Difference between revisions of "Aristocrat (pronunciation)"
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− | The [[noun]] '''aristocrat''' | + | The [[noun]] '''aristocrat''' is pronounced in traditional British [[RP]] academic circles with the stress on the first syllable: 'ARR-ist-er-crat', /'æ rɪ stə ,kræt/, whereas in standard American pronunciation, which is increasingly to be heard in Britain, the stress is on the second syllable: 'er-IST-er-crat', /ə 'rɪ stə ,kræt/. (This reflects the original coinage of the word, in revolutionary France around 1789: the French, too, places the stress on the second syllable.) |
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+ | The [[adjective]] '''aristocratic''' is pronounced with the stress on the fourth [[syllable]], 'arr-ist-er-KRAT-ik', /,æ rɪ stə 'kræt ɪk/. | ||
The [[abstract noun|abstract]] and [[collective noun]] '''aristocracy''' is always pronounced with the stress on the third syllable: 'arr-ist-OCK-ress-y', /,æ rɪ 'stɒ krə sɪ/. | The [[abstract noun|abstract]] and [[collective noun]] '''aristocracy''' is always pronounced with the stress on the third syllable: 'arr-ist-OCK-ress-y', /,æ rɪ 'stɒ krə sɪ/. | ||
− | [[Etymology|Etymological note]]: The | + | ::[[Etymology|Etymological note]]: The English words ‘'''aristocracy'''’ and ‘'''aristocrat'''('''ic''')’ come, through French, from the [[Greek]] ἀριστοκρατία (''aristokratia'', ‘rule of the best’), a compound [[noun]] from ἄριστος (''aristos'', ‘best-born, best’) and κρατεῖν (''kratein'', ‘to rule’). See further [[Words ending -(o)cracy]]. |
[[Category:pronunciation]] | [[Category:pronunciation]] | ||
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[[Category:Shift of stress]] | [[Category:Shift of stress]] | ||
[[Category:Etymology]] | [[Category:Etymology]] | ||
+ | [[Category:French words]] | ||
+ | [[Category:Greek words]] |
Latest revision as of 16:18, 28 July 2021
The noun aristocrat is pronounced in traditional British RP academic circles with the stress on the first syllable: 'ARR-ist-er-crat', /'æ rɪ stə ,kræt/, whereas in standard American pronunciation, which is increasingly to be heard in Britain, the stress is on the second syllable: 'er-IST-er-crat', /ə 'rɪ stə ,kræt/. (This reflects the original coinage of the word, in revolutionary France around 1789: the French, too, places the stress on the second syllable.)
The adjective aristocratic is pronounced with the stress on the fourth syllable, 'arr-ist-er-KRAT-ik', /,æ rɪ stə 'kræt ɪk/.
The abstract and collective noun aristocracy is always pronounced with the stress on the third syllable: 'arr-ist-OCK-ress-y', /,æ rɪ 'stɒ krə sɪ/.
- Etymological note: The English words ‘aristocracy’ and ‘aristocrat(ic)’ come, through French, from the Greek ἀριστοκρατία (aristokratia, ‘rule of the best’), a compound noun from ἄριστος (aristos, ‘best-born, best’) and κρατεῖν (kratein, ‘to rule’). See further Words ending -(o)cracy.