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diffused structure
they were leaning out of .... onto the sand
Nov 30, 2005 13:31
19 yrs ago
8 viewers *
English term

'resource' pronounced with a z

English Other Linguistics
Recently I came across a variant pronunciation of the word 'resource' -- with a 'z' in the middle (REE-zors or ree-ZORS). The dictionaries confirm that both ways are ok.

Could you please share your experience with this variant. Are there countries in which it is the more common one? Does it sound weird to you or perfectly okay? Any comments are welcome.

P.S. This question could be "not-for-points" but I don't like that option. I don't know how I'll grade it but at least everyone will have a chance to get the pts :) TIA
Responses
4 +11 comment
5 +4 Never heard it pronounced that way in the US
5 I have heard it in the USA this way.
5 I just recently heard it pronounced that way by an American...

Discussion

SirReaL (asker) Dec 4, 2005:
Answers.com (http://www.answers.com/resource) gives all 8 pronunciations as I suspected :)
RHELLER Nov 30, 2005:
well then, next time :-)
SirReaL (asker) Nov 30, 2005:
Sure could, but why? I've already asked it here ;)
RHELLER Nov 30, 2005:
Mike - you could post this one in the linguistics forum :-)
SirReaL (asker) Nov 30, 2005:
LOL! What if we count all the choices and multiply them:
1. S or Z in the middle.
2. Strong or silent R at the end.
3. Main stress on the first or the second syllable.
We get 8 different ways to say this word!
Jack Doughty Nov 30, 2005:
Strange that my experience is so different from Angela's. I have lived in the UK all my life. I have very rarely heard the "z" pronunciation", and it sounds odd to me.
SirReaL (asker) Nov 30, 2005:
My experience with it was like this. I was watching a demo of a software product with a voice-over by an American male. In a span of five minutes the words 'resource' and 'resources' were said about a dozen times - with a 'z'. That was kind of annoying; it affected my perception of the demo in a negative way. That's why I wanted to see if my impression was justified. Turns out I was biased. Thanks all!
SirReaL (asker) Nov 30, 2005:
I see. Thanks, Angela!
Thanks, Elizabeth. Apparently it's a lot like the "eeether - eyether" pair!
Angela Dickson (X) Nov 30, 2005:
not sure what the o and O refer to in their 'phonetic' transcription, but the one I'm thinking of is a combination of the ri-' (reduced first vowel + stressed second syllable) with one of the 'z...' variants - and no 'r'... hope this helps
SirReaL (asker) Nov 30, 2005:
Yes, I'm aware of the difference in the 'r' sound :)
I went to www.m-w.com for reference. It's got several pronunciations and transcriptions for this word. Does it have the one you are talking about?
Angela Dickson (X) Nov 30, 2005:
and the second syllable starts with a 'z' sound. Not to mention the fact that the final 'r' you see in the spelling isn't pronounced... ;)
Angela Dickson (X) Nov 30, 2005:
perhaps your speaker listens to the BBC... ;) If I could work out how to put IPA symbols here, I'd show you the usual (perhaps a little old-fashioned now) British pronunciation where the first syllable is unstressed and the first vowel is reduced.
SirReaL (asker) Nov 30, 2005:
Ok now we are seeing some geographical boundaries being laid out :)
SirReaL (asker) Nov 30, 2005:
Yes, it did sound odd to me too. However I heard it used by an American, to my utter amazement :)

Responses

+11
4 mins
Selected

comment

I habitually pronounce resource with a 'z. I have been educated in Australia and have been speaking English for nearly 50 years.

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Note added at 13 mins (2005-11-30 13:45:04 GMT)
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I have just checked my Collins English Dictionary. It gives both pronunciations as correct.
Peer comment(s):
agree Angela Dickson (X) : it's the usual pronunciation in Britain too. 'REE-ssource' (where ss='s' sound) is one of the many markers of an AmE speaker for me.
3 mins
Yes. The 's' variant would sound strange to my ears.
agree KathyT : Also from Australia. I hear both variants frequently here (Sydney) and both sound equally 'familiar'.
17 mins
I live in Sydney too but born in Brisbane. I think I will be listening carefully for this word from now on. Sydney is very multicultural of course.
agree Besmir (X) : lol I just made an Australian colleague say that word and he said "z" lol I would normally say "s" but I grew up in the States and finished schools there. It would be ridicilous to say I never heard someone say it, I just never paid attention I guess...
53 mins
agree Melanie Nassar : I pronounce it with a "z", and am a US native speaker. Maybe it's the rub-off from *resort*. When we solve this one, can we decide on the correct pronunciation of distribute? BBC kills me with its DIS tribute ;-))
1 hr
Yes. I hate DIS tribute too.
agree Peter Shortall : I've never heard it pronounced with a hard "s", only ever with a "z" and I'm in the UK, though my dictionary does give both.
1 hr
agree Michael Barnett : I too have always pronounced it as a "z". Canadians always use a hard "r". In the US, the "r" varies from region to region.
4 hrs
agree juvera : UK - most of the time "z" with no "r" in the middle,
6 hrs
agree KNielsen : With Michael. I'm from Canada and have never heard it pronounced there any other way than "RE-zorse."
13 hrs
agree Alfa Trans (X)
15 hrs
agree Romanian Translator (X)
21 hrs
agree Aisha Rishi
37 days
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4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Going purely on the agrees given. But don't take that as a vote on which pronunciation is right - they all are :)"
+4
1 min

Never heard it pronounced that way in the US

and it would sound odd to me.
Peer comment(s):
agree Lori Utecht/Vívian M Alves
5 mins
agree Eva Olsson : To me it sounds very odd (but of course that doesn't mean it's wrong or not used in some places). I was taught British Eng. and now speak American E. and live in (the midatlantic part of) the US.
1 hr
agree jccantrell : There are SO many variants of pronunciation of English that it may be used somewhere. I have never heard it in the USA, but then I distinctly pronounce "merry" "marry" and "Mary" as three different words, so what do I know?
1 hr
agree RHELLER : my experience as well (I use S not z) - to JC - I understand marry but merry + Mary?
3 hrs
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19 mins

I have heard it in the USA this way.

I have heard it here both ways. I see nothing strange about it at all! It is an option. English is a variable language.
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28 mins

I just recently heard it pronounced that way by an American...

in the US. I was unable to inquire about the speaker's background, but this was the first time in my 40+ years living in the States that I heard it this way.
Something went wrong...
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