The pronunciation of the phrase ‘apricot’ has been a topic of debate for hundreds of years. Some individuals insist on saying it with the stress on the primary syllable, whereas others favor to emphasise the second. This text will delve into the historical past and evolution of the phrase’s pronunciation, inspecting the arguments for and towards every variant. We will even discover the regional variations in pronunciation and supply tips about the best way to say ‘apricot’ with confidence.
The phrase ‘apricot’ originates from the sixteenth century Center English phrase ‘abrecock,’ which itself is derived from the Previous French ‘abricot.’ The French phrase, in flip, comes from the Spanish ‘albaricoque,’ which is in the end derived from the Arabic ‘al-barquq.’ The stress within the Arabic phrase falls on the second syllable, and this pronunciation was initially adopted in English. Nevertheless, over time, the stress shifted to the primary syllable in English, probably as a result of affect of different phrases with an analogous stress sample, reminiscent of ‘apricot’ and ‘ apricot.’ This shift in stress is obvious within the writings of Shakespeare, who used the phrase ‘apricot’ with the stress on the primary syllable.
Regardless of the historic shift in stress, some individuals proceed to pronounce ‘apricot’ with the emphasis on the second syllable. This pronunciation is especially widespread within the southern United States and is commonly thought of to be extra formal or conventional. Nevertheless, the pronunciation with the stress on the primary syllable is now the extra widespread and accepted pronunciation in each American and British English. In the end, the selection of which pronunciation to make use of is a matter of non-public choice. Nevertheless, you will need to concentrate on the totally different pronunciations and to decide on one that’s acceptable for the context.
The Nice Vowel Shift
The Nice Vowel Shift (GVS) was a collection of sound modifications that affected the pronunciation of vowels in English between the fifteenth and seventeenth centuries. It is without doubt one of the most necessary occasions within the historical past of the English language, and it had a profound impression on the way in which that English is pronounced at the moment.
One of many important results of the GVS was the elevating of the lengthy vowels in phrases reminiscent of “identify,” “meet,” and “chunk.” Earlier than the GVS, these vowels have been pronounced with a decrease, extra open high quality. Nevertheless, throughout the GVS, they have been raised to the next, extra closed place. This may be seen within the following desk:
| Earlier than the GVS | After the GVS |
|---|---|
| /a:/ | /ei/ |
| /e:/ | /i:/ |
| /i:/ | /ai/ |
The GVS additionally affected the pronunciation of the quick vowels in phrases reminiscent of “cat,” “guess,” and “sit.” Earlier than the GVS, these vowels have been pronounced with a extra open high quality. Nevertheless, throughout the GVS, they have been raised to the next, extra closed place. This may be seen within the following desk:
| Earlier than the GVS | After the GVS |
|---|---|
| /a/ | /ae/ |
| /e/ | /i/ |
| /i/ | /e/ |
Pronunciation Variations
The pronunciation of “apricot” can differ relying on the area and the person. Listed below are a few of the most typical variations:
**American English**
In American English, “apricot” is often pronounced with the stress on the primary syllable and a brief “o” sound. This pronunciation is represented by the phonetic transcription /ˈeɪprɪkɑːt/. The “t” on the finish of the phrase is silent.
**British English**
In British English, “apricot” is often pronounced with the stress on the second syllable and an extended “o” sound. This pronunciation is represented by the phonetic transcription /ˈeɪprɪkɒt/. The “t” on the finish of the phrase is pronounced.
**Different Variations**
In another areas, “apricot” could also be pronounced with a wide range of different vowel sounds, together with /ɑː/, /ɒ/, and /uː/. The stress sample might also differ.
| Area | Pronunciation |
|---|---|
| American English | /ˈeɪprɪkɑːt/ |
| British English | /ˈeɪprɪkɒt/ |
| Australian English | /ˈeɪprɪkɔːt/ |
| Canadian English | /ˈeɪprɪkɔːt/ |
| Indian English | /əˈprɪkɑːt/ |
Regional Dialects
The pronunciation of “apricot” can differ relying on regional dialects.
British English
In British English, “apricot” is often pronounced with an “ah”-sound within the first syllable, adopted by a “pr” sound within the second syllable, and an “i” sound within the ultimate syllable. The stress is normally positioned on the second syllable.
| IPA Transcription | Pattern Pronunciation |
|---|---|
| /ˈeɪprɪkɑːt/ | [eh-pri-kaat] |
American English
In American English, there are two widespread pronunciations of “apricot.” The extra widespread pronunciation is just like the British pronunciation, with an “ah”-sound within the first syllable and an “pr” sound within the second syllable. The stress is often positioned on the second syllable, as can be widespread in British English.
The much less widespread American pronunciation has an “eh”-sound within the first syllable, adopted by a “pr” sound within the second syllable, and an “i” sound within the ultimate syllable. The stress is normally positioned on the primary syllable.
| IPA Transcription | Pattern Pronunciation |
|---|---|
| /ˈeɪprɪkɑːt/ | [eh-pri-kaat] |
| /ˈæprɪkɑːt/ | [ae-pri-kaat] |
Different Dialects
In another dialects of English, reminiscent of these spoken in Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, the pronunciation of “apricot” could differ barely from the pronunciations described above. For instance, in Canadian English, the primary syllable could also be pronounced with an “eh”-sound, just like the much less widespread American pronunciation.
Etymological Origins
The phrase “apricot” has a wealthy etymological historical past, tracing its roots again to historic languages.
Proto-Indo-European
The earliest recognized origin of the phrase is the Proto-Indo-European root *ǵʰer-, which probably referred to a yellowish or golden color.
Latin
From Proto-Indo-European, the phrase developed into the Latin phrase “praecoquum”, which means “early-ripening”. The time period particularly referred to apricots, as they ripen sooner than different stone fruits.
Spanish
The Latin phrase was finally adopted into Spanish as “albaricoque”, which later turned “albérchigo” in Castilian Spanish. These kinds finally gave rise to the trendy English phrase “apricot”.
| Language | Phrase |
|---|---|
| Proto-Indo-European | *ǵʰer- |
| Latin | praecoquum |
| Spanish | albaricoque |
| Fashionable English | apricot |
Phrase Stress
The stress in "apricot" falls on the second syllable, which is pronounced with an extended "i" sound. Which means that the primary syllable is pronounced extra softly and shortly.
Syllabification
The phrase "apricot" has three syllables:
- a-pri-cot
- a-pri-cot
- a-pri-cot
The primary syllable is unstressed, the second syllable is confused, and the third syllable is unstressed.
Pronunciation
To pronounce "apricot" appropriately, observe these steps:
- Begin by saying "a" with a brief "a" sound.
- Add "pri" with an extended "i" sound.
- End with "cot" with a brief "o" sound.
Stress and Syllabification Desk
| Syllable | Pronunciation | Stress |
|---|---|---|
| a | /ə/ | Unstressed |
| pri | /priː/ | Careworn |
| cot | /kɒt/ | Unstressed |
Further Suggestions
- Take note of the place of your mouth and tongue if you pronounce "apricot."
- Apply saying the phrase slowly and clearly at first to get the pronunciation proper.
- Hearken to native audio system pronunciating the phrase to enhance your pronunciation.
Homophones
Phrases that sound the identical however have totally different spellings and meanings are often known as homophones. The phrase “apricot” has a number of homophones, together with “a pricot,” “appricot,” “apricote,” and “apricots.” This is a desk summarizing these homophones:
| Spelling | Which means |
|---|---|
| a pricot | A small, candy fruit with an orange-colored pores and skin and a single seed within the heart |
| appricot | A small, candy fruit with an orange-colored pores and skin and a single seed within the heart |
| apricote | A small, candy fruit with an orange-colored pores and skin and a single seed within the heart |
| apricots | The plural type of “apricot” |
Homographs
Phrases which have the identical spelling however totally different meanings and pronunciations are often known as homographs. The phrase “apricot” will not be a homograph as a result of it has just one pronunciation.
Dialectal Variation
The pronunciation of apricot varies extensively throughout totally different dialects of English. In some dialects, reminiscent of American English and Customary British English, the stress is positioned on the primary syllable, ensuing within the pronunciation “AY-pruh-cot.” In different dialects, reminiscent of some kinds of Australian English, the stress is positioned on the second syllable, ensuing within the pronunciation “ay-PRIH-cot.”
Pronunciation
Listed below are the particular pronunciations for apricot in varied dialects of English:
| Dialect | Pronunciation |
|---|---|
| American English | AY-pruh-cot |
| Customary British English | AY-pruh-cot |
| Australian English | ay-PRIH-cot |
| New Zealand English | AY-pruh-cot |
| Canadian English | AY-pruh-cot |
| South African English | AY-pry-cot |
Further Dialects and Pronunciations
Further dialects and their respective pronunciations embody:
– West Nation English: “AY-per-cut”
– Midlands English: “AY-per-cut”
– Yorkshire English: “AY-per-cut”
– Lancashire English: “AY-per-cut”
– Newcastle English: “AY-per-cut”
– Glasgow English: “AY-per-cut”
– Belfast English: “AY-per-cut”
– Dublin English: “AY-per-cut”
– Cork English: “AY-per-cut”
– Wexford English: “AY-per-cut”
– Galway English: “AY-per-cut”
Historic Pronunciation shifts
The pronunciation of “apricot” has undergone a number of shifts over time. The next desk outlines the most important modifications:
| Interval | Pronunciation |
|---|---|
| Center English | [aˈprikɔt] |
| Early Fashionable English | [ˈeɪprɪkɔt] |
| Late Fashionable English | [əˈpraɪkɔt] |
| Fashionable English | [ˈeɪprəkɑt] |
8. Fashionable English
In Fashionable English, the pronunciation of “apricot” is often [ˈeɪprəkɑt]. The primary syllable is pronounced with an extended “a” sound, adopted by a brief “i” sound and a “okay” sound. The second syllable is pronounced with an “ɑ” sound. This pronunciation is widespread in each British and American English.
Nevertheless, there are some regional variations within the pronunciation of “apricot.” For instance, in some dialects of American English, the second syllable is pronounced with an “ɔ” sound, leading to a pronunciation of [ˈeɪprəkɔt]. Moreover, in some dialects of British English, the primary syllable is pronounced with a brief “a” sound, leading to a pronunciation of [ˈeprɪkɔt].
Cultural Influences on Pronunciation
The pronunciation of apricot is influenced by a wide range of cultural components, together with the speaker’s native language, area, and social group. In some cultures, the phrase is pronounced with a tough “a” sound, whereas in others it’s pronounced with a gentle “ah” sound. The “t” on the finish of the phrase might also be pronounced as a “d” in some dialects.
Affect of Language on Pronunciation
The native language of the speaker can considerably affect the pronunciation of apricot. In English, the phrase is often pronounced with a tough “a” sound, as in “cat.” Nevertheless, in Spanish, the phrase is pronounced with a gentle “ah” sound, as in “father.” This distinction in pronunciation is as a result of totally different vowel techniques of the 2 languages.
Affect of Area on Pronunciation
The area the place the speaker lives can even have an effect on the pronunciation of apricot. In the USA, the phrase is often pronounced with a tough “a” sound, whereas in the UK, it’s usually pronounced with a gentle “ah” sound. This distinction in pronunciation is as a result of totally different regional dialects of English.
Affect of Social Group on Pronunciation
The social group to which the speaker belongs can even affect the pronunciation of apricot. In some social teams, the phrase is pronounced with a tough “a” sound, whereas in others it’s pronounced with a gentle “ah” sound. This distinction in pronunciation is as a result of totally different speech patterns of various social teams.
Conclusion
The pronunciation of apricot is influenced by a wide range of cultural components, together with the speaker’s native language, area, and social group. These components can result in important variations in the way in which the phrase is pronounced.
| Tradition | Pronunciation |
|---|---|
| English | Exhausting “a” sound |
| Spanish | Comfortable “ah” sound |
| American English | Exhausting “a” sound |
| British English | Comfortable “ah” sound |
Suggestions for Announcing Apricot Appropriately
1. Break the Phrase into Syllables
To make saying apricot simpler, break it down into its two syllables: “a” and “pri-cot.” Pronounce every syllable clearly and individually.
2. Pronounce the “a” as in “apple”
The primary syllable, “a,” is pronounced just like the “a” within the phrase “apple.” Keep away from making it sound just like the “a” in “cat” or “hat.”
3. Pronounce the “pri” as in “principal”
The second syllable, “pri,” is pronounced just like the “pri” within the phrase “principal.” Don’t emphasize the “r” sound an excessive amount of.
4. Pronounce the “cot” as in “cottages”
The third syllable, “cot,” is pronounced just like the “cot” within the phrase “cottages.” Once more, keep away from making the “t” sound too sturdy.
5. Chill out Your Mouth and Tongue
To supply a pure and relaxed pronunciation, preserve your mouth and tongue relaxed all through the phrase.
6. Over-Enunciate the Syllables
When practising, intentionally over-enunciate the syllables to make sure you are saying them appropriately.
7. Hearken to How Natives Pronounce It
Discover on-line recordings or movies of native English audio system saying apricot and pay attention attentively to their pronunciation.
8. Use Tongue Twisters or Alliteration
Apply tongue twisters that embody the phrase apricot, reminiscent of “Apricots on apricot bushes are a deal with for me.” Alliteration can even assist, e.g., “A ripe, rosy apricot.”
9. Use a Dictionary or Pronunciation Information
Seek the advice of a dependable dictionary or pronunciation information to substantiate the right pronunciation of apricot.
10. Apply Usually and Persistently
Pronunciation enchancment requires constant follow. Dedicate time every day or week to follow saying apricot appropriately, even only a few instances.
| Syllable | Pronunciation |
|---|---|
| a | Like “apple” |
| pri | Like “principal” |
| cot | Like “cottages” |
Tips on how to Pronounce Apricot
The pronunciation of “apricot” can differ barely relying on the area. Nevertheless, the commonest pronunciation is “AY-pruh-cot.” The primary syllable, “AY,” is pronounced just like the letter “A” within the English phrase “cat.” The second syllable, “pruh,” is pronounced just like the letter “U” within the English phrase “put.” The third syllable, “cot,” is pronounced just like the letter “O” within the English phrase “cot.”
Some individuals might also pronounce the phrase “apricot” as “AY-pri-cot.” This pronunciation is much less widespread however continues to be acceptable. Regardless of the way you select to pronounce it, be sure that to be constant so that folks perceive what you’re saying.
