Opinions from anyone who studies linguistics would be especially valued.
I ask because someone told me that unlike most other "ch" words, there is an exception in this word in which it is pronounced with a "sh".
2006-06-15 15:15:22 · 9 answers · asked by zorrovelez84 2 in Education & Reference ➔ Words & Wordplay
In older "native English" (Anglo-Saxon) words "ch" has the "hard" pronunciation you see in "check" or "chief". In words borrowed from the French it often has the "sh"-sound -- as in "charlatan" and "CHEF". If it helps you, picture a FRENCH chef.
2006-06-15 15:43:10 · answer #1 · answered by bruhaha 7 · 4⤊ 1⤋
Chef is pronounced as though it were Shef. It is a French word, and as such, an import into our language. Quite often when words are brought in from another language, they retain the pronounciation of the original language, even when that spelling does not produce that sound in English.
2006-06-16 18:58:20 · answer #2 · answered by old lady 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Like the sh in should.
It does not require an opinion from an expert.
It requires a basic knowledge of english.
2006-06-15 22:18:39 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is pronounced like the "sh" in "should."
2006-06-16 00:15:26 · answer #4 · answered by Irish1952 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
it's pronounced as "sh" like in the word "should", or like "sh" in "shell"
2006-06-16 08:59:59 · answer #5 · answered by humm4 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
"sh" like the word "should"
2006-06-15 22:20:29 · answer #6 · answered by Morgan'sProudMomma 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
sh
2006-06-15 22:19:02 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
What a messed up language we have.
2006-06-15 22:22:17 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/chef ... it has the pronounciation
2006-06-15 22:25:00 · answer #9 · answered by with_dark_motives 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋