Friday, March 9, 2012

How do you pronounce deus ex machina?

I have to read it in a one act I'm in. I'd prefer not to seem like a dumba$$ and say it wrong. So I would appreciate a pronunciation please?How do you pronounce deus ex machina?
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http://www.beedictionary.com/definition/鈥?/a>How do you pronounce deus ex machina?
I say DAY-ooss, like "pay goose", eks, like the letter "x", MACK, like the truck, -ee, like "see", -nuh, schwa. "DAY-ooss eks MACK-ee-nuh"



The American Heritage Dictionary likes "DAY-iss eks MAH-kuh-nuh" or "-nah" or "MACK-uh-nuh". So it's up for grabs. Just take E.B. White's advice and say it loud. People will think they're the ones who've been saying it wrong.How do you pronounce deus ex machina?
Formally, "dayus ex makeena".



In practice, no-one will kill you for saying it as "dayus ex masheena": at least in the UK, it's widely pronounced that way, and "makeena" would be perceived as rather precious.
Pronounced phonetically, it's like day-uhs ecks MAH-kina

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