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Original poster

'Ate' or 'Et' - pronunciation question

1 reply

TsarChasm · 07/07/2008 10:47

I say 'ate' (sounding like 'eight')

For some reason my dc have started saying 'et' for 'ate'.

I'm not sure if this is a dialect thing. If it is, I'm not sure where they've picked it up from because I don't use it. Nor have I heard the word said that way here (south).

Is it an incorrect pronunciation though? Or do both ways apply?

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MNHQ

Tech · 08/07/2008 21:27

Think this is one where "et" is perfect pronunciation, as used by toffs. But then insecure non-U middle classes start thinking it's common to say "et", so affect "eight" pronunciation instead, and start inappropriately looking down on persons who quite correctly say et.

Oxford dictionary puts et as first pronunciation:

eat
? verb (past ate /et, ayt/; past part. eaten) 1

Yours,
Nancy Mitford (turning in her grave)

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