The correct pronunciation of ‘examination’ will amaze you

Akeem Lasisi; lasisienglish@gmail.com; 08163939335

There is hardly any grown-up and learned person who can say he or she has not come across the word, examination. Even many who never passed through the four walls of a school will know that there is a word like that since many people around them are very likely to have used it at one time or the other.

As commonly used as examination is, however, millions of people do not know how to pronounce it — including you, I’m afraid. And if you are not among them, you are guilty by association since you do not make any attempt to correct those who wrongly pronounce it.

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The question that may be bothering your mind is: What is the big deal in pronouncing exam or examination? Is it not just ‘esam’ or ‘esaminasion’? Those who are well read and well travelled will want to show more learnedness by asking, ‘Is it not just eksam’ and ‘eksaminashion’? But the fact is that none of these phonological variants — which are the things one hears in most cases — is correct.

The drama of reality here is that in examination, the ex has no s as in /s/ — Sam; and it has no k as in /k/ — king or come. The major surprise is that there is a g /g/ — as in angle — in the pronunciation of the word, with the first letter (e) also pronounced as i, as in /i/ — wit or fit; while it can be alternatively ‘e’ as in egg. So, the first two letters in examination or examine, that is ex, which also form the first syllable, are pronounced ig, giving us IG-ZAmination.

In other words, you should stop saying E-SA-mi-na-tion. Rather, say IGZA-mi-na-shin. Note that the letter you need with ig is z, not s: igZa, not igsa. Igza-min, not igsamin. Please check the dictionary for the pronunciation.

The implication is that your pronunciation of many of the words that begin with ex is likely to be faulty. For instance, how do you pronounce example, exhaust, exaggerate, exclaim and excellent?

Yet, before I elaborate on this (elaborate on, not elaborate further on), let me quickly call your attention to a grammatical error associated with examination. A lot of us say ‘I want to write an exam’, or ‘I have just finished writing an exam’. Note that this is wrong. You don’t write an exam, you sit an exam or you sit for an exam. Also, you take an exam.

Are you writing the UTME this year? (Wrong)

Are you sitting the UTME this year? (Correct)

Are you taking the UTME this year? (Correct)

Like exam, like example

The pronunciation of ex at the beginning of the words under consideration follows similar patterns, but it is not all the time that ex is pronounced ig. In words such as examples, exhaust and exaggerate, it is to be pronounced as ig:

Give me two ESAMples of nouns. (Wrong)

Give me two EXAMples of nouns. (Wrong)

Give me two IGsamples of nouns. (Correct)

Stop ESAggerating, she is not that greedy. (Wrong)

Stop EXAggerating, she is not that bad. (Wrong)

Stop IGZAggerating, she is not that bad. (Correct)

Note that exhaust is also not to be pronounced ESAUst, but IG-ZUst.

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 Exchange, explain etc

Another set of the ex-words you need to watch are the ones including exchange, explain, excavate, exciting and excuse. In their pronunciation, the g /g/ you have in exam becomes k /k/:

exchange:  IKSchange  (not EXchange)

explain: IKSplain (neither ESplain nor EXplain)

exciting : IKSciting (neither ESAIting nor EXAIting)

Yet, there are some of the words that maintain their e (the normal /e/ that you have in engine and beg). They include:

exclaim: EKSclaim (neither ESclaim nor IGSclaim)

excellent: EKSEllent (neither ESSElent nor IGSEllent).

Answers to last week’s assignment

1. During the 1994 World Cup, the Super Eagles coach ensured that Sunday Oliseh … in the midfield.

      (a)       was playing (b) plays (c) play (d) PLAYED

2. The Tinubu panel has recommended that Buhari …

      with the Bukola Saraki’s group.

      (a)       MEET (b) met (c) meets (d) to meet

3. We saw … European official inspecting the car.

      (a) one of (b) A (c) an (d) several

Those who got all the answers correctly

Tunde Anibaba, Kolapo Ilori, Akinola Ilesanmi, EC Porbeni, Josiah Abu, Mozzahann Seun, Alonge Seun, Abraham Akpoesienwa, Onyebilama Chibuze, Akbar Bello, Gift Ikenne, Samuel Ochai, Nnamdi Chiegbo, Ruro Onayemi, John Paul, Shola. M, Blessing Ikonwi, Seyi Adewuyi, Avwioroko Thelma, Olawale Ayodeji, Blessing Obi, M.S Adelugba, Dania Aminat, Issa Ayomo, Oladimeji Oluwadare, Khaleed Tijani, Onyebilama Fortunatus, Chimezie Chinaka, Uthman Kayode, R.O Ajayi, Oladipo Isaac, Lanre Sowunmi, Daramola Oloniruha, Akin Gandonu, Akande Akeem, Olubeng, Margaret Aziba, John Imevbore, Ayomuiyiwa Ayoade, Ademola Adedokun, Taiwo Akin, Benjamin Eze, Folu Ojo, Adebisi Alade, A.B Adejumo, E.C Porbeni, Joseph Ayowole, Oladosu Olayinka, Idongesit Ekpamfon, Hussainat Dawuda, Oladipupo Muhammed, Osabenyi Onefeli, Chris Thompson, Abiodun Elesin, Ndidi Ihekwoaba, Kolawole Kareem, Charles Ekereke, Tayo Ajetumobi, Moshood Afolabi, Oke Gabriel, Peter Inyang, Adegoke Tiwalola, Ifeanyichukwu Ibekwe, Yekeen Mutiu, A.T Perepou, Onwuamaeze Chukwuemeka, Kafar Adewale, Gani Oladipo, Mikairu G.Y, Muogho Kingsley, Blessing Aghojare, Esther Okeke, Aremu Afolabi, Aiyowieren Reign, Arokoyo Sylvester, Roland Olisa, Olaide Owomoyela, Dickson Ogala, Balogun Benjamin, Samuel Adesoye, Adewole Ishola, Dare Adewumi and Joseph Orjime.

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Those who also did well

Adewumi Maria, Amoo Adegoke, Paul Olukowade, Obafemi Oluyomi, Amos Adekunle, Toluwalopemi Ilori, Ngutsav Benjamin, John Oladesi, Akinyemi Johnson, Rosaline Akinbamire, Ofonime Etim Sunmonu Fasai, Mosaku Racheal, Huthman Mariam, Akinola Arowojolu, Tunde Egbedokun, Fab Omumua, Ishola Oluwatoyin, Ibrahim Abdmajid, Ibrahim  Opeyewa, Abednego Warikebi, John Fagite, Adewuyi Peace, Adeosun Taiwo, Adebayo Ajagun, Peace Pius, Medina Ochayi, Kunbi Aina, Ololade Ekemode, JT. Oni, Fasooto Ademola, Wole Ogunsade, Olatunji Oulwapelumi, Arigbabu Idowu, James Azibato, Toyin Oyewoga, Alade Tunrayo, Morakinyo Folahanmi, John Oladeji, Garnvwa Nath, Adetola Olagunju, Kafaru Esther, Kafaru Oluwanifemi, Samuel Adetunla, W.T Jimoh, Bob Otono, Rasaq Coachy, Johanna Opute, Opute Dorcas, Gabriel Opute, Ayanlola Oluseyi, Awonowo Adekunle, Onaolapo Oluwatamilore, Muoka Johnny, Tayo Hunsinu, Yemisi Oluyole, Lanre Salami, Ademoye Omolola, Gangbe Jimoh, Adediran Abass, Ustadh Faisol, Halimat Awonuga, Shittu Omowunmi, Sylvanus Aburime, Kemi Jinadu, Muogho Ovie, Captain Ikpama, Akinyemi Taiwo, Ajayi Oluwaranti, David Adediran, Olaleye Oluwafemi, Abdwakil Ashafa, Oludare Olufade, Sunday Oyesiji, Ini Otu, Timothy Olufayo, Emmanuel Oni, Foluke Ogunsanya, Raheem Jimoh, Segun Ojo, Ademiluyi Kingdavid, Adeliyi Adegoke, Opeyemi Aminat, Tofunmi Akinduko, Taye Isarinde, Adebayo Saheed and Chukwudi Uruakpa.

Homework

1. The man who lost N10m to the fraudsters has …                 himself.

        (a)   hanged (b) hung (c) being hanging (d) hunged

2. The … committee has been dissolved.

        (a)   six men (b) six men’s (c) six-man (d) six man

3. Plese check if … still there.

        (a)   his (b) hes’ (c) he’s (d) he

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