Re: Real language questions

Nik Taylor wrote:
>Ciege Engine wrote:
> >
> > [Im needing this information for school spelling team.
> > help is most appreciated!]
> >
> > 1. How can the word protozoon be pronounced
> > proh-toe-ZOE-an?
>
>Presumably by analogy with other -an/-on words.  Final -an or -on tend
>to be pronounced with a schwa.  Actually, unstressed vowels in general
>have a tendency to become schwa ESPECIALLY in final syllables, so if one
>pronounces that word as four syllables, it's pretty much inevitable that
>the second part will be schwa.
The word is of Greek origin, the morphemes being proto-zo-on.

                                                Andreas

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