phthisis

[Dfcoye at AOL.COM]

Phthisis is one of those words we hardly every use so people end up guessing
at it.  It shows up in Shakespeare in the older form phthisic (a noun, taken
from an adj. form) which dates from Middle English via French, where it was
already /TIZ ik/, and the OED says all the romance languages have gotten rid
of the -ph-.   My survey of English professors (and they were asked not to
guess!) showed that in the US, 5 pronounced it /TIZ ik/, 3 /THIZ ik/ 2
/FTHIGH-zik/, and 4 were candid enough to say they didn't know.  In the UK
profs said this: /TIZ ik/- 2, /THIZ ik/-3,  /TYE-sik/-1, /FTHIZ-zik/-1,
/FTHIGH-sik/-1, not sure -1.  Canadian profs said /THIZ ik/-4, not sure-4.
Advice to the actor speaking the lines:  say it the good old English way,
/TIZ ik/.