pronunciation
(prəʊnʌnsɪˈeɪʃən)
Also 6–8 -noun-, 7 -non-; 6 -cy-, -sy-, 6–7 -ti-; 5 -cion.
[ad. L. prōnuntiātiōn-em, n. of action f. prōnuntiāre to pronounce. Cf. F. prononciation (pronunciation, 1281 in Hatz.-Darm.).]
The action of pronouncing.
1. The pronouncing or uttering of a word or words; the mode in which a word is pronounced.
| 1432–50 tr. Higden (Rolls) II. 161 Hit is to be hade in meruayle that the propur langage of Englische men scholde be made so diuerse in oon lytelle yle in pronunciacion. Ibid. III. 249 The seide Esdras founde newe letters, whiche were more liȝhte to the writenge and pronunciacion. 1530 Palsgr. Introd. 20 They have utterly neglected the frenche mennes maner of pronounciation, and so rede frenche as theyr fantasy or opinion dyde lede them. 1555 Eden Decades 124 For the ryghter pronunsyation of the names. 1613 Purchas Pilgrimage (1614) 4 Drusius thinkes that Galatinus was first Authour of this pronountiation Iehoua. 1710 Lond. Gaz. No. 4695/3 This William Charlton..speaks according to the Northern Pronunciation. 1889 J. D. Robertson in Gloucester Gloss. p. v, I have admitted a fair proportion of mere ‘pronunciations’ which a more competent and scientific worker would have relegated to a Glossic Appendix. |
† 2. Oratorical utterance; elocution; delivery;
spec. elegant or eloquent delivery.
Obs.| 1430–40 Lydg. Bochas vi. xv. (MS. Bodl. 263) 335/1 Bi crafft he hadde a special auauntage Fauour synguleer in pronunciacioun. 1553 T. Wilson Rhet. 116 b, Pronunciation is an apte orderinge both of the voyce, countenaunce, and all the whole bodye, accordynge to the worthines of suche woordes and mater as by speache are declared. 1612 Brinsley Lud. Lit. 211 Pronuntiation, beeing that which either makes or mars the most excellent speech. 1748 J. Mason Elocut. 8 By Pronunciation, the Antients understood both Elocution and Action; and comprehended in it the right Management of the Voice, Looks, and Gesture. |
† 3. a. The action of pronouncing authoritatively, or proclaiming; declaration, promulgation; a pronouncement.
Obs.| c 1475 Harl. Contin. Higden (Rolls) VIII. 500 The chauncellor of Ynglonde made a pronunciacion in the maner of a sermon. 1538 Cromwell in Merriman Life & Lett. (1902) II. 112 For advoidinge..of the pronunciation of Novellties withoute wise and discrite qualification. 1564–5 Reg. Privy Council Scot. I. 315 Quhill the pronunciation of the decreit arbitrall. 1611 Speed Hist. Gt. Brit. ix. xiii. (1623) 758 The forme of pronunciation was In the Name of God, Amen. a 1674 Clarendon Surv. Leviath. (1676) 322 If he be not terrified with that dismal Pronunciation, If we sin willfully [etc.]. |
b. = pronunciamento.
rare.
| 1848 Blackw. Mag. LXIII. 105 The declamations and ‘pronunciations’ of the rabble. |
† 4. The action of speaking; articulation.
Obs.| 1686 tr. Chardin's Trav. Persia 387 He wrought that Miracle, onely by the pronuntiation of one word. 1706 tr. Dupin's Eccl. Hist. 16th C. II. v. 150 That Jesus Christ continued the Pronunciation [of the Words] all the while he bless'd, and brake and distributed the Eucharist. |
† 5. fig. (See
quot. and
cf. pronounced 2.)
Obs.| 1727–41 Chambers Cycl., Pronouncing, Pronunciation, in painting, the marking and expressing the parts of all kinds of bodies with that degree of force necessary to make them more or less distinct and conspicuous. |
6. attrib. and
Comb., as
pronunciation key, a list of symbols providing a guide to pronunciation;
pronunciation-spelling, the spelling of words in accordance with their usual pronunciation; an instance of this.
| 1962 C. L. Barnhart in Householder & Saporta Probl. in Lexicogr. 174 Two great scholars..said that the pronunciation key was of no importance whatsoever; they felt that any key that used symbols consistently was adequate. 1966 Random House Dict. Eng. Lang., (heading) Pronunciation Key. |
| 1944 H. J. Uldall in E. P. Hamp et al. Readings in Linguistics II (1966) 149 If there have been cases of spelling-pronunciation, there have also been cases of pronunciation-spelling. 1953 K. H. Jackson Lang. & Hist. in Early Brit. i. ii. 70 If the spelling..depended on tradition alone..there would be far more cases of pronunciation-spellings betraying lenition than the few which do exist. 1979 Amer. Speech LIV. 33 There are no spelling pronunciations in the corpus, although there are pronunciation spellings like the British cuppa and pinta, as in cup of tea and pint of milk. |