Why is “threshold” pronounced “thresh-hold”?
Why is threshold pronounced "thresh-hold"?
pronunciation orthography
|
show 6 more comments
Why is threshold pronounced "thresh-hold"?
pronunciation orthography
1
Usually it isn't, though the difference is minimal unless someone speaks very slowly. But my pronunciation would not include an extra "h".
– Terpsichore
Apr 4 '14 at 12:50
1
In my accent I certainly do pronounce an extra "h". Perhaps the question is in which accents do speakers pronounce the word "threshold" with an extra h? New York / Brooklyn accent speaking here.
– zombiebeethoven
Apr 4 '14 at 12:52
4
I think you have it backwards, since speech is primary. And there can seldom be an answer as to why we spell things as we do.
– tchrist♦
Apr 4 '14 at 12:54
3
It looks like a compound word. "thresh" + "hold". So some people pronounce it like that. (Etymologically, it appears that it's thresh + something, but nobody is sure what the something is.)
– Peter Shor
Apr 4 '14 at 13:03
1
Spike: Are you expecting it to be pronounced 'thress- hold'? As @tchrist said, language is first what is spoken, then later what is written. Spelling is a poor representation for spoken language; it is an attempt to record speech. Speech isn't an attempt to represent written words.
– Mitch
Apr 4 '14 at 13:15
|
show 6 more comments
Why is threshold pronounced "thresh-hold"?
pronunciation orthography
Why is threshold pronounced "thresh-hold"?
pronunciation orthography
pronunciation orthography
edited Apr 4 '14 at 14:14
RegDwigнt♦
82.6k31281377
82.6k31281377
asked Apr 4 '14 at 12:39
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12815
12815
1
Usually it isn't, though the difference is minimal unless someone speaks very slowly. But my pronunciation would not include an extra "h".
– Terpsichore
Apr 4 '14 at 12:50
1
In my accent I certainly do pronounce an extra "h". Perhaps the question is in which accents do speakers pronounce the word "threshold" with an extra h? New York / Brooklyn accent speaking here.
– zombiebeethoven
Apr 4 '14 at 12:52
4
I think you have it backwards, since speech is primary. And there can seldom be an answer as to why we spell things as we do.
– tchrist♦
Apr 4 '14 at 12:54
3
It looks like a compound word. "thresh" + "hold". So some people pronounce it like that. (Etymologically, it appears that it's thresh + something, but nobody is sure what the something is.)
– Peter Shor
Apr 4 '14 at 13:03
1
Spike: Are you expecting it to be pronounced 'thress- hold'? As @tchrist said, language is first what is spoken, then later what is written. Spelling is a poor representation for spoken language; it is an attempt to record speech. Speech isn't an attempt to represent written words.
– Mitch
Apr 4 '14 at 13:15
|
show 6 more comments
1
Usually it isn't, though the difference is minimal unless someone speaks very slowly. But my pronunciation would not include an extra "h".
– Terpsichore
Apr 4 '14 at 12:50
1
In my accent I certainly do pronounce an extra "h". Perhaps the question is in which accents do speakers pronounce the word "threshold" with an extra h? New York / Brooklyn accent speaking here.
– zombiebeethoven
Apr 4 '14 at 12:52
4
I think you have it backwards, since speech is primary. And there can seldom be an answer as to why we spell things as we do.
– tchrist♦
Apr 4 '14 at 12:54
3
It looks like a compound word. "thresh" + "hold". So some people pronounce it like that. (Etymologically, it appears that it's thresh + something, but nobody is sure what the something is.)
– Peter Shor
Apr 4 '14 at 13:03
1
Spike: Are you expecting it to be pronounced 'thress- hold'? As @tchrist said, language is first what is spoken, then later what is written. Spelling is a poor representation for spoken language; it is an attempt to record speech. Speech isn't an attempt to represent written words.
– Mitch
Apr 4 '14 at 13:15
1
1
Usually it isn't, though the difference is minimal unless someone speaks very slowly. But my pronunciation would not include an extra "h".
– Terpsichore
Apr 4 '14 at 12:50
Usually it isn't, though the difference is minimal unless someone speaks very slowly. But my pronunciation would not include an extra "h".
– Terpsichore
Apr 4 '14 at 12:50
1
1
In my accent I certainly do pronounce an extra "h". Perhaps the question is in which accents do speakers pronounce the word "threshold" with an extra h? New York / Brooklyn accent speaking here.
– zombiebeethoven
Apr 4 '14 at 12:52
In my accent I certainly do pronounce an extra "h". Perhaps the question is in which accents do speakers pronounce the word "threshold" with an extra h? New York / Brooklyn accent speaking here.
– zombiebeethoven
Apr 4 '14 at 12:52
4
4
I think you have it backwards, since speech is primary. And there can seldom be an answer as to why we spell things as we do.
– tchrist♦
Apr 4 '14 at 12:54
I think you have it backwards, since speech is primary. And there can seldom be an answer as to why we spell things as we do.
– tchrist♦
Apr 4 '14 at 12:54
3
3
It looks like a compound word. "thresh" + "hold". So some people pronounce it like that. (Etymologically, it appears that it's thresh + something, but nobody is sure what the something is.)
– Peter Shor
Apr 4 '14 at 13:03
It looks like a compound word. "thresh" + "hold". So some people pronounce it like that. (Etymologically, it appears that it's thresh + something, but nobody is sure what the something is.)
– Peter Shor
Apr 4 '14 at 13:03
1
1
Spike: Are you expecting it to be pronounced 'thress- hold'? As @tchrist said, language is first what is spoken, then later what is written. Spelling is a poor representation for spoken language; it is an attempt to record speech. Speech isn't an attempt to represent written words.
– Mitch
Apr 4 '14 at 13:15
Spike: Are you expecting it to be pronounced 'thress- hold'? As @tchrist said, language is first what is spoken, then later what is written. Spelling is a poor representation for spoken language; it is an attempt to record speech. Speech isn't an attempt to represent written words.
– Mitch
Apr 4 '14 at 13:15
|
show 6 more comments
3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
If people are pronouncing it that way, it might be one example of the spread of literal pronunciation in the last few decades. This is a trend where, contrary to traditional practice, people are pronouncing certain words as if every syllable needs its proper exposure.
One example is accent which until very recently would be pronounced acc'nt - that is, with the second syllable unstressed, a nothing-syllable, the way we (still) pronounce decent. But nowadays it's more commonly heard as a spondee, which is the technical name for a word with two equally stressed syllables. So it comes out almost as if it's two separate words, ax and ent.
More examples:
Philharmonic. Radio announcers traditionally suppressed the "h" in what is an unstressed syllable: philermonic. But now, as often as not, it's restored: phil-harmonic, as if it's two words.
Tortoise: traditionally tortus, increasingly tortoyse. Because, presumably, it accords with the way it's spelt. So, like accent, it's turning into a word with two equally stressed syllables, a spondee.
Maidstone. The traditional pronunciation, Maidst'n, still holds sway (I think), but increasingly Maid-stone is being heard.
So it might be that thresh-hold is a symptom of the same thing. The word's spelling is derived from two words joined together, but the second "h" is missing, probably because that reflected the standard pronunciation of former times: thresh'ld. But if you restore it in the spoken word, you're actually pronouncing a letter that isn't there.
2
Aw come on, you’ve got to be kidding about the tortoise: it mustn’t rhyme with turquoise but with porpoise.
– tchrist♦
Apr 4 '14 at 14:04
@tchrist: Not the best example, I have heard porpoise pronounced poor poise rather than porpus.
– TimLymington
Apr 4 '14 at 14:10
Oh, yes. I forgot about porpoise. That too.
– Terpsichore
Apr 4 '14 at 14:26
1
@TimLymington Those people should be identified before they are allowed to mate …
– David M
Apr 4 '14 at 16:07
2
The word not derived from thresh + hold; it just looks like it is.
– Peter Shor
Apr 4 '14 at 20:14
|
show 1 more comment
German s is never pronounced as 'sh' it's mostly the 'z' sound in English, except for end of syllable, when it's pronounced 's'. Only ss or ß are always pronounced as 's', whereby ss shortens the vowel while ß does not.
Here the ethymology of threshold:
Old English þrescold, þærscwold, þerxold, etc., "door-sill, point of entering," a word of uncertain origin and probably much altered by folk-etymology.
The first element probably is related to Old English þrescan (see thresh), either in its current sense of "thresh" or with its original sense of "to tread, trample." The second element has been much transformed in all the Germanic languages, suggesting its literal sense was lost even in ancient times. In English it probably has been altered to conform to hold.
Liberman (Oxford University Press blog, Feb. 11, 2015) revives an old theory that the second element is the Proto-Germanic instrumental suffix *-thlo and the original sense of threshold was a threshing area adjacent to the living area of a house. Cognates of the compound include Old Norse þreskjoldr, Swedish tröskel, Old High German driscufli, German dialectal drischaufel. The figurative use was present in Old English.
New contributor
Julieta is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
In many accents of German (including the one typically taught to English speakers), the letter "s" represents /ʃ/ ("sh") in syllables starting with "st-" and "sp-", except for in some loanwords. E.g. der Stein, das Spiel. This is thought to perhaps be a remnant of an earlier distinction between between laminal and apical sibilants, with the original "s" sounds being apical and the "z" sounds (both the affricate and the fricative that is currently spelled as ss/ß) derived from assibilation of t being laminal.
– sumelic
4 hours ago
add a comment |
This word is derived from old German. In the German alphabet the letter s is pronounced with a "sh" sound, and a double s is pronounced "es". The double s in German is ß and sounds like our English s. That having been said, the word gets pronounced thresh-hold and not thres-hold.
1
Well, what about the s in lesen? That's not pronounced with a "sh" sound. And there are verbs like essen which don't normally use the ß except in some inflections.
– Robusto
Nov 9 '14 at 13:47
add a comment |
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3 Answers
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If people are pronouncing it that way, it might be one example of the spread of literal pronunciation in the last few decades. This is a trend where, contrary to traditional practice, people are pronouncing certain words as if every syllable needs its proper exposure.
One example is accent which until very recently would be pronounced acc'nt - that is, with the second syllable unstressed, a nothing-syllable, the way we (still) pronounce decent. But nowadays it's more commonly heard as a spondee, which is the technical name for a word with two equally stressed syllables. So it comes out almost as if it's two separate words, ax and ent.
More examples:
Philharmonic. Radio announcers traditionally suppressed the "h" in what is an unstressed syllable: philermonic. But now, as often as not, it's restored: phil-harmonic, as if it's two words.
Tortoise: traditionally tortus, increasingly tortoyse. Because, presumably, it accords with the way it's spelt. So, like accent, it's turning into a word with two equally stressed syllables, a spondee.
Maidstone. The traditional pronunciation, Maidst'n, still holds sway (I think), but increasingly Maid-stone is being heard.
So it might be that thresh-hold is a symptom of the same thing. The word's spelling is derived from two words joined together, but the second "h" is missing, probably because that reflected the standard pronunciation of former times: thresh'ld. But if you restore it in the spoken word, you're actually pronouncing a letter that isn't there.
2
Aw come on, you’ve got to be kidding about the tortoise: it mustn’t rhyme with turquoise but with porpoise.
– tchrist♦
Apr 4 '14 at 14:04
@tchrist: Not the best example, I have heard porpoise pronounced poor poise rather than porpus.
– TimLymington
Apr 4 '14 at 14:10
Oh, yes. I forgot about porpoise. That too.
– Terpsichore
Apr 4 '14 at 14:26
1
@TimLymington Those people should be identified before they are allowed to mate …
– David M
Apr 4 '14 at 16:07
2
The word not derived from thresh + hold; it just looks like it is.
– Peter Shor
Apr 4 '14 at 20:14
|
show 1 more comment
If people are pronouncing it that way, it might be one example of the spread of literal pronunciation in the last few decades. This is a trend where, contrary to traditional practice, people are pronouncing certain words as if every syllable needs its proper exposure.
One example is accent which until very recently would be pronounced acc'nt - that is, with the second syllable unstressed, a nothing-syllable, the way we (still) pronounce decent. But nowadays it's more commonly heard as a spondee, which is the technical name for a word with two equally stressed syllables. So it comes out almost as if it's two separate words, ax and ent.
More examples:
Philharmonic. Radio announcers traditionally suppressed the "h" in what is an unstressed syllable: philermonic. But now, as often as not, it's restored: phil-harmonic, as if it's two words.
Tortoise: traditionally tortus, increasingly tortoyse. Because, presumably, it accords with the way it's spelt. So, like accent, it's turning into a word with two equally stressed syllables, a spondee.
Maidstone. The traditional pronunciation, Maidst'n, still holds sway (I think), but increasingly Maid-stone is being heard.
So it might be that thresh-hold is a symptom of the same thing. The word's spelling is derived from two words joined together, but the second "h" is missing, probably because that reflected the standard pronunciation of former times: thresh'ld. But if you restore it in the spoken word, you're actually pronouncing a letter that isn't there.
2
Aw come on, you’ve got to be kidding about the tortoise: it mustn’t rhyme with turquoise but with porpoise.
– tchrist♦
Apr 4 '14 at 14:04
@tchrist: Not the best example, I have heard porpoise pronounced poor poise rather than porpus.
– TimLymington
Apr 4 '14 at 14:10
Oh, yes. I forgot about porpoise. That too.
– Terpsichore
Apr 4 '14 at 14:26
1
@TimLymington Those people should be identified before they are allowed to mate …
– David M
Apr 4 '14 at 16:07
2
The word not derived from thresh + hold; it just looks like it is.
– Peter Shor
Apr 4 '14 at 20:14
|
show 1 more comment
If people are pronouncing it that way, it might be one example of the spread of literal pronunciation in the last few decades. This is a trend where, contrary to traditional practice, people are pronouncing certain words as if every syllable needs its proper exposure.
One example is accent which until very recently would be pronounced acc'nt - that is, with the second syllable unstressed, a nothing-syllable, the way we (still) pronounce decent. But nowadays it's more commonly heard as a spondee, which is the technical name for a word with two equally stressed syllables. So it comes out almost as if it's two separate words, ax and ent.
More examples:
Philharmonic. Radio announcers traditionally suppressed the "h" in what is an unstressed syllable: philermonic. But now, as often as not, it's restored: phil-harmonic, as if it's two words.
Tortoise: traditionally tortus, increasingly tortoyse. Because, presumably, it accords with the way it's spelt. So, like accent, it's turning into a word with two equally stressed syllables, a spondee.
Maidstone. The traditional pronunciation, Maidst'n, still holds sway (I think), but increasingly Maid-stone is being heard.
So it might be that thresh-hold is a symptom of the same thing. The word's spelling is derived from two words joined together, but the second "h" is missing, probably because that reflected the standard pronunciation of former times: thresh'ld. But if you restore it in the spoken word, you're actually pronouncing a letter that isn't there.
If people are pronouncing it that way, it might be one example of the spread of literal pronunciation in the last few decades. This is a trend where, contrary to traditional practice, people are pronouncing certain words as if every syllable needs its proper exposure.
One example is accent which until very recently would be pronounced acc'nt - that is, with the second syllable unstressed, a nothing-syllable, the way we (still) pronounce decent. But nowadays it's more commonly heard as a spondee, which is the technical name for a word with two equally stressed syllables. So it comes out almost as if it's two separate words, ax and ent.
More examples:
Philharmonic. Radio announcers traditionally suppressed the "h" in what is an unstressed syllable: philermonic. But now, as often as not, it's restored: phil-harmonic, as if it's two words.
Tortoise: traditionally tortus, increasingly tortoyse. Because, presumably, it accords with the way it's spelt. So, like accent, it's turning into a word with two equally stressed syllables, a spondee.
Maidstone. The traditional pronunciation, Maidst'n, still holds sway (I think), but increasingly Maid-stone is being heard.
So it might be that thresh-hold is a symptom of the same thing. The word's spelling is derived from two words joined together, but the second "h" is missing, probably because that reflected the standard pronunciation of former times: thresh'ld. But if you restore it in the spoken word, you're actually pronouncing a letter that isn't there.
answered Apr 4 '14 at 13:53
Terpsichore
3,1031713
3,1031713
2
Aw come on, you’ve got to be kidding about the tortoise: it mustn’t rhyme with turquoise but with porpoise.
– tchrist♦
Apr 4 '14 at 14:04
@tchrist: Not the best example, I have heard porpoise pronounced poor poise rather than porpus.
– TimLymington
Apr 4 '14 at 14:10
Oh, yes. I forgot about porpoise. That too.
– Terpsichore
Apr 4 '14 at 14:26
1
@TimLymington Those people should be identified before they are allowed to mate …
– David M
Apr 4 '14 at 16:07
2
The word not derived from thresh + hold; it just looks like it is.
– Peter Shor
Apr 4 '14 at 20:14
|
show 1 more comment
2
Aw come on, you’ve got to be kidding about the tortoise: it mustn’t rhyme with turquoise but with porpoise.
– tchrist♦
Apr 4 '14 at 14:04
@tchrist: Not the best example, I have heard porpoise pronounced poor poise rather than porpus.
– TimLymington
Apr 4 '14 at 14:10
Oh, yes. I forgot about porpoise. That too.
– Terpsichore
Apr 4 '14 at 14:26
1
@TimLymington Those people should be identified before they are allowed to mate …
– David M
Apr 4 '14 at 16:07
2
The word not derived from thresh + hold; it just looks like it is.
– Peter Shor
Apr 4 '14 at 20:14
2
2
Aw come on, you’ve got to be kidding about the tortoise: it mustn’t rhyme with turquoise but with porpoise.
– tchrist♦
Apr 4 '14 at 14:04
Aw come on, you’ve got to be kidding about the tortoise: it mustn’t rhyme with turquoise but with porpoise.
– tchrist♦
Apr 4 '14 at 14:04
@tchrist: Not the best example, I have heard porpoise pronounced poor poise rather than porpus.
– TimLymington
Apr 4 '14 at 14:10
@tchrist: Not the best example, I have heard porpoise pronounced poor poise rather than porpus.
– TimLymington
Apr 4 '14 at 14:10
Oh, yes. I forgot about porpoise. That too.
– Terpsichore
Apr 4 '14 at 14:26
Oh, yes. I forgot about porpoise. That too.
– Terpsichore
Apr 4 '14 at 14:26
1
1
@TimLymington Those people should be identified before they are allowed to mate …
– David M
Apr 4 '14 at 16:07
@TimLymington Those people should be identified before they are allowed to mate …
– David M
Apr 4 '14 at 16:07
2
2
The word not derived from thresh + hold; it just looks like it is.
– Peter Shor
Apr 4 '14 at 20:14
The word not derived from thresh + hold; it just looks like it is.
– Peter Shor
Apr 4 '14 at 20:14
|
show 1 more comment
German s is never pronounced as 'sh' it's mostly the 'z' sound in English, except for end of syllable, when it's pronounced 's'. Only ss or ß are always pronounced as 's', whereby ss shortens the vowel while ß does not.
Here the ethymology of threshold:
Old English þrescold, þærscwold, þerxold, etc., "door-sill, point of entering," a word of uncertain origin and probably much altered by folk-etymology.
The first element probably is related to Old English þrescan (see thresh), either in its current sense of "thresh" or with its original sense of "to tread, trample." The second element has been much transformed in all the Germanic languages, suggesting its literal sense was lost even in ancient times. In English it probably has been altered to conform to hold.
Liberman (Oxford University Press blog, Feb. 11, 2015) revives an old theory that the second element is the Proto-Germanic instrumental suffix *-thlo and the original sense of threshold was a threshing area adjacent to the living area of a house. Cognates of the compound include Old Norse þreskjoldr, Swedish tröskel, Old High German driscufli, German dialectal drischaufel. The figurative use was present in Old English.
New contributor
Julieta is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
In many accents of German (including the one typically taught to English speakers), the letter "s" represents /ʃ/ ("sh") in syllables starting with "st-" and "sp-", except for in some loanwords. E.g. der Stein, das Spiel. This is thought to perhaps be a remnant of an earlier distinction between between laminal and apical sibilants, with the original "s" sounds being apical and the "z" sounds (both the affricate and the fricative that is currently spelled as ss/ß) derived from assibilation of t being laminal.
– sumelic
4 hours ago
add a comment |
German s is never pronounced as 'sh' it's mostly the 'z' sound in English, except for end of syllable, when it's pronounced 's'. Only ss or ß are always pronounced as 's', whereby ss shortens the vowel while ß does not.
Here the ethymology of threshold:
Old English þrescold, þærscwold, þerxold, etc., "door-sill, point of entering," a word of uncertain origin and probably much altered by folk-etymology.
The first element probably is related to Old English þrescan (see thresh), either in its current sense of "thresh" or with its original sense of "to tread, trample." The second element has been much transformed in all the Germanic languages, suggesting its literal sense was lost even in ancient times. In English it probably has been altered to conform to hold.
Liberman (Oxford University Press blog, Feb. 11, 2015) revives an old theory that the second element is the Proto-Germanic instrumental suffix *-thlo and the original sense of threshold was a threshing area adjacent to the living area of a house. Cognates of the compound include Old Norse þreskjoldr, Swedish tröskel, Old High German driscufli, German dialectal drischaufel. The figurative use was present in Old English.
New contributor
Julieta is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
In many accents of German (including the one typically taught to English speakers), the letter "s" represents /ʃ/ ("sh") in syllables starting with "st-" and "sp-", except for in some loanwords. E.g. der Stein, das Spiel. This is thought to perhaps be a remnant of an earlier distinction between between laminal and apical sibilants, with the original "s" sounds being apical and the "z" sounds (both the affricate and the fricative that is currently spelled as ss/ß) derived from assibilation of t being laminal.
– sumelic
4 hours ago
add a comment |
German s is never pronounced as 'sh' it's mostly the 'z' sound in English, except for end of syllable, when it's pronounced 's'. Only ss or ß are always pronounced as 's', whereby ss shortens the vowel while ß does not.
Here the ethymology of threshold:
Old English þrescold, þærscwold, þerxold, etc., "door-sill, point of entering," a word of uncertain origin and probably much altered by folk-etymology.
The first element probably is related to Old English þrescan (see thresh), either in its current sense of "thresh" or with its original sense of "to tread, trample." The second element has been much transformed in all the Germanic languages, suggesting its literal sense was lost even in ancient times. In English it probably has been altered to conform to hold.
Liberman (Oxford University Press blog, Feb. 11, 2015) revives an old theory that the second element is the Proto-Germanic instrumental suffix *-thlo and the original sense of threshold was a threshing area adjacent to the living area of a house. Cognates of the compound include Old Norse þreskjoldr, Swedish tröskel, Old High German driscufli, German dialectal drischaufel. The figurative use was present in Old English.
New contributor
Julieta is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
German s is never pronounced as 'sh' it's mostly the 'z' sound in English, except for end of syllable, when it's pronounced 's'. Only ss or ß are always pronounced as 's', whereby ss shortens the vowel while ß does not.
Here the ethymology of threshold:
Old English þrescold, þærscwold, þerxold, etc., "door-sill, point of entering," a word of uncertain origin and probably much altered by folk-etymology.
The first element probably is related to Old English þrescan (see thresh), either in its current sense of "thresh" or with its original sense of "to tread, trample." The second element has been much transformed in all the Germanic languages, suggesting its literal sense was lost even in ancient times. In English it probably has been altered to conform to hold.
Liberman (Oxford University Press blog, Feb. 11, 2015) revives an old theory that the second element is the Proto-Germanic instrumental suffix *-thlo and the original sense of threshold was a threshing area adjacent to the living area of a house. Cognates of the compound include Old Norse þreskjoldr, Swedish tröskel, Old High German driscufli, German dialectal drischaufel. The figurative use was present in Old English.
New contributor
Julieta is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
New contributor
Julieta is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
answered 2 days ago
Julieta
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In many accents of German (including the one typically taught to English speakers), the letter "s" represents /ʃ/ ("sh") in syllables starting with "st-" and "sp-", except for in some loanwords. E.g. der Stein, das Spiel. This is thought to perhaps be a remnant of an earlier distinction between between laminal and apical sibilants, with the original "s" sounds being apical and the "z" sounds (both the affricate and the fricative that is currently spelled as ss/ß) derived from assibilation of t being laminal.
– sumelic
4 hours ago
add a comment |
In many accents of German (including the one typically taught to English speakers), the letter "s" represents /ʃ/ ("sh") in syllables starting with "st-" and "sp-", except for in some loanwords. E.g. der Stein, das Spiel. This is thought to perhaps be a remnant of an earlier distinction between between laminal and apical sibilants, with the original "s" sounds being apical and the "z" sounds (both the affricate and the fricative that is currently spelled as ss/ß) derived from assibilation of t being laminal.
– sumelic
4 hours ago
In many accents of German (including the one typically taught to English speakers), the letter "s" represents /ʃ/ ("sh") in syllables starting with "st-" and "sp-", except for in some loanwords. E.g. der Stein, das Spiel. This is thought to perhaps be a remnant of an earlier distinction between between laminal and apical sibilants, with the original "s" sounds being apical and the "z" sounds (both the affricate and the fricative that is currently spelled as ss/ß) derived from assibilation of t being laminal.
– sumelic
4 hours ago
In many accents of German (including the one typically taught to English speakers), the letter "s" represents /ʃ/ ("sh") in syllables starting with "st-" and "sp-", except for in some loanwords. E.g. der Stein, das Spiel. This is thought to perhaps be a remnant of an earlier distinction between between laminal and apical sibilants, with the original "s" sounds being apical and the "z" sounds (both the affricate and the fricative that is currently spelled as ss/ß) derived from assibilation of t being laminal.
– sumelic
4 hours ago
add a comment |
This word is derived from old German. In the German alphabet the letter s is pronounced with a "sh" sound, and a double s is pronounced "es". The double s in German is ß and sounds like our English s. That having been said, the word gets pronounced thresh-hold and not thres-hold.
1
Well, what about the s in lesen? That's not pronounced with a "sh" sound. And there are verbs like essen which don't normally use the ß except in some inflections.
– Robusto
Nov 9 '14 at 13:47
add a comment |
This word is derived from old German. In the German alphabet the letter s is pronounced with a "sh" sound, and a double s is pronounced "es". The double s in German is ß and sounds like our English s. That having been said, the word gets pronounced thresh-hold and not thres-hold.
1
Well, what about the s in lesen? That's not pronounced with a "sh" sound. And there are verbs like essen which don't normally use the ß except in some inflections.
– Robusto
Nov 9 '14 at 13:47
add a comment |
This word is derived from old German. In the German alphabet the letter s is pronounced with a "sh" sound, and a double s is pronounced "es". The double s in German is ß and sounds like our English s. That having been said, the word gets pronounced thresh-hold and not thres-hold.
This word is derived from old German. In the German alphabet the letter s is pronounced with a "sh" sound, and a double s is pronounced "es". The double s in German is ß and sounds like our English s. That having been said, the word gets pronounced thresh-hold and not thres-hold.
answered Nov 9 '14 at 1:43
plasmasnakeneo
131
131
1
Well, what about the s in lesen? That's not pronounced with a "sh" sound. And there are verbs like essen which don't normally use the ß except in some inflections.
– Robusto
Nov 9 '14 at 13:47
add a comment |
1
Well, what about the s in lesen? That's not pronounced with a "sh" sound. And there are verbs like essen which don't normally use the ß except in some inflections.
– Robusto
Nov 9 '14 at 13:47
1
1
Well, what about the s in lesen? That's not pronounced with a "sh" sound. And there are verbs like essen which don't normally use the ß except in some inflections.
– Robusto
Nov 9 '14 at 13:47
Well, what about the s in lesen? That's not pronounced with a "sh" sound. And there are verbs like essen which don't normally use the ß except in some inflections.
– Robusto
Nov 9 '14 at 13:47
add a comment |
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1
Usually it isn't, though the difference is minimal unless someone speaks very slowly. But my pronunciation would not include an extra "h".
– Terpsichore
Apr 4 '14 at 12:50
1
In my accent I certainly do pronounce an extra "h". Perhaps the question is in which accents do speakers pronounce the word "threshold" with an extra h? New York / Brooklyn accent speaking here.
– zombiebeethoven
Apr 4 '14 at 12:52
4
I think you have it backwards, since speech is primary. And there can seldom be an answer as to why we spell things as we do.
– tchrist♦
Apr 4 '14 at 12:54
3
It looks like a compound word. "thresh" + "hold". So some people pronounce it like that. (Etymologically, it appears that it's thresh + something, but nobody is sure what the something is.)
– Peter Shor
Apr 4 '14 at 13:03
1
Spike: Are you expecting it to be pronounced 'thress- hold'? As @tchrist said, language is first what is spoken, then later what is written. Spelling is a poor representation for spoken language; it is an attempt to record speech. Speech isn't an attempt to represent written words.
– Mitch
Apr 4 '14 at 13:15