'You hang up hurriedly and attend to baby,crockery,etc', could you please tell me how to read 'etc'? just read the letters one by one or there is another way to read it?
Learn English – How to read ‘etc’ in English
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Unlike in some other languages, English spelling tends to reflect the developmental history of the word rather than its pronunciation. Therefore, it takes more learning and practice to pronounce English words. After learning the basic rules, you also need to learn some exceptions, and with enough practice, you may be able to spot some patterns.
Given that English is built on Greek, Latin, Anglo-Saxon / Norse, and French influence, and continues to assimilate words from other languages, it helps to consider which set of pronunciation rules to apply depending on the word's origin. For example, "ch" in words of Greek origin (e.g. psyche) would generally have a /k/ sound. In words taken from French during an earlier period (e.g. chief), "ch" would have a /tʃ/ sound. Later French borrowings (e.g. chef) would have a softer /ʃ/ sound.
Even with lots of experience, any English speaker who claims to be able to read any word correctly is lying. Here is a whole thread on Reddit full of words that people have mispronounced for years. Some examples include:
- hyperbole, epitome, synecdoche
- draught
- lingerie, macabre, melee
- segue
- açai
- awry
- victuals
- quinoa
- chalcedony
I'd also add
- row (in the sense of a fight)
- chassis
No amount of experience would ever help you guess the British pronunciation of "lieutenant".
Part of the difficulty is, believe it or not, deliberately introduced. In words like "scent" and "debt", silent letters were added to make them fit their etymology.
Your only consolation is that English is still easier to read than Chinese.
Have you figured out the pronunciation of the words above? Here are the answers!
/haɪˈpɝːbəli/ /ɪˈpɪt.ə.mi/ /sɪˈnɛkdəki/
/dɹɑːft/
/ˌlɑn.(d)ʒəˈɹeɪ/ /məˈkɑːbɹə/ /mɛˈleɪ/
/ˈsɛɡweɪ/
/ˈa.saj/
/əˈɹaɪ/
/ˈvɪtəlz/
/ˈkinˌwɑ/
/kælˈsɛdəni/
/raʊ/
/ˈtʃæsi/ or /ˈʃæsi/
/lɛfˈtɛnənt/
You have several options:
- one point five
- one and a half
- one and one-half - can seem wordy.
- one and five-tenths - mathematically correct term, not used regularly.
These are all correct.
The hyphens in the last two are optional to some degree depending on the source. Including it is arguably more correct.
one and half is not correct... usually. Based on your comments, it looks like you're seeing it used in technical, electrical system uses:
In this case, it may be correct but I don't see any evidence that they would ever write it out as 1.5.
Best Answer
Etc is an abbreviation of the Latin phrase et cetera (meaning "and the rest"). In English, it is pronounced as the entire phrase (even if it is abbreviated). The "c" in "cetera" is soft in modern English, so it sounds like an "s".