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Common American pronunciation of \"applicable\"
Thread poster: Wolfgang Feichtlbauer
Wolfgang Feichtlbauer
Wolfgang Feichtlbauer  Identity Verified
Austria
Local time: 02:35
English to German
+ ...
Dec 31, 2002

Hi,



I had a tiresome conversation with a friend of mine the other night. He steadfastly argued that today most of the Americans put the stress in \"applicable\" on the second syllable (as the British):&-\'pli-k&-b&l



I disagreed and after promising to pay all of his drinks at New Year\'s Eve (if he were right), I had to resort to a couple of American English Dictionaries which ,thank God, accepted both versions.



So,which of the two pr
... See more
Hi,



I had a tiresome conversation with a friend of mine the other night. He steadfastly argued that today most of the Americans put the stress in \"applicable\" on the second syllable (as the British):&-\'pli-k&-b&l



I disagreed and after promising to pay all of his drinks at New Year\'s Eve (if he were right), I had to resort to a couple of American English Dictionaries which ,thank God, accepted both versions.



So,which of the two pronunciation habits is more popular among Americans today?



Thanks a lot for your help and Happy New Year!



wolfgang





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JCEC
JCEC  Identity Verified
Canada
Local time: 21:35
English to French
Sorry Wolfgang Dec 31, 2002

I fear your friend may be right.



Judging by what I hear around me and on TV, Americans do seem to privilege the pronunciation with the stress on the second syllable.



http://www.yourdictionary.com gives two pronunciations, but the one you refute is mentioned first, which is usually an indication of the fact that it is the preferred one or the most popular.



It i
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I fear your friend may be right.



Judging by what I hear around me and on TV, Americans do seem to privilege the pronunciation with the stress on the second syllable.



http://www.yourdictionary.com gives two pronunciations, but the one you refute is mentioned first, which is usually an indication of the fact that it is the preferred one or the most popular.



It is possible that people are gradually aligning themselves on the pronunciation of applicably and applicability which are both stressed on the same syllable.



Sorry,



John



[ This Message was edited by:on2002-12-31 15:51]
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Kim Metzger
Kim Metzger  Identity Verified
Mexico
Local time: 19:35
German to English
I stress the first syllable Dec 31, 2002

That was my first reaction and then I tested the other version and realized I had heard both pronunciations in the US. I would assume it\'s a regional issue.

 
Jane Lamb-Ruiz (X)
Jane Lamb-Ruiz (X)  Identity Verified
French to English
+ ...
first syllable Dec 31, 2002

The usual pronunciation is on the first syllable. Both are correct. Both are used.





 
Chinoise
Chinoise  Identity Verified
Local time: 22:35
English to Chinese
+ ...
Yes, the 1st syllable ! Dec 31, 2002

Yes, the stress should be put on the first syllable.



Betty


 
Catherine Bolton
Catherine Bolton  Identity Verified
Local time: 02:35
Italian to English
+ ...
In memoriam
From an East Coaster Dec 31, 2002

Hi, I\'m from the Eastern seaboard (born in Connecticut, raised in the Washington DC area and went to college in North Carolina): I have always placed the accent on the first syllable. Perhaps it is regional, as some have noted, but the people I know say \"APP licable\" (like \"APP lication\").

Webster\'s cites this pronunciation FIRST, then noting \"often a plik\' able\" as the second choice.

At this point, I say you each pay for your own drinks. Happy New Year ...
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Hi, I\'m from the Eastern seaboard (born in Connecticut, raised in the Washington DC area and went to college in North Carolina): I have always placed the accent on the first syllable. Perhaps it is regional, as some have noted, but the people I know say \"APP licable\" (like \"APP lication\").

Webster\'s cites this pronunciation FIRST, then noting \"often a plik\' able\" as the second choice.

At this point, I say you each pay for your own drinks. Happy New Year

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Bryan Crumpler
Bryan Crumpler  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 21:35
Dutch to English
+ ...
both... Dec 31, 2002

Sorry that you had such a tiresome conversation about what I consider to be a minor issue...



In the states there\'s no real line to make the determination of which pronunciation to use. It sometimes depends on where you live because a southerner with a real, southern accent is most likely to stress the 1st syllable.



Personally, I mostly hear &-plik\'-&-b&l with the stress on the 2nd syllable as your friend mentioned. You hear it this way mos
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Sorry that you had such a tiresome conversation about what I consider to be a minor issue...



In the states there\'s no real line to make the determination of which pronunciation to use. It sometimes depends on where you live because a southerner with a real, southern accent is most likely to stress the 1st syllable.



Personally, I mostly hear &-plik\'-&-b&l with the stress on the 2nd syllable as your friend mentioned. You hear it this way mostly from people that are well educated (or are at least trying to appear intelligent). In general, however, lots people stress the 1st syllable (like with \"application\", and it\'s no more common and no less intelligent-sounding than the other pronunciation.



I usually find myself stressing the 1st syllable when \"applicable\" stands alone. For example, on an application you sometimes have to fill in \"n/a\" for \"not applicable\". In that case I stress the 1st syllable, but if it appears in a sentence like \"that\'s not applicable in this situation\" then I stress the 2nd syllable because it makes the sentence roll off of the tongue better. That\'s just my own take on it...
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Rick Henry
Rick Henry  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 20:35
Italian to English
+ ...
You'll hear both. Dec 31, 2002

If you listen to the news broadcasts, you\'ll hear both pronunciations, with no preference for one or the other.



R.

==

Quote:


On 2002-12-31 14:48, Banskarnie wrote:

Hi,



I had a tiresome conversation with a friend of mine the other night. He steadfastly argued that today most of the Americans put the stress in \"applicable\" on the second syllable (as the British):&-\'pli... See more
If you listen to the news broadcasts, you\'ll hear both pronunciations, with no preference for one or the other.



R.

==

Quote:


On 2002-12-31 14:48, Banskarnie wrote:

Hi,



I had a tiresome conversation with a friend of mine the other night. He steadfastly argued that today most of the Americans put the stress in \"applicable\" on the second syllable (as the British):&-\'pli-k&-b&l



I disagreed and after promising to pay all of his drinks at New Year\'s Eve (if he were right), I had to resort to a couple of American English Dictionaries which ,thank God, accepted both versions.



So,which of the two pronunciation habits is more popular among Americans today?



Thanks a lot for your help and Happy New Year!



wolfgang







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Henry Dotterer
Henry Dotterer
Local time: 21:35
SITE FOUNDER
Both Dec 31, 2002

You have to pay for each others drinks. Happy new year.

 
Gayle Wallimann
Gayle Wallimann  Identity Verified
Local time: 02:35
Member (2004)
French to English
+ ...
Have a happy New Year Dec 31, 2002

I am from upper New York state, and I pronounce it with the accent on the second syllable, just like the rest of my family and most friends. However, both pronunciations are common. I hear both of them all the time.

 
charlesink
charlesink
Local time: 22:35
English to Spanish
+ ...
really tiresome!!! Dec 31, 2002

Really tiresome!!

 
tazdog (X)
tazdog (X)
Spain
Local time: 02:35
Spanish to English
+ ...
both Jan 1, 2003

I\'m from Cleveland, Ohio, and I put the stress on the second syllable. However, like several others have mentioned, I have heard it both ways, so many times that I couldn\'t even tell you which version I\'ve heard more often.



Happy New Year, everyone.


 
Jack Doughty
Jack Doughty  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 01:35
Russian to English
+ ...
In memoriam
To Gayle Jan 1, 2003

Would a cable laid in The Big Apple be called an appliCAble?

 
Wolfgang Feichtlbauer
Wolfgang Feichtlbauer  Identity Verified
Austria
Local time: 02:35
English to German
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Thank you ........ Jan 1, 2003

Thank you once again for your help, would have gone bankrupt yesterday...

 
Deborah Hoffman
Deborah Hoffman  Identity Verified

Local time: 21:35
Russian to English
+ ...
Another Clevelander Jan 1, 2003

LOL I\'m from Cleveland and I put the stress on the first syllable! But I spent a lot of time on the East Coast, that might be why.



It\'s so hard to say \"most\" people do or don\'t do a certain thing when there are two pronunciations - although I know the fact that I say antiBEEotics instead of antiBYotics is a little weird. Don\'t know where I picked it up but my husband said the same thing his whole life and we are both from Cleveland.


 
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Common American pronunciation of \"applicable\"






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