people, when in doubt, will always read "oo" as long: UE. | ||
| rotate | róe.taet | roe.táet | |
| rotisserie | roe.tís.a.rèe | roe.tée.sa.rèe | |
| rough | ruf | ||
| route | ruet | rout | |
| routine | n: rue.téen | adj: rúe.teen | |
| ruse | ruez | rues | |
S [Return to top.] |
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| sabotage | sáa.ba.tòzh | sób.a.tòzh, sáa.ba.tàazh | |
| saboteur | sàa.ba.tér | sàa.ba.túer | |
| sacrifice | sáa.kri.fìes | sáa.kri,fìs, sáa.kri.fìez | |
| saffron | sáa.fran | sáa.fron | |
| saga | sóg.a | sáa.ga | |
| saguaro | sa.gwó.roe | sa.wó.roe, sa.wó.ra | |
| Sahara | Sa.hàa.ra | Sa.hó.ra | |
| sail | sail | saal | |
| salary | sáal.a.ree | sáall.ree | |
| sale | sail | saal | |
| salmon | sáa.man | sáal.man | |
| salon | beauty shop: sa.lón | soiree, painting competition: sáa.loenn | |
| salsa | sól.sa | sául.sa, sáal.sa | |
| salve | n, v (soothe): saav | v (salvage): saalv
obs interj: sól.vae |
|
| sample | sáam.pool | sóm.pool | |
| samurai | sáa.ma.rìe | sáam.yoo.rìe | |
| sanctuary | sáangk.chue.wèr.ee | sáangk.cha.rèe | |
| sans | saanz | sonz, sonn | |
| Saskatchewan | Saa.skáa.choo.wòn | Saa.skáa.choo.wan | |
| satanic | sa.táan.ik | sàe.táan.ik | |
| satiety | sa.tíe.ya.tèe | ||
| Saturday | Sáa.ter.dàe | Sáa.ter.dee | |
| sauce | saus | sos | |
| Saudi | Sáu.dee | Sóu.dee, Soq.úe.dee | |
| scallop | mollusk: skól.ap, skáa.lap | border (n and v): skáa.lap | |
| scenario | si.nái.ree.yoe | see.nó.ree.yoe | |
| schedule | skéj.ool | skéj.ue.wal, shéj.ool | |
| schism | síz.am | skízam, shízam | |
| schismatic | siz.máat.ik | skiz.máat.ik | |
| schizophrenia | skìt.sa.frée.nee.ya | skìts.a.frén.ee.ya | |
| scone | skoen | skon | |
| scone | The Stone of Scone that until recently lay under the British throne is from a Scottish location pronounced Skuen. Only that stone and location, however, take that pronunciation for that spelling. The pastry is pronounced skoen. | ||
| scourge | skerj | skuerj, skaurj, skoerj | |
| scrumptious | skrúm.shas | skrúmp.chue.was | |
| scythe | sieth | sie | |
| secretary | sék.ra.tèr.ee | sék.ri.triq | |
| secretary* | Remember that in this pronunciation key Q is silent, used to signal a short vowel in final position. Here, the -iq ending conveys the "clipped" short-I that some Britons use in place of the EE sound for Y at the end of a word. | ||
| sedimentary | sèd.i.mén.ta.ree | séd.i.man.tèree | |
| segment | ség.mant | ||
| segmented | seg.mén.tad | ||
| sensor | sén.ser | sén.saur | |
| sentient | sén.shant | sén.chant, sén.tee.yant | |
| separate | adj: sép.rat, sép.a.rat | v: sép.a.ràet | |
| sequelae | si.kwél.ee | si.kwél.ie | |
| sequelae* | This unusual Latin word, which means "consequences" and later, following stages to disease, is new enough to most people that there would be little harm in giving it the Latinist pronunciation si.kwél.ie, which will seem best to people hostile to needless anglicization of Latin words. | ||
| sequoia | si.kwáu.ya | si.káu.ya | |
| serenade | n: sér.a.naed | v: ser.a.náed | |
| several | sév.ral | sév.er.al | |
| sexual | sék.shue.wal | séks.yue.wal | |
| shaman | shóm.an | sháe.man, sha.món | |
| shammes | shóm.as | ||
| shamus | sháe.mas | shóm.as | |
| shan't | shaant | shont | |
| shard (see also "sherd") | shord | ||
| sheath | n: sheetth | v: sheeth | |
| sheath/e | v: sheeth | ||
| sheaths | sheethz | sheetths | |
| sherd | sherd | shord | |
| sheriff | shér.if | shái.rif | |
| Shih Tzu | Shée Dzùe | Shìt.sue | |
| shillelagh | shi.lái.lee | ||
| shone | shoen | shon | |
| siege | seej | seezh | |
| silicon | especially the n: síl.i.kòn | especially the adj: síl.i.kan | |
| simultaneous | sìe.mul.táe.nee.yas | sìm.ul.táe.nee.yas | |
| singer | síng.er | síng.ger | |
| sloth | animal: slautth | laziness: sloetth | |
| slothful | sláutth.fool | ||
| smorgasboard | smáur.gas.baurd | shmáur.gas.baurd | |
| smuggle | smúg.ool | ||
| smuggler | smúg.ler | smúg.ool.er | |
| snail | snail | snael, snáe.yal | |
| sociopath | sóe.see.ya.pàatth | sóe.shee.ya.pàatth, sóe.see.yoe.pàatth | |
| sociopathy | sòe.see.yóp.a.tthee | sòe.see.yoe.páa.tthee, sòe.shee.yoe.páa.tthee | |
| soft | sauft | soft | |
| soften | sáu.fan | sáuf.tan, sóf.tan | |
| sojourn | n: sóe.jern | v: soe.jérn | |
| solace | sól.as | sóe.las | |
| solve | solv | saulv | |
| sommelier | sùm.al.yáe | ||
| sommelier* | This French word for "wine steward", though in English use since the beginning of the 1920s, is treated by authorities as almost wholly unassimilated, and thus given a pronunciation that is still essentially French: sùm.al.yáe. Perhaps that's because it is used mainly for wine stewards in French restaurants. If it becomes anglicized, it will probably take a form more like sa.mél.ee.yàe. It might end up more like sòm.al.yáir or sòm.a.léer. Or it might simply experience only a syllabic-stress shift to the first syllable, like most English nouns, and become súmalyàe. Of course, we could just bounce the word out of English altogether and replace it with "wine steward" or "wine waiter". | ||
| sonogram | són.a.graam | sóe.na.graam | |
| sophomore | sóf.maur | sóf.a.màur | |
| sophomoric | sof.a.máu.rik | ||
| sorrow | só.roe | sáu.roe | |
| sorry | só.re | sáu.ree | |
| souffle | sue.fláe | súe.flae | |
| soviet | sóe.vee.yat | sóv.ee.yat, soe.vee.yét | |
| special | spé.shal | spáe.shal | |
| specie/s | spée.shee/z | spée.seez | |
| spectator | spék.tae.ter | spek.táe.ter | |
| spherical | sféer.i.kool | sfér.i.kool | |
| spirochete | spíe.ra.keet | spée.ra.keet | |
| spontaneity | spòn.ta.née.yi.têe | spòn.ta.náe.yi.têe | |
| spontaneity* | Nowadays spòn.ta.náe.yi.têe is more commonly heard. Tho I feel that spòn.ta.née.yi.têe is sufficiently distinct from "spontaneous" that there is no need to change the EE sound to AE, I can't come up with any good reason to condemn use of AE either. So I will continue to say spòn.ta.née.yi.têe but not look askance at people who say spòn.ta.náe.yi.têe. | ||
| spurious | spyúe.ree.yas | spér.ee.yas | |
| squirrel | skwerl | skwée.ral | |
| Sri Lanka | Sree Lóng.ka | Shree Láang.ka | |
| Sri Lanka | English never employs an SR combination of sounds at the beginning of a syllable. It is "un-English", even though pronouncing such a combination is perfectly easy to do. Curiously, English freely uses S with the phonetic "liquid" parallel to R — L (the SL combination) — in uncountable words, from "sloop" to "sloppy"; "slide" to "slant"; "sleaze", "sling", "slow", and "slurry". Accepting the SR combination into English would enable us to create a great many new words, short and long, that would not be confused with others, a matter of some importance in a language as filled with homophones as is English. To use just the list above, we could create new words "sroop", "sroppy", "sride", "srant", "sreaze", "sring", "sro", and "srurry" (admittedly that last, "srurry", does "sound funny"). English functions best with short words, but we are running out of unused sound combinations in short words. Admitting SR would give us some breathing space. Though at first coinages using SR would sound like mockery of foreign accents, in due course such new words would be accepted as readily as words like "chutzpah", "glasnost", "perestroika", and "Kwanzaa". | ||
| stalactite | sta.láak.tiet | stáal.ak.tìet | |
| stalagmite | sta.láag.miet | stáal.ag.mìet | |
| stance | staans | stons | |
| stand | staand | stond | |
| status | n: stáa.tas | adj: stáa.tas, stáe.tas | |
| status* | In adjectival use, "status" is usually pronounced like the noun: stáa.tas. In at least one special use, however, referring to Amerinds in Canada who are given special recognition under law, the pronunciation more typically is "stáe.tas (Ín.dee.yanz)". | ||
| stereo | stér.ee.yo | stée.ree.yo | |
| sterile | stér.ool | stér.ie.yal | |
| steroids | stér.oidz | stée.roidz | |
| stirrup | stér.ap | stéer.ap | |
| strength | strengktth | straentth, strentth | |
| striate/d | stríe.yaet/.ad | strée.yaet/.ad | |
| striation | strie.yáe.shan | stree.yáe.shan | |
| strong | straung | ||
| stronger | stráung.ger | stráung.er | |
| strongest | stráung.gast | stráung.ast | |
| strychnine | strík.nien | strík.neen, strík.nan | |
| student | stúe.dant | styúe.dant | |
| stupid | stúe.pid | styúe.pid | |
| styling | n: stíe.yal.ing | adj: stíe.ling | |
| stylish | stíe.yal.ish | stíe.lish | |
| subject | n: súb.jekt | v: sab.jékt | |
| subordinate | n, adj: sa.báur.di.nat | v: sa.báur.di.nàet | |
| subsidiary | sab.síd.ee.yèr.ee | sab.síd.ya.ree | |
| substantial | sab.stáan.shal | ||
| substantive | súb.stan.tiv | sab.stáan.tiv | |
| subtly | sút.lee | sú.ta.lee | |
| succinct | sak.síngkt | sa.síngkt | |
| suit | suet | syuet | |
| suite | sweet | suet | |
| sumptuous | súmp.chue.was | súmp.shas | |
| Sunday | Sún.dae | Sún.dee | |
| super | súe.per | syúeper, syúepa | |
| superb | soo.pérb | sue.pérb, syue.pe(r)b | |
| sure | shuer | sher, shaur | |
| surely | shúer.lee | shér.lee | |
| surety | shóor.i.tee | ||
| surveillance | sèr.váil.ans | sèr.váe.yans | |
| survey | n: sér.vae | v: ser.váe | |
| suspect | n, adj: sús.pekt | v: sa.spékt | |
| swastika | swós.ti.ka | swos.tée.ka | |
| swath | n: swotth | v: swoth | swaeth |
| swathed | swothd | swaethd | |
| swaths | swothz | swotths, swaeths | |
| symbiosis | sim.bee.yóe.sis | sim.bie.yóe.sis | |
| symbiotic | sim.bee.yót.ik | sim.bie.yót.ik | |
| syncope | síng.ka.pèe | ||
| syndrome | sín.droem | sín.dram | |
| syrup | séer.ap | sér.ap | |
T [Return to top.] |
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| taboo | taa.búe | ta.búe | |
| tabula rasa | táab.yoo.la rós.a | tó.bue.loq rós.a | |
| taco | tók.oe | táa.koe | |
| Taj Mahal | Toj Ma.hól | Tozh Ma.hául | |
| talk | tauk | tok | |
| tapir | táe.per | ta.péer, táe.peer | |
| tarpaulin | tór.pa.lin | tor.páu.lin | |
| task | taask | tosk | |
| television | tél.a.vizh.an | tél.a.vish.an | |
| temperament | tém.pra.mant | tém.per.a.mant | |
| temperature | témp.ra.chèr | tém.per.a.chèr | tém.pa.cher |
| tempura | tém.poo.ra | tem.púe.ra | |
| terrible | tér.i.bool | táir.i.bool | |
| territory | tér.i.tàu.ree | tér.i.tree | |
| terror | tér.er | tái.rer, tér.a | |
| testimony | tés.ti.mòe.ne | tés.ti.min.ee | |
| tête-a-tête | tèt.a.tét | tàet.a.táet | |
| textile | n: ték.stie.yal | adj: ték.stal | |
| the | before a sounded consonant: tha | before a vowel sound, or when stressed: thee | |
| the* | Compare "a"/"an".
"A" and "tha" are used before a word that starts with a sounded
consonant; "aan" and "thee" before a word that starts with
a vowel sound. This dichotomy is a feature of English that helps us recreate
a word or phrase we may have missed if we hear the article that precedes
it: if we hear aan or thee we know that whatever the next word
was, it must have started with a vowel; if we hear a or tha,
we know the missing word must have started with a consonant. This is a striking
illustration of the concept of the "check morpheme": a small sound difference,
like a distinctive vowel, consonant or syllabic stress, that helps us recreate
part of a sentence we didn't hear quite right. This is one reason some word
roots take a different sound in longer words derived from them: so a listener
will know that someone is not talking about a Krís.chan
but about Krìs.tee.yáan.i.tee; not about a "caliph"
(káe.lif) but about the "caliphate" (káal.i.faet);
not about the Áan.deez as such but about something
Aan.dée.yan — or vice versa.
This may be counterintuitive, in that many people will think that linked words should be pronounced as close to each other as possible, to show the link. But it is often more important to distinguish between related words than link them, because the link will ordinarily be clear. When one sets down a "code" of law he does indeed "code-ify" it, but "code" also refers to things as diverse as computer instructions (as distinct from data), and assigning a number or color to represent a category into which a given item fits. A "conifer" may bear "cones", but "cone" has other meanings than the fruit of an evergreen. Using distinct pronunciations for "codify" and "conifer" narrow the listener's attention to the meanings relevant to the topic at hand. The mind doesn't wander to encryption or the telegraph (Morse code) when it hears kód.i.fie, though it might were it to hear kóed(ifie) — and especially if it were to hear only the first syllable and not the two that follow. Nor does a person think of anything but trees when he hears kón.i.fer, whereas he might think of geometry, ice cream, astronomical shadows, or even dunce caps if he were to hear kóenifer or, especially, if he were to hear only koen but miss the other two syllables — as for instance, if his mind wandered momentarily or a sneeze obliterated the end of the word. Similarly, mie.yóe.pee.ya is distinct from mie.yóp.ik; si.kóp.a.tthee from síe.ka.paatth. Spoken language builds several layers of checks to meaning, such as these, including vocal inflection, so that, for instance, if we miss even several words in a sentence (because the speech is too soft, someone coughs at length, or something else demands our attention) we know at least, for example, that someone is making a statement as against asking a question. The arcane concept of "check morpheme" thus comes down to this simple rule: related words that serve different functions should be pronounced differently. Drawing distinctions between words that might otherwise be confused is a major criterion I have used in deciding which of several pronunciations currently in use is best. |
||
| theater | tthée.ya.ter | tthée.ter, tthee.yáe.ter (illiterate) | |
| theory | tthée.ya.re | tthée.re | |
| there | thair | thor, thaa, thai, tháe.ya, thái.ya | |
| thorough | tthér.oe | tthér.a | |
| though | thoe | ||
| thought | tthaut | tthot | |
| threshold | tthrésh.hoeld | ||
| threshold* | The collapsed spelling in this word, SH for what might better be written SHH, may lead some readers to say tthrésh.oeld. But the H is pronounced as though written twice, once to join with the S to form the SH sound, once as itself to start the word "hold". Contrast "Churchill" (which see). | ||
| through | tthrue | ||
| Thursday | Tthérz.dae | Tthérz.dee | |
| timbre | táamber | tím.ber | |
| tissue | tísh.ue | tís.yue | |
| titian | tísh.an | tée.shan | |
| Tobago | Ta.báe.goe | Ta.bóg.oe | |
| today | too.dáe | tue.dáe | |
| tomato | ta.máe.toe | ta.mót.oe, ta.máe.ta | |
| tomorrow | too.mó.roe | too.máu.roe, ta.mó.ra | |
| topographic/al? | tòp.a.gráa.fik/.al | tòe.pa.gráa.fik/.al | |
| torment | n: táur.ment | v: taur.mént | |
| tormented | taur.mén.tad | táur.ment.ad | |
| -tory | -tàu.ree | -tree, -triq | |
| tough | tuf | ||
| toupee | tue.páe | tuep | |
| tournament | túer.na.mant | tér.na.mant | |
| tourney | túer.nee | tér.nee | |
| toward/s | taurd/z | too.wáurd/z | |
| towel | tóu.wal | tóu.wool | toul |
| trail | trail | trael | |
| tranche | tronsh | tronnsh | traanch |
| transfer | n: tráans.fer | v: traans.fér | |
| transformer | traans.fáur.mer | tráanz.faurm.er | |
| transient | tráan.shant | tráan.zee.yant | |
| transient | tráan.shant | tráan.zhant, tráan.zee.yant | |
| transmitter | traanz.mít.er | tráanz.mit.er | |
| transplant | n: tráans.plaant | v: traans.pláant | tráans.plont, traans.plónt |
| transport | n: tráans.paurt | v: traans.páurt | tróns.paut, trons.páut |
| trauma | tráu.ma | tróm.a, tróu.ma | |
| traverse | n: tráa.vers | v: tra.vérs | |
| trespass | n: trés.pas | v: trés.paas | |
| tribunal | trie.byúe.nal | tri.byúe.nal | |
| tribune | tríb.yuen | tri.byúen | |
| troposphere | tróe.pa.sfeer | tróp.a.sfeer | |
| tropospheric | tròp.a.sfér.ik | tròe.pa.sfée.rik | |
| trough | trauf | trof | |
| truth | truetth | ||
| truths | truethz | truetths | |
| tryptophan | tríp.ta.fàan | ||
| tryptophan, tryptophane* | There are two spellings and, thus, two pronunciations for this naturally-occurring chemical, a popular sleeping aid. If there is no E at the end, the last syllable contains a short-A. If, however, an E appears at the end of the word, the last syllable takes long-A. | ||
| tryptophane | tríp.ta.fàen | ||
| tsetse fly | tsée.tsee flìe | tsét.see (flìe), tét.see, téet.see | |
| tube | tueb | tyueb, chueb | |
| Tuesday | Túez.dae | Tyúez.dae, Túez.dee | |
| tuile | fabric: tuel | tweel | |
| tune | tuen | tyuen, chuen | |
| turbine | tér.bien | tér.bin | |
| Turin | Túer.in | Tyúe.rin, Tue.rín, Tyue.rín | |
| turquoise | tér.kwoiz | tér.koiz | |
| twenty | twén.tee | twún.tee, twún.ee | |
U [Return to top.] |
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| umbrella | um.brél.a | úm.brel.a | |
| unalloyed | ùn.a.lóid | un.áa.loid | |
| unctuous | úngk.chue.was | úngk.shas, úngk.chas, úngk.shwas | |
| undercount | n: ún.der.kòunt | v: un.der.kóunt | |
| undermine | un.der.míen | ún.der.mìen | |
| understand | ùn.der.stáand | ùn.der.stónd | |
| undulate | ún.joo.làet | ún.da.làet | |
| uniformly | yue.ni.fáurm.lee | ||
| united | yoo.níe.tad | yue.níe.tad; yúe.nie.tad (illiterate) | |
| unprecedented | un.prés.a.dènt.ad | un.prée.sa.dènt.ad | |
| untoward | ùn.too.wáurd | un.táurd | |
| update | n: úp.daet | v: up.dáet | |
| upgrade | n, adj: úp.graed | v: up.gráed | |
| uplift | n: úp.lift | v: up.líft | |
| upset | n: úp.set | v: up.sét | |
| Uruguay | Yúer.a.gwae | Yúer.a.gwie | Úe.roo.gwìe |
| used | Yuezd | phrase "used to": yúe.stue | |
| usually | yúe.zhue.wal.ee | yúe.zha.lee | |
V [Return to top.] |
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| vacation | vae.káe.shan | va.káe.shan | |
| vacuum | váak.yuem | váak.yue.wam | |
| vagary | váe.garee | va.gái.ree | |
| vagary* | Although it might seem wise to assert the old-fashioned pronunciation va.gái.re to distinguish this uncommon word from the much more common and better known word "vague", which happens to be related only etymologically (in this case, the ancient history of the two words), I suspect this is a lost cause in present spelling, especially given the tendency of English to stress nouns on the first syllable. A phonetic spelling would make such a "new" (though really old) pronunciation feasible, but English does not have a phonetic spelling system in place. | ||
| valet | n: vaa.láe | adj: váal.ae | váa.lat |
| valet* | Though Webster's Tenth New Collegiate Dictionary insists that váa.lat is the most common pronunciation, that pronunciation is never heard in television, radio, or films. What is heard is vaa.láe for the noun meaning a "gentleman's gentleman" and váa.lae for the adjective (as in "valet parking"). I thus reject váa.lat as both unheard in common use and a needless departure from the original French, vo.láe, in which the T is silent. Though silent letters are in general a bad thing, there is something to be said for retaining auditory links between a borrowed word and its original language. | ||
| valise | va.lées | va.léez | |
| valuable | váal.ya.bool | váal.yue.wa.bool | |
| vampire | váam.pie.yer | ||
| vampiric | vaam.péer.ik | ||
| vampirism | váam.pi.rì.zam | ||
| vase | vaez | voz, vaes | |
| vasodilation | vàa.zoe.die.láe.shan | ||
| vaudeville | váud.vil | váu.da.vil | vód.vil, vóed.vil |
| vegetable | véj.ta.bool | vé.ji.ta.bool | |
| vegetable* | The E after the G in "vegetable" merely signals that the G is "soft". Compare how the word would be read if there were no E after the G: "vegtable" — végtaebool or végtabool. | ||
| vehicle | vée.yi.kool | vée.hi.kool | |
| vehicle* | The H in "vehicle" is there to separate the E and I into separate syllables. It does not take its customary sound, but rather the sound of the Y glide that would separate these vowels if they occurred in two adjoining words: `vee icle'. | ||
| vehicular | vi.hík.yoo.ler | vee.hík.ya.ler | |
| verbiage | vér.bee.yaj | vér.bij | |
| versatile | vér.sa.tool | vér.sa.tìe.yal | |
| version | vér.zhan | vér.shan, vésh.an | |
| vertebrae | vér.ta.brae | vér.ta.brèe | |
| veteran | vét.er.an | vét.ran | |
| veterinarian | vèt.er.a.nái.ree.yan | vè.tri.nái.ree.yan, vét.i.náir.ree.yan | |
| via | vée.ya | víe.ya | |
| vice versa | vìes vér.sa | víe.sa vér.sa, víe.see vér.sa | |
| vicuña | vi.kúen.ya | vie.kúe.na | vie.kyúe.na |
| vigilante | vi.ji.láan.tee | vi.ji.lón.tee | |
| virulent | véer.yoo.lant | véer.a.lant | |
| visa | vée.za | vée.sa | |
| visage | víz.aj | vís.aj | |
| vision | vízh.an | vísh.an | |
| vitamin | víe.ta.min | vít.a.min | |
| voila | vwò.lóq | ||
| volatile | adj: vól.a.tool | n: vól.a.tìe.yal | |
| voyeur/ism | vói.yer/.iz.am | vwó.yer/.iz.am | |
| vroom | vroom | vruem, va.rúem | |
W [Return to top.] |
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| waft | woft | waaft | |
| wail | wail | hwail | |
| waistcoat | wés.kit | wáest.koet | |
| walk | wauk | wok | |
| want | wont | waunt | |
| want to* | Most people, even the most highly educated, do not, in conversational speech, carefully enunciate wont tu everywhere it occurs but ordinarily say wón.a except in situations in which "slangy" usage would raise eyebrows. | ||
| warranty | wór.an.tee | wòr.an.tée | |
| was/n't | wúz/.ant | wóz/.ant, wáuz/.ant | |
| Washington | Wósh.ing.tan | Wór.shing.tan (illiterate) | |
| water | wút.er | wáu.ter, wót.er, wáu.ta | |
| Wednesday | Wénz.dae | Wénz.dee | |
| weekend | wéek.endd | wee.kénd | |
| wetland | wét.land | wét.laand | |
| whale | hwail | wail, wáe.yal | |
| what | hwut | wut | |
| wheat | hweet | weet | |
| wheel | hweel | weel | |
| when | hwen | wen | |
| where | hwair | wair | |
| whether | hwéth.er | wéth.er | |
| which | hwich | wich | |
| whine | hwien | wien | |
| whoops | intj: hwoops | plural of "whoop": hwueps | |
| why | hwie | wie | |
| widespread | before a noun: wíed.spred | after: wied.spréd | |
| wine | wien | ||
| wintry | wín.tree | wín.ter.ee | |
| wintry* | See note at "disastrous". | ||
| with | witth | with | |
| wont | waunt | wunt, woent, wont | |
| wrath | raatth | rotth | |
| wreak | reek | rek | |
| wrestle | rés.ool | ráa.sool (illiterate) | |
| wrong | raung | rong | |
XYZ [Return to top.] |
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| Xavier | Záe.vee.yer | Eg.záe.vee.yer | |
| xenophobic | zèe.na.fóe.bik | zèn.a.fóe.bik | |
| year | yeer | yoq, yor | |
| Yemen/i | Yáe.man/ee | Yém.an/ee | |
| you're | yaur | yuer | |
| younger | yúng.ger | yúng.er | |
| youngest | yúng.gast | yúng.ast | |
| your | yaur | yuer | |
| yours | yaurz | yerz | |
| youths | yuethz | yuetths | |
| zoology | zoe.wól.a.jee | zue.wól.a.jee | |
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