What's the plural of 'princess' and how is it pronounced? This was of no use to me:
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/princess?o=100074
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/princess?o=100074
princess
Princesses.
Pronounced just like "Princess" with an added "ess" at the end... "prin-sess-ess."
In standard AE, the accent would be on the first syllable.. PRIN-cess-ess. RP would probably stick the accent on the second.. prin-CESS-es.
Pronounced just like "Princess" with an added "ess" at the end... "prin-sess-ess."
In standard AE, the accent would be on the first syllable.. PRIN-cess-ess. RP would probably stick the accent on the second.. prin-CESS-es.
I believe I've heard RP place the emphasis on the second syllable regardless: "she's a prin-CESS"
As with most words using an -es to be plural, locally this is pronounced prin-SES-ez, with the final s becoming a z sound. I live between the capital of the USA and the CSA, So it is a diverse area, and I occasionally hear it with the accent on the first syllable, but many times the accent is on the middle syllable locally. It doesn't have a strong emphasis on either locally though, perhaps due to the fact it switches place locally.
I do believe elsewhere in the country accent on the first syllable is most common.
I do believe elsewhere in the country accent on the first syllable is most common.
"I believe I've heard RP place the emphasis on the second syllable regardless"
It does help in distinguishing between "princess" and "princes" (the plural of "prince"), especially when someone is speaking quickly and reducing 80% of unstressed vowels to schwas. Come again, is that "Princes Street" or "Princess Street"??
It does help in distinguishing between "princess" and "princes" (the plural of "prince"), especially when someone is speaking quickly and reducing 80% of unstressed vowels to schwas. Come again, is that "Princes Street" or "Princess Street"??