PRONUNCIATION GUIDELINES

Medical terminology

ae and oe

In these combinations, only the second vowel is pronounced (e.g., bursae, pleurae).

Soft sounds of c and g

C and g have soft sounds before e, i, and y in Greek or Latin words (e.g., cerebrum, gel).

Hard sounds of c and g

C and g have hard sounds before other letters (e.g., cardiac, gastric).

ch pronunciation

The letters ch can be pronounced like k in some words (e.g., cholesterol, cholera).

Silent p in pn

When pn is at the beginning of a word, p is silent (e.g., pneumonia).

Pronounced pn in the middle

When pn is in the middle of a word, both p and n are pronounced (e.g., orthopnea).

Silent p in ps

When ps is at the beginning of a word, p is silent (e.g., psychology).

Plural i pronunciation

I at the end of a word is pronounced as "eye" when forming plurals (e.g., bronchi).

Normal sounds

All other vowels and consonants have normal English sounds.

Diacritical marks

Symbols placed above vowels to indicate vowel sounds in pronunciations.

Macron

A diacritical mark indicating a long vowel sound (e.g., ā in rāte).

Breve

A diacritical mark indicating a short vowel sound (e.g., ă in ălone).

Capitalization

Indicates primary accent in pronunciation (e.g., LĔT-tĕr emphasizes the first syllable).

Pronunciation of e and es

E and es are often pronounced as separate syllables at the end of a word (e.g., syncope).