2007-11-08 13:21:07 · 11 answers · asked by Anonymous in Education & Reference ➔ Words & Wordplay
This question was on: Are You Smarter Than A 5th Grader. I thought it was 5 but did not get to see the answer. The contestant got it wrong!!! DOH!
2007-11-08 13:43:59 · update #1
If you speak standard mid-western American English it has five syllables, the last two coming from the ending "tary", sounded as "tar-ri". But if you speak standard south-eastern British English it has only four syllables, the ending "tary" being sounded as "tri" ("i" is short "ee"). This difference between American and British pronunciations occurs in all words with the "ary" or "ory" endings, e.g. military and compulsory. The British ignore the "a" and the "o" in these endings. It gets worse. The British pronounce "secretary" as "seketri, ignoring the "r" in "cre". A wit once said that America and Britain are two countries divided by a common language.
These differences in pronunciations are often the result of natural drift of dialects, and in many cases the American pronunciation is in fact the older one.
2007-11-09 21:31:11 · answer #1 · answered by Norm 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
5
2007-11-08 13:28:29 · answer #2 · answered by occums.raza 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
5
2007-11-08 13:23:50 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
How Many Syllables In Being
2017-01-14 04:22:06 · answer #4 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
5.
2007-11-08 13:28:43 · answer #5 · answered by Small Fry 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I count 4 "el-em-ent-ary" I don't think that last sound is two syllables so I would not go with 5.
2007-11-08 13:25:58 · answer #6 · answered by Rich Z 7 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Five syllables.
2007-11-08 13:28:11 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't think the dictonary people or any of you know how to talk...who says el-e-men-tar-y? It should be 4.
2007-11-08 16:24:34 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
el·e·men·ta·ry
as you can see it has 5. I used a dictionary. Or you can use
http://dictionary.reference.com
2007-11-08 13:32:35 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 0⤋
5
el-e-men-tar-y
2007-11-08 13:31:58 · answer #10 · answered by just me 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋