genuine

Liz   Sun Nov 05, 2006 6:44 pm GMT
Hello,

I'd like to read your opinion on the following thing. I have heard quite a few people (native speakers of English) pronounce the word 'genuine' the way that it rhymes with 'fine'. For me, it rhymes with 'win', or sometimes I pronounce the 'ine' bit with a schwa. Now, which one do you think is *the correct* pronounciation of this word?

Thanks in advance.
Lazar   Sun Nov 05, 2006 8:09 pm GMT
I pronounce it as ["dZEnjuIn], rhyming with "win". I think that this pronunciation (either rhyming with "win" or using a schwa) is more common than the "fine" pronounciation in most dialects of English.
SpaceFlight   Sun Nov 05, 2006 9:26 pm GMT
/dZINjuIn/ for me. It rhymes with "win". I've never heard it pronounced to rhyme with "fine".
Guest   Sun Nov 05, 2006 9:56 pm GMT
I pronounce it the same as Lazar. I have heard the "fine" pronunciation, but only on TV.
Jim   Sun Nov 05, 2006 11:40 pm GMT
Cambridge Dictionary doesn't list the pronunciation rhyming with "porcupine".

http://www.dictionary.cambridge.org/define.asp?dict=CALD&key=32554&ph=on
Robin   Sun Nov 05, 2006 11:45 pm GMT
I think this is the difference between a British and American pronunciation.
moonablaze   Mon Nov 06, 2006 12:12 am GMT
I pronounce genuine like it rhymes with fine. I've heard it pronounced both ways though. I guess it just depends on your dialect as to how you pronounce it.
Guest   Mon Nov 06, 2006 12:37 am GMT
"I think this is the difference between a British and American pronunciation."

The "fine"-rhyming pronunciation is used in Britain, then?
Lazar   Mon Nov 06, 2006 1:11 am GMT
<<The "fine"-rhyming pronunciation is used in Britain, then?>>

I wouldn't be so sure of that, because the Cambridge dictionary ( http://www.dictionary.cambridge.org/define.asp?dict=CALD&key=32554&ph=on ) only lists the "win" pronunciation. As far as I know, the "win" pronunciation is predominant in both American and British English.

The only time I can remember hearing the "fine" pronunciation was in a commercial, in a facetious context.
Q   Mon Nov 06, 2006 1:51 am GMT
Interesting. I'm from Washington, and I've never heard the "win" pronunciation. Around here, everyone says "genu-wine".