play image1815466723
Usage Notes

How Do You Pronounce 'Vase'?

And is one more correct than the others?


Depending on where you're from, you might pronounce 'vase' in one of three main ways. Is one of them considered "standard"? Peter Sokolowski explains.


TRANSCRIPT


When someone brings you flowers and asks if you have anything to put them in, you might say "Yes, there's a vās in the cabinet."
 
That's how you'll say it if you're like most Americans, anyway. If you're like most Canadians or some Americans, you'll say vāz. But if you're British or like some Canadians or even a few Americans, you'll say väz.
 
Vās, vāz, väz.
 
They're actually all fine, no matter where you come from. However you say it, the important thing is this: when someone brings you flowers, be gracious and put them in water.

Up next

play image1815466723
How Do You Pronounce 'Vase'?

 

And is one way more correct than the others?

play video title attorney generals
Is It 'Attorney Generals' Or 'Attorneys General'?

 

'Poets laureate'? 'Court-martials'? The curious history of postpositive adjectives in English.

play further vs farther video
Further vs. Farther

 

They started as same word, but their meanings have drifted apart over time.

play alt-5db61f2bd1cc5
How Do You Pronounce 'Groceries'?

 

Is there one standard way?

play video websters video of 1864
Webster's Dictionary of 1864

 

The landmark edition that transformed the way dictionaries are made.

play video affect vs effect
Affect vs. Effect

 

Here's the lowdown on what may be the most confusing pair of words in the English language.