How does one pronounce “plebeian”?
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1
The dictionary is unequivocal on this: pli-BEE-uhn.
(dictionary.com pli-BEE-uhn
However, many people say "PLEE-biuhn," and this does sound more natural. Or does it?
pronunciation
asked Apr 6 at 17:15
RickyRicky
14.6k53782
|
show 11 more comments
1
The dictionary is unequivocal on this: pli-BEE-uhn.
(dictionary.com pli-BEE-uhn
However, many people say "PLEE-biuhn," and this does sound more natural. Or does it?
pronunciation
asked Apr 6 at 17:15
RickyRicky
14.6k53782
1
Since I have always heard the word pronounced with the stress on the penultimate syllable, the version with the stress on the prepenultimate syllable doesn't in any way sound "more natural" to me. I think I might have a hard time recognising the word in speech if it were pronounced that way.
– oerkelens
Apr 6 at 17:19
1
I have never heard the word accented on the first syllable. Does anyone else pronounce it play-BAY-un?
– KarlG
Apr 6 at 17:34
@oerkelens: Much appreciated.
– Ricky
Apr 6 at 17:47
1
I would say /ˡpliːbiən/ as well. I have also heard /plɨˡbaɪən/ and @KarlG’s /plɛˡbaɪən/, as well as various other variations. It’s one of those words that you don’t hear in speech very often and whose spelling is odd enough that people make all sorts of things of it. I have to say, though, that /plɨˡbiːən/, as dictated by dictionary.com, is probably among the least common variants in my experience.
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
Apr 6 at 18:51
1
@Ricky That’s the first sentence in my previous comment: I’d say /ˡpliːbiən/ PLEE-bi-uhn.
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
Apr 6 at 19:04
|
show 11 more comments
1
1
1
1
The dictionary is unequivocal on this: pli-BEE-uhn.
(dictionary.com pli-BEE-uhn
However, many people say "PLEE-biuhn," and this does sound more natural. Or does it?
pronunciation
asked Apr 6 at 17:15
RickyRicky
14.6k53782
The dictionary is unequivocal on this: pli-BEE-uhn.
(dictionary.com pli-BEE-uhn
However, many people say "PLEE-biuhn," and this does sound more natural. Or does it?
pronunciation
pronunciation
asked Apr 6 at 17:15
RickyRicky
14.6k53782
asked Apr 6 at 17:15
RickyRicky
14.6k53782
asked Apr 6 at 17:15
RickyRicky
14.6k53782
asked Apr 6 at 17:15
RickyRicky
14.6k53782
asked Apr 6 at 17:15
RickyRicky
14.6k53782
14.6k53782
1
Since I have always heard the word pronounced with the stress on the penultimate syllable, the version with the stress on the prepenultimate syllable doesn't in any way sound "more natural" to me. I think I might have a hard time recognising the word in speech if it were pronounced that way.
– oerkelens
Apr 6 at 17:19
1
I have never heard the word accented on the first syllable. Does anyone else pronounce it play-BAY-un?
– KarlG
Apr 6 at 17:34
@oerkelens: Much appreciated.
– Ricky
Apr 6 at 17:47
1
I would say /ˡpliːbiən/ as well. I have also heard /plɨˡbaɪən/ and @KarlG’s /plɛˡbaɪən/, as well as various other variations. It’s one of those words that you don’t hear in speech very often and whose spelling is odd enough that people make all sorts of things of it. I have to say, though, that /plɨˡbiːən/, as dictated by dictionary.com, is probably among the least common variants in my experience.
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
Apr 6 at 18:51
1
@Ricky That’s the first sentence in my previous comment: I’d say /ˡpliːbiən/ PLEE-bi-uhn.
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
Apr 6 at 19:04
|
show 11 more comments
1
Since I have always heard the word pronounced with the stress on the penultimate syllable, the version with the stress on the prepenultimate syllable doesn't in any way sound "more natural" to me. I think I might have a hard time recognising the word in speech if it were pronounced that way.
– oerkelens
Apr 6 at 17:19
1
I have never heard the word accented on the first syllable. Does anyone else pronounce it play-BAY-un?
– KarlG
Apr 6 at 17:34
@oerkelens: Much appreciated.
– Ricky
Apr 6 at 17:47
1
I would say /ˡpliːbiən/ as well. I have also heard /plɨˡbaɪən/ and @KarlG’s /plɛˡbaɪən/, as well as various other variations. It’s one of those words that you don’t hear in speech very often and whose spelling is odd enough that people make all sorts of things of it. I have to say, though, that /plɨˡbiːən/, as dictated by dictionary.com, is probably among the least common variants in my experience.
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
Apr 6 at 18:51
1
@Ricky That’s the first sentence in my previous comment: I’d say /ˡpliːbiən/ PLEE-bi-uhn.
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
Apr 6 at 19:04
1
1
Since I have always heard the word pronounced with the stress on the penultimate syllable, the version with the stress on the prepenultimate syllable doesn't in any way sound "more natural" to me. I think I might have a hard time recognising the word in speech if it were pronounced that way.
– oerkelens
Apr 6 at 17:19
Since I have always heard the word pronounced with the stress on the penultimate syllable, the version with the stress on the prepenultimate syllable doesn't in any way sound "more natural" to me. I think I might have a hard time recognising the word in speech if it were pronounced that way.
– oerkelens
Apr 6 at 17:19
1
1
I have never heard the word accented on the first syllable. Does anyone else pronounce it play-BAY-un?
– KarlG
Apr 6 at 17:34
I have never heard the word accented on the first syllable. Does anyone else pronounce it play-BAY-un?
– KarlG
Apr 6 at 17:34
@oerkelens: Much appreciated.
– Ricky
Apr 6 at 17:47
@oerkelens: Much appreciated.
– Ricky
Apr 6 at 17:47
1
1
I would say /ˡpliːbiən/ as well. I have also heard /plɨˡbaɪən/ and @KarlG’s /plɛˡbaɪən/, as well as various other variations. It’s one of those words that you don’t hear in speech very often and whose spelling is odd enough that people make all sorts of things of it. I have to say, though, that /plɨˡbiːən/, as dictated by dictionary.com, is probably among the least common variants in my experience.
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
Apr 6 at 18:51
I would say /ˡpliːbiən/ as well. I have also heard /plɨˡbaɪən/ and @KarlG’s /plɛˡbaɪən/, as well as various other variations. It’s one of those words that you don’t hear in speech very often and whose spelling is odd enough that people make all sorts of things of it. I have to say, though, that /plɨˡbiːən/, as dictated by dictionary.com, is probably among the least common variants in my experience.
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
Apr 6 at 18:51
1
1
@Ricky That’s the first sentence in my previous comment: I’d say /ˡpliːbiən/ PLEE-bi-uhn.
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
Apr 6 at 19:04
@Ricky That’s the first sentence in my previous comment: I’d say /ˡpliːbiən/ PLEE-bi-uhn.
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
Apr 6 at 19:04
|
show 11 more comments
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1
Since I have always heard the word pronounced with the stress on the penultimate syllable, the version with the stress on the prepenultimate syllable doesn't in any way sound "more natural" to me. I think I might have a hard time recognising the word in speech if it were pronounced that way.
– oerkelens
Apr 6 at 17:19
1
I have never heard the word accented on the first syllable. Does anyone else pronounce it play-BAY-un?
– KarlG
Apr 6 at 17:34
@oerkelens: Much appreciated.
– Ricky
Apr 6 at 17:47
1
I would say /ˡpliːbiən/ as well. I have also heard /plɨˡbaɪən/ and @KarlG’s /plɛˡbaɪən/, as well as various other variations. It’s one of those words that you don’t hear in speech very often and whose spelling is odd enough that people make all sorts of things of it. I have to say, though, that /plɨˡbiːən/, as dictated by dictionary.com, is probably among the least common variants in my experience.
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
Apr 6 at 18:51
1
@Ricky That’s the first sentence in my previous comment: I’d say /ˡpliːbiən/ PLEE-bi-uhn.
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
Apr 6 at 19:04