Examples are: Plantae, larvae, pupae, vertebrae, and scapulae.
2006-07-20 04:04:50 · 13 answers · asked by RRB 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Biology
Different words have different conventions on this one, and most words that end in "ae" have more than one accepted pronunciation -- but in nearly all cases, one of those accepted variants is to pronounce the "ae" using the English "long e" sound, like in "meet." So: "vertebree," "larvee."
To repeat, though, other pronunciations are not always wrong. For instance, larvae can also be pronounced "larv-eye," using an English "long i" sound like in "bite." (Webster's Dictionary doesn't seem to list "larv-ay" as a recognized pronunciation, oddly enough.) Vertebrae, on the other hand, is most commonly pronounced with a "long A" sound, like in "pay": "vertebray." But in both cases, the long E sound is acceptable.
In the end, if you have doubts, check your dictionary for the word in question. Again, the "long E" as in "meet" is generally safe. Of course, it's never a bad idea to pronounce a word the same way your boss, teacher, or influential colleagues do. ;-)
Hope that clears it up, at least a little. :-)
2006-07-20 04:11:56 · answer #1 · answered by Jay H 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
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RE:
What is the proper pronunciation of scientific terms ending in "ae"?
Examples are: Plantae, larvae, pupae, vertebrae, and scapulae.
2015-08-11 22:58:43 · answer #2 · answered by Wendell 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Larvae Pronunciation
2016-10-30 05:04:23 · answer #3 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Most Family names end in ae, such as Cerambycidae, Buprestidae, the proper pronunciation is "eh"
Cer-am bis- see-deh'
Kind of like sayin "day" in this case
pu-pay
lar-vay
vertab-ray
2006-07-20 04:10:37 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I've had a lot of Latin, and a lot of biology and too much botany. Most botonists say "ee", makes it sound weird for things that end in 'caeae" (it's see-ee). Zoologists tend to say "ay" like 'vertebray'. Chemists have their own problems, especially with 'tyl'. Some say acetyl is '***-it-eel' and some say '***-see-til'..You'll see a mish mash.
2006-07-20 04:44:45 · answer #5 · answered by preacherwife 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's usually pronounced like the "ey" in "hey"
2006-07-20 04:08:51 · answer #6 · answered by Ashlee S 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I pronounce it like the letter "A" like 'larv-A', to differentiate it from the singular 'larv-UH'. The addition of the 'e' changes it from the short a, 'uh', to the long a, "A".
2006-07-20 04:09:43 · answer #7 · answered by Bartmooby 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
ae pronounced as eye
2006-07-20 04:12:55 · answer #8 · answered by williegod 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Larvae is pronounced Lar-vay, pupae is pu-pay, vertebrae is ver-te-bray... I think you get the gist...
2006-07-20 04:11:59 · answer #9 · answered by Anesia 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
like a long "a". For example, bray, way, stay, day
2006-07-20 04:08:59 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋