Radio 3 just now, appalling 😮

[Denim4ever]

The 'expert' the presenter is speaking to just said 'on mass' not 'en masse'. She also keeps failing to pronounce 'the' as 'thee' before a vowel.

How on earth are you pronouncing "en masse"?

How else is en masse pronounced?

The en isn't 'on'.

I have tuned into Music Matters on BBC Sounds. I think I need councilling.
I could care less. No worra mean?

In my head I don't think I can hear the difference between on and en.

Very different to Americans who often seem to be in route

Yeah they should sound the same. At least they do in my accent when I'm speaking English and when I'm speaking French ("mass" sounds a bit different in French but I wouldn't expect a person saying "en masse" in English to use the French pronunciation of "masse")

In French isn’t ‘en’ pronounced ‘on’?

I think if you're saying en as in endevour you're getting it wrong. It should sound the same as on?

The presenter is Anna Reynolds, I think.
On mass is acceptable IMO.
I didn't hear 'the' said as 'thee'.

I've tried saying 'en masse' and 'on masse' and for 'en' my tongue is marginally lower and deeper and there's less of an n sound. I'm not sure anyone could hear the difference unless they were specifically listening for it though because I don't usually put an emphatic n sound at the end of on.

The French en sound is more nasal, the N is much more emphatic in the English on

I know someone British who grew up in France. He says No as 'Non'.

Now I'm confused

en masse sounds the same

It might feel different when you're putting the word together in your mouth, but it sounds the same. < wanders around muttering "en masse" in a confused fashion>

Sure en masse should be pronounced "on mass"? I don't understand the issue you have with that?

@HeardInstinct , it should be pronounced 'en masse'.

Yes that sounds the same as "on mass" unless you're pronouncing one, or both, of those expressions incorrectly.

Yes. Which in english sounds like on mass.

Do you mean you think it's pronounced like "hen mass", but without the h?

Or do you mean you can hear the 'n' in 'on mass'? Not everyone can do a french n. I think that's acceptable in english.

Of course not, I'd say it like en masse in French.

Don't the French pronounce 'en' virtually without the 'n' unless followed by a vowel? So 'e(n) masse' but 'en été'?

Tiresome

Yes, you are.

I say En Masse and On Mass the same?!

Yes everyone does. I think the poster has now realised they were wrong

Not everyone, though both ways seem acceptable in English. I say en masse and en route with a French en (though with an English mass or route). So there is virtually no 'n' and the vowel is slightly flatter. Not saying this is correct - perhaps I should flatten the vowel in masse and use a guttural r for route too. Pronunciation guides vary, and allow both e(n) and on for en in this context.