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Anonymous Posted 14 years ago
Vocabulary
Pronouncing
Hello, my name is Moty G, Hailing from far away Israel.
I've gotten into an argument with a friend - long story short, this sums it up:
He claims that the word "Estimates" can be pronounced as such:
Es-Ten-Ments. Yes, there is an 'N' in there, which by his claims is just another way of pronouncing the word.
My claim is that you cannot have an 'N' in "Estimates", and the correct and only ways to pronounce it are:
1. Es-Tuh-Meyt
2. Es-Tuh-Mit
So basically the question is whether it is valid to pronounce it like "Est-ten-ments".
I claim it is not true. Am I RIGHT / WRONG?
Thanks in advance!
I've gotten into an argument with a friend - long story short, this sums it up:
He claims that the word "Estimates" can be pronounced as such:
Es-Ten-Ments. Yes, there is an 'N' in there, which by his claims is just another way of pronouncing the word.
My claim is that you cannot have an 'N' in "Estimates", and the correct and only ways to pronounce it are:
1. Es-Tuh-Meyt
2. Es-Tuh-Mit
So basically the question is whether it is valid to pronounce it like "Est-ten-ments".
I claim it is not true. Am I RIGHT / WRONG?
Thanks in advance!
Top answer
Hi, I've lived in English-speaking countries all my life, and I have never heard Es-Ten-Ments . Of course, you can pronounce a word any way you want to. But people may think you are very odd, or that you are a non-native speaker.
- Hi, I've lived in English-speaking countries all my life, and I have never heard Es-Ten-Ments .
- Of course, you can pronounce a word any way you want to.
- But people may think you are very odd, or that you are a non-native speaker.
- They also may not understand what you are talking about.
- Clive
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9 Answers
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Hi,
I've lived in English-speaking countries all my life, and I have never heard Es-Ten-Ments.
Of course, you can pronounce a word any way you want to. But people may think you are very odd, or that you are a non-native speaker. They also may not understand what you are tal
I've lived in English-speaking countries all my life, and I have never heard Es-Ten-Ments.
Of course, you can pronounce a word any way you want to. But people may think you are very odd, or that you are a non-native speaker. They also may not understand what you are tal
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Hi, Moty here again.
I'd just like to add that the friend I have this argument with, also claims he has received confirmation from his University's English Professor - and according to the English Prof. it is acceptable to pronounce it the way he does (Es-Ten-Ments).
I find it odd that an English Prof. would confuse his students in such a way.
So please, help us out, good peo
I'd just like to add that the friend I have this argument with, also claims he has received confirmation from his University's English Professor - and according to the English Prof. it is acceptable to pronounce it the way he does (Es-Ten-Ments).
I find it odd that an English Prof. would confuse his students in such a way.
So please, help us out, good peo
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Hi,
Perhaps your friend misunderstood what the professor said.
Is the professor a native English speaker?
Clive
Perhaps your friend misunderstood what the professor said.
Is the professor a native English speaker?
Clive
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I would not be at all surprised to hear uneducated locals around here put that "n" in there, the same ones who say "hampster" for "hamster" and "drawling" for "drawing", but it is wrong. Not even close. Not at all even slightly established by usage. Illiterate-sounding. Wrong.
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Hi again Clive,
I assume that it's more likely that either he or the Prof. misunderstood one another. The Prof. is probably a non-native speaker I can't tell for sure since I do not know him.
I'd like to add once again, and I'm sorry if this is becoming a nuisance (
I assume that it's more likely that either he or the Prof. misunderstood one another. The Prof. is probably a non-native speaker I can't tell for sure since I do not know him.
I'd like to add once again, and I'm sorry if this is becoming a nuisance (
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Hi,
Still just plain wrong.
Is this your friend's worst problem with his English?
Still just plain wrong.
Is this your friend's worst problem with his English?
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Well, I can't tell much about his English level or if that's his worst or least problem, but he's pretty much above the average level in Israel.
The level of English that is being spoken and even taught, is horrid.
Regardless, we were eager to set aside this minor disagreement. The fact he told me an English Prof. approved that faulty way to pronounce the word, struck me as odd to say
The level of English that is being spoken and even taught, is horrid.
Regardless, we were eager to set aside this minor disagreement. The fact he told me an English Prof. approved that faulty way to pronounce the word, struck me as odd to say
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There are many of these minor variations in pronunciation in the US. I believe people might actually say "ES-ten-ments" in certain areas of the country. This is similar to the way some people say "acrost" for "across," or "fillums" for "films," or "Wimbelton" for "Wimbeldon," or "aforn" for "before," etc. These are regionally accepted, non-standard pronunciations, and readily understood by any
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