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Jackson6612 Posted 17 years ago
Grammar

Pronunciations of prostitution, attitude, and opportunity

I have a speaking handheld electronic version of M-W's Collegiate Dictionary. It pronounces opportunity as oppor-too-nity, not as  opper-chu-nity which is a more common pronunciation as far as I know. Many other pronunciations I heard  on my handheld dictionary sounded very weird and wrong to me at first but  later they proved to be correct ones. The same problem  is with pronunciations of words like attitude and prostitution. Locally the ''-tu-'' unit in words like opportunity, attitude and prostitution is pronounced  somewhat like chew.
  

Top answer

I don't think I have ever hear any of these words pronounced with a ch sound. Occasionally I've heard them pronounced with a sound more like 'oppor tyu nity', but that's very different from 'opper-chu-nity'. " Where are you?

— Khoff

  • I don't think I have ever hear any of these words pronounced with a ch sound.
  • Occasionally I've heard them pronounced with a sound more like 'oppor tyu nity', but that's very different from 'opper-chu-nity'.
  • " Where are you?
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32 Answers
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I don't think I have ever hear any of these words pronounced with a ch sound. Occasionally I've heard them pronounced with a sound more like 'oppor tyu nity', but that's very different from 'opper-chu-nity'. You say the ch sound is common "locally." Where are you?
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khoffOccasionally I've heard them pronounced with a sound more like 'oppor tyu nity', but that's very different from 'opper-chu-nity'.
Ditto. I've never heard anyone use a 'ch' sound in that word, or in any of the others you mentioned, Jackson. I think I've mainly heard the 'oppor-tyu-nity' pronunciation from British friends.
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Dear Khoff and Amy

Come to Pakistan, and I assure you, you will Not hear the word pronounced oppor-too-nity. Here it is pronounced oppor-chu-nity.

Tom
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...and yes, English Pronouncing Dictionary by Danial Jones gives both pronunciations for this word.

Thanks,

Tom
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Hi Tom
Mr. Tom...gives both pronunciations for this word
There are 3 different pronunciations under discussion: 'too', 'tyu' and 'chu'. Which two are you referring to?
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I don't think pronouncing all those "too" sounds as "choo" is common at all in mainstream American English, but I know that's actually a feature of some British accents (London? Home Counties? I don't know). So they say... on choosday.
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Your local dialect is closer to British English than to American. An American dictionary like M-W is not going to give you your local pronunciations. They'll all be American pronunciations. You'll have to change the too's to choo's mentally.

CJ
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Hello, Amy.

The two pronunciations for the word opportunity [oppor-too-nity and oppor-chu-nity] are available in English Pronouncing Dictionary by Daniel Jones.

I would also like to add that many educated people in Pakistan overpronounce the chu -sound in words like stupid, attitude, students etc.

Tom
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Mr. TomThe two pronunciations for the word opportunity [oppor-too-nity and oppor-chu-nity] are available in English Pronouncing Dictionary by Daniel Jones.
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So in Pakistan, the word "stupid" is pronounced "schtoopid"?

I guess they'd all have an easy time learning Yiddish.

I have to admit - I'm astonished by this thread. I'm with Amy. I can't imagine "opper-chu-nitty."
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