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Guest Posted 21 years ago
Speech & Pronunciation

How to pronounce an english 'Y'?

Hi, all!

My wife has just started to attend an english course here in the czech republic and during the first lesson they have been learning how to pronounce an english alphabet. She claims that her teacher said english ypsilon to be pronounced as 'whey' whereas I'm sure (uhm, well, almost) it should be pronounced as 'why'.

Could anyone be willing to judge both of us? Who's right?

Thanks in advance!
Ivo
  

Top answer

I learned "why" (/wai/) to be the right pronunciation of the letter "Y". Btw - one question out of interest: Is Czech your native language, Ivo? I noticed you called Y "Ypsilon", I wonder if that's the Czech name for the letter?!

— Pemmican

  • I learned "why" (/wai/) to be the right pronunciation of the letter "Y".
  • Btw - one question out of interest: Is Czech your native language, Ivo?
  • I noticed you called Y "Ypsilon", I wonder if that's the Czech name for the letter?!
  • Thanks.
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12 Answers
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I learned "why" (/wai/) to be the right pronunciation of the letter "Y".

Btw - one question out of interest: Is Czech your native language, Ivo?
I noticed you called Y "Ypsilon", I wonder if that's the Czech name for the letter?!
Thanks.
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Just confirming that it is 'why'.
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Hi all,

'Y' also rhymes with 'sky'; 'eye'; 'my'; 'die'; 'buy'; 'fly'; and many more. Hope that helps.
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Of course, it might depend on the nationality of the teacher, if native speaker. I think the Scottish accent would sound more like 'whey/way
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ypsilon?? is it used in czech republich? i think the usage of pronuncation changes,,but i think it s usually like "reply","sky","fly",,i think it depends on the usage of in order..
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Of course, it might depend on the nationality of the teacher, if native speaker. I think the Scottish accent would sound more like 'whey/way

Perhaps he/she is Australian... (/ei/ /bei/ /cei/ /dei/...)
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It's pronounced WHY

I need the pronunciation, for my wife, for the English alphabet, in Spanish.

I.E.; A = ahh, E= ay, I= E, O- Oh/OWE , and U = ewe
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AnonymousPerhaps he/she is Australian... (/ei/ /bei/ /cei/ /dei/...)
No way! Australian pronunciation is pretty close to RP in this case.

For the person above me, here are the names of all the letters in English, in phonemic script:

A /e?/
B /bi:/
C /si:/
D /di:/
E /i:/
F /ef/
G /?i:/
H /e??/
I /a?
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TeachaFor the person above me, here are the names of all the letters in English...
...in non-rhotic British English.
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