Why not keep it consistent?
2006-09-15 01:41:13 · 13 answers · asked by Anonymous in Education & Reference ➔ Words & Wordplay
"Consistent" with WHAT?
with "penalty" which has a short e ("pen")? OR
with "penal" which has a long e ("peen") ?
That, I am sure, is the source of the confusion. Some folks (regions/accents) have decided to 'match' it with "penal", others with "penalty".
2006-09-15 04:28:31 · answer #1 · answered by bruhaha 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I checked it out with my six inch thick Webster and my three inch American Heritage dictionaries. The long e (peen) sound is listed first, as an extension of penal as in penal code. However, the short e (pen) sound is the second choice, similar to penalty. All three words come from the same Latin root. So, do whichever one rolls off your tongue more easily.
2006-09-15 01:57:48 · answer #2 · answered by bizime 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
According to the Oxford English Dictionary, penalize is pronounced the same way as penal, with a long e. Penalty has a short e sound.
2006-09-15 01:48:54 · answer #3 · answered by cloud43 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because two words sort of converge into penalized. You have the penal code (pee-nal) with establishes penalties (pen-al-ties). Either pronunciation is fine. I think which region you come from will likely dictate which way is favored.
IMHO I like with the long e sound.
2006-09-15 01:51:14 · answer #4 · answered by morrowynd 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
The long 'e' sound actually rolls off the tounge better than the short 'e' sound in the word "penalized". I never really thought about it before, but it does sound more intelligent the first way.
2006-09-15 01:49:57 · answer #5 · answered by tateronmycouch 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It is supposed to be pronounced with a hard E sound, but some people are afraid it might sound to much like penis so they avoid pronouncing words like that properly.... those sort of people also totally avoid saying some words like Shih-tzu, peacock, Uranus and tenticles.
2006-09-15 03:22:41 · answer #6 · answered by mutherwulf 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Consistency is inconsistent among human beings. It's the same with lever and many other words. As long as you know what they're talking about, it really doesn't matter unless you're: "Pure-O".
2006-09-15 01:50:14 · answer #7 · answered by Mr. Peachy® 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It's like tomayto and tomahto, and all the other words they say in that song. It simply depends on the person, and a lot of times, where they are from. Both pronunciations are correct , by the way.
2006-09-15 01:48:23 · answer #8 · answered by kevin m 2 · 3⤊ 0⤋
It has more to do with where you live than anything.....depending on where you are from, you will pronounce things differently......
2006-09-15 01:53:32 · answer #9 · answered by Mintjulip 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
wow I can imagine the sex talk with that man. umm I'll take the poo for $100 Alex, frogs come from satan
2016-03-27 02:14:03 · answer #10 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋