words starting with "ex"

[Tom Zurinskas]

Because I've been writing a pronunciation guide for English based on the
spoken words in m-w.com and American Heritage "talking" dictionaries, I take
the perspective of "how does this word sound" whether or not it correlates
to the written phonetics in those editions.

For many of the words beginning with "ex" the phonetics written in m-w.com
prescribes "ix".  The speakers are in lock step with this and say "ix".  I
think that if every one of them were phonetically written "ex" and spoken
"ex" no one would have any heartburn with that. But "ix" just does not sit
right with me as descriptive of an American norm.  (Not to put down m-w.com
which is good job and great resource.)

Basically no one has given their opinion on this but me as yet.

Tom Zurinskas, USA - CT20, TN3, NJ33, FL5+
See truespel.com - and the 4  truespel books plus "Occasional Poems" at
authorhouse.com.

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