hard words on TV! Part deux

[Michael H Covarrubias]

This is one of those words that I'm not really sure how I "usually" pronounce.
It's probably [spi:Si:z] half the time and [spi:si:z] the other half. It might
be the other way around.

M-W lists both. The OED lists two pronunciations but not these two. It only
lists the 'sh' middle consonant. Its alternation is the final vowel/diphthong.
Either [spi:Si:z] or [spi:SIi:z]. Is the latter a two syllable pronunciation?
Any other words that would have the [-Ii-] diphthong?

Michael Covarrubias


Quoting Jonathan Lighter <wuxxmupp2000 at YAHOO.COM>:
>
> GRETCHEN CARLSON: They're the only ones of their species - is it
> "speeshees"?...
>
> BRIAN KILMEADE: "Speeshees."
>



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   English Language & Linguistics
   Purdue University
   mcovarru at purdue.edu

   web.ics.purdue.edu/~mcovarru
  <http://wishydig.blogspot.com>

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