Learn English – Pronunciation of the prefix “tri”

prefixespronunciation

I know that English pronunciation is rather arbitrary. There are still some "rules" that even with many exceptions are useful for non-natives like me.

I'm puzzled about the pronunciation of the very common prefix "tri", meaning "three".

"Tri" is often pronounced /traɪ/. For example: triangle, trilateral, tripartite, trioxide, triode, triad, trilobites, triglyceride, triennium, tridimensional, trigeminal, tricycle, tricuspid, triceps, triathlon.

But sometimes "tri" is pronounced /trɪ/. For example: trigamous, triplicate, trio, trinity, trilogy, trillion, trigonometry, triplet, triple, triphthong, triploid, triptych.

Finally, it seems that a few words can be pronounced both ways. For example: trimester, tricolor.

I can find no pattern at all. Is there any "rule"? Or can you help me in any way to guess the right pronunciation of a new word with the prefix "tri"?

Best Answer

Unfortunately not. As your example words show, you can't apply historical criteria (e.g. 'is it a Greek root') or any obvious phonological decision process ('is it stressed,' 'is there a vowel after it').

The only rule I can think of of is: in chemistry, the pronunciation "tri-" = /traɪ/ is fixed.

I can offer an extension of this rule, which I believe always holds:

In a word "triXYZ", if XYZ is itself a word in English, then you pronounce "tri" as /traɪ/.

As an AE speaker, I can't think of a counterexample, anyway.

Related Solutions

Learn English – Pronunciation of en- prefix as ahn-

The list of en- words that can be pronounced /an/ rather than /ɪn/ or /ɛn/ is pretty short. From a quick search of the Carnegie-Mellon Pronouncing Dictionary, these words start with en- and can be pronounced /an/ (some have alternate pronunciations with /ɛn/):

ENCLAVE
ENCLAVES
ENCORE
ENCORES
ENFANT
ENSEMBLE
ENSEMBLES
ENTENDRE
ENTOURAGE
ENTOURAGES
ENTRE
ENTREE
ENTREES
ENTREPRENEUR
ENTREPRENEUR'S
ENTREPRENEURIAL
ENTREPRENEURS
ENTREPRENEURSHIP
ENVOY
ENVOYS

I will note also that Merriam-Webster does also countenance /an/ for envelope. However, few if any other en- words can be pronounced /an/.

Learn English – If the prefix anglo- means “of the English”, what prefix means “of the Welsh”

Cambro- is the traditional form; the OED defines it in part as:

…used as combining form in the sense ‘pertaining to Cambria, Welsh’.

It’s never been common, but has clung on tenaciously over the years, in cambrophone, cambro-centric, Cambro-American, and the like. (It’s much more common in geological use, where it refers to the Cambrian Period.)

However, few apart from classicists or historians will understand it. An alternative option is Cymru- or Cymro-. This is less traditional, but usage on the internet and in British newspapers suggests it’s probably about as common today; and it has the great advantage that most Brits, and certainly anyone who’s lived in or near Wales, will understand it immediately. So if you don’t mind creating etymological Frankensteins, this is what I’d recommend.

Best Answer

Related Solutions

Learn English – Pronunciation of en- prefix as ahn-

Learn English – If the prefix anglo- means “of the English”, what prefix means “of the Welsh”

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