Pronunciation of PhD
.everyoneloves__top-leaderboard:empty,.everyoneloves__mid-leaderboard:empty,.everyoneloves__bot-mid-leaderboard:empty{ margin-bottom:0;
}
Why is PhD read as /piːeɪtʃˈdiː/ (from Oxford Dictionary) and not, for example, like /fˈdiː/ , while diagraph ph is read as /f/ in Latin and Greek words? Why do we write Ph if not to represent the /f/ sound?
There are questions about writing (like this) but not pronouncing.
EDIT: Thanks for answers. To be clear. I asked this because of it is not the three letters P.h.D. Why we read it not as /ɛf diː/?
pronunciation
asked Nov 26 '18 at 17:32
Konstantin MorenkoKonstantin Morenko
21615
|
show 8 more comments
Why is PhD read as /piːeɪtʃˈdiː/ (from Oxford Dictionary) and not, for example, like /fˈdiː/ , while diagraph ph is read as /f/ in Latin and Greek words? Why do we write Ph if not to represent the /f/ sound?
There are questions about writing (like this) but not pronouncing.
EDIT: Thanks for answers. To be clear. I asked this because of it is not the three letters P.h.D. Why we read it not as /ɛf diː/?
pronunciation
asked Nov 26 '18 at 17:32
Konstantin MorenkoKonstantin Morenko
21615
7
To be consistent, you'd either read each letter (P - h - D) or treat it as a pseudo-word (fad). By convention, Ph.D is read as individual letters.
– Lawrence
Nov 26 '18 at 17:41
10
Well, the reason it’s not /fdiː/ is that syllable-initial /fd/ is not phonotactically valid in English, so that’s not a possible pronunciation of anything. It’s a good question, though. There’s no obvious way to pronounce initialisms with digraph letters, so why one strategy was chosen over another is an interesting conundrum.
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
Nov 26 '18 at 19:59
9
In English, the initial consonant cluster of /fd/ is impossible, and would never occur to a native speaker. I have heard it pronounced [fɨd], with a minimum vowel, but just as a joke.
– John Lawler
Nov 26 '18 at 19:59
4
You can call NaCl enn-ay-see-ell, or you can call it sodium chloride, or you can call it salt, but you can't call it nackel.
– Michael Kay
Nov 27 '18 at 15:58
7
@Fattie This is not an ELL question by any possible stretch of the imagination. No amount of learning English will teach you why PhD is pronounced as it is, and the answer is not one that any English speaker will know by dint of being an English speaker. You may find it tedious, but it is actually a very interesting and profound question that is very much an ELU question.
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
Nov 27 '18 at 20:27
|
show 8 more comments
Why is PhD read as /piːeɪtʃˈdiː/ (from Oxford Dictionary) and not, for example, like /fˈdiː/ , while diagraph ph is read as /f/ in Latin and Greek words? Why do we write Ph if not to represent the /f/ sound?
There are questions about writing (like this) but not pronouncing.
EDIT: Thanks for answers. To be clear. I asked this because of it is not the three letters P.h.D. Why we read it not as /ɛf diː/?
pronunciation
asked Nov 26 '18 at 17:32
Konstantin MorenkoKonstantin Morenko
21615
Why is PhD read as /piːeɪtʃˈdiː/ (from Oxford Dictionary) and not, for example, like /fˈdiː/ , while diagraph ph is read as /f/ in Latin and Greek words? Why do we write Ph if not to represent the /f/ sound?
There are questions about writing (like this) but not pronouncing.
EDIT: Thanks for answers. To be clear. I asked this because of it is not the three letters P.h.D. Why we read it not as /ɛf diː/?
pronunciation
pronunciation
asked Nov 26 '18 at 17:32
Konstantin MorenkoKonstantin Morenko
21615
asked Nov 26 '18 at 17:32
Konstantin MorenkoKonstantin Morenko
21615
edited Nov 27 '18 at 4:31
Konstantin Morenko
asked Nov 26 '18 at 17:32
Konstantin MorenkoKonstantin Morenko
21615
asked Nov 26 '18 at 17:32
Konstantin MorenkoKonstantin Morenko
21615
asked Nov 26 '18 at 17:32
Konstantin MorenkoKonstantin Morenko
21615
21615
7
To be consistent, you'd either read each letter (P - h - D) or treat it as a pseudo-word (fad). By convention, Ph.D is read as individual letters.
– Lawrence
Nov 26 '18 at 17:41
10
Well, the reason it’s not /fdiː/ is that syllable-initial /fd/ is not phonotactically valid in English, so that’s not a possible pronunciation of anything. It’s a good question, though. There’s no obvious way to pronounce initialisms with digraph letters, so why one strategy was chosen over another is an interesting conundrum.
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
Nov 26 '18 at 19:59
9
In English, the initial consonant cluster of /fd/ is impossible, and would never occur to a native speaker. I have heard it pronounced [fɨd], with a minimum vowel, but just as a joke.
– John Lawler
Nov 26 '18 at 19:59
4
You can call NaCl enn-ay-see-ell, or you can call it sodium chloride, or you can call it salt, but you can't call it nackel.
– Michael Kay
Nov 27 '18 at 15:58
7
@Fattie This is not an ELL question by any possible stretch of the imagination. No amount of learning English will teach you why PhD is pronounced as it is, and the answer is not one that any English speaker will know by dint of being an English speaker. You may find it tedious, but it is actually a very interesting and profound question that is very much an ELU question.
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
Nov 27 '18 at 20:27
|
show 8 more comments
7
To be consistent, you'd either read each letter (P - h - D) or treat it as a pseudo-word (fad). By convention, Ph.D is read as individual letters.
– Lawrence
Nov 26 '18 at 17:41
10
Well, the reason it’s not /fdiː/ is that syllable-initial /fd/ is not phonotactically valid in English, so that’s not a possible pronunciation of anything. It’s a good question, though. There’s no obvious way to pronounce initialisms with digraph letters, so why one strategy was chosen over another is an interesting conundrum.
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
Nov 26 '18 at 19:59
9
In English, the initial consonant cluster of /fd/ is impossible, and would never occur to a native speaker. I have heard it pronounced [fɨd], with a minimum vowel, but just as a joke.
– John Lawler
Nov 26 '18 at 19:59
4
You can call NaCl enn-ay-see-ell, or you can call it sodium chloride, or you can call it salt, but you can't call it nackel.
– Michael Kay
Nov 27 '18 at 15:58
7
@Fattie This is not an ELL question by any possible stretch of the imagination. No amount of learning English will teach you why PhD is pronounced as it is, and the answer is not one that any English speaker will know by dint of being an English speaker. You may find it tedious, but it is actually a very interesting and profound question that is very much an ELU question.
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
Nov 27 '18 at 20:27
7
7
To be consistent, you'd either read each letter (P - h - D) or treat it as a pseudo-word (fad). By convention, Ph.D is read as individual letters.
– Lawrence
Nov 26 '18 at 17:41
To be consistent, you'd either read each letter (P - h - D) or treat it as a pseudo-word (fad). By convention, Ph.D is read as individual letters.
– Lawrence
Nov 26 '18 at 17:41
10
10
Well, the reason it’s not /fdiː/ is that syllable-initial /fd/ is not phonotactically valid in English, so that’s not a possible pronunciation of anything. It’s a good question, though. There’s no obvious way to pronounce initialisms with digraph letters, so why one strategy was chosen over another is an interesting conundrum.
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
Nov 26 '18 at 19:59
Well, the reason it’s not /fdiː/ is that syllable-initial /fd/ is not phonotactically valid in English, so that’s not a possible pronunciation of anything. It’s a good question, though. There’s no obvious way to pronounce initialisms with digraph letters, so why one strategy was chosen over another is an interesting conundrum.
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
Nov 26 '18 at 19:59
9
9
In English, the initial consonant cluster of /fd/ is impossible, and would never occur to a native speaker. I have heard it pronounced [fɨd], with a minimum vowel, but just as a joke.
– John Lawler
Nov 26 '18 at 19:59
In English, the initial consonant cluster of /fd/ is impossible, and would never occur to a native speaker. I have heard it pronounced [fɨd], with a minimum vowel, but just as a joke.
– John Lawler
Nov 26 '18 at 19:59
4
4
You can call NaCl enn-ay-see-ell, or you can call it sodium chloride, or you can call it salt, but you can't call it nackel.
– Michael Kay
Nov 27 '18 at 15:58
You can call NaCl enn-ay-see-ell, or you can call it sodium chloride, or you can call it salt, but you can't call it nackel.
– Michael Kay
Nov 27 '18 at 15:58
7
7
@Fattie This is not an ELL question by any possible stretch of the imagination. No amount of learning English will teach you why PhD is pronounced as it is, and the answer is not one that any English speaker will know by dint of being an English speaker. You may find it tedious, but it is actually a very interesting and profound question that is very much an ELU question.
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
Nov 27 '18 at 20:27
@Fattie This is not an ELL question by any possible stretch of the imagination. No amount of learning English will teach you why PhD is pronounced as it is, and the answer is not one that any English speaker will know by dint of being an English speaker. You may find it tedious, but it is actually a very interesting and profound question that is very much an ELU question.
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
Nov 27 '18 at 20:27
|
show 8 more comments
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
PhD (or Ph. D.) is a bit of a frozen expression or idiom. The expression doesn't abbreviate the English phrase "Doctor of Philosophy". If it did, then it would be something like "DP" or "DoP". Instead, PhD retains the structure of the medieval Latin Philosophiae Doctor, which dates from the 17th century.
As to why the Latin abbreviation for "Philosophiae" was "Ph" rather than just "P"? "Philosophia" was a word borrowed into Latin from the Greek, and in Greek the word is spelled "φιλοσοφία", the first letter being φ. In Greek that's a single letter representing an aspirated π, and is transliterated into Latin as ph.
Since the abbreviation PhD does not match up with the English phrase it supposedly abbreviates, the pronunciation of the abbreviation has diverged from the pronunciation of the phrase.
answered Nov 26 '18 at 19:21
Mark BeadlesMark Beadles
21k36092
5
@Joker_vD More like late Renaissance German scholars, but yeah.
– Mark Beadles
Nov 26 '18 at 20:53
3
"that's a single letter representing an aspirated π" ... or at least it was at some time in Greek history. Even after the Greek pronunciation of φ changed, the Latin transliteration ph was retained.
– GEdgar
Nov 26 '18 at 21:38
2
As a Greek, I can safely upvote this.
– gsamaras
Nov 27 '18 at 9:55
3
then it be something like "DP" or "DoP" - Note that Oxford University (and possibly others?) awards DPhil instead of PhDs
– Matt Burland
Nov 27 '18 at 16:11
2
@ChristopherSchultz Most Germans habitually use the letter c for a great many things.
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
Nov 27 '18 at 20:29
|
show 5 more comments
Because it is an initialism so you read out each letter ("DVD" is pronounced "dee-vee-dee", not "dvid"; "US" is pronounced "you-ess", not "uhs"). Your proposed pronunciation could be used were it an acronym.
answered Nov 26 '18 at 17:41
CarlyCarly
1,499213
6
Well, PhD isn't a strict English initialism since Ph isn't an English letter. This answer rather begs the question, why do we consider PhD an initialism and not an acronym?
– Mark Beadles
Nov 26 '18 at 17:53
1
Likely to distinguish it from other more comment "P-D" abbreviations, like "police department" or "private detective;" the "H" is likely explicitly called out as a courtesy to the listener, like the phrase "Phat as in p-h"
– Carly
Nov 26 '18 at 17:55
1
But even PD isn't an English initialism for Doctor of Philosophy. If it were, it would be DP or DOP. It retains the structure of the original Latin Philosophiae Doctor which predates the other "PD" abbreviations by a long while, so it can't just be "courtesy to the listener".
– Mark Beadles
Nov 26 '18 at 19:13
3
Now to clarify whether one says "P, aitch, D" or "P, hetch, D".
– Beanluc
Nov 26 '18 at 20:16
5
Who says "hetch" for H?
– Azor Ahai
Nov 26 '18 at 21:14
|
show 14 more comments
Your Answer
StackExchange.ready(function() {
var channelOptions = {
tags: "".split(" "),
id: "97"
};
initTagRenderer("".split(" "), "".split(" "), channelOptions);
StackExchange.using("externalEditor", function() {
// Have to fire editor after snippets, if snippets enabled
if (StackExchange.settings.snippets.snippetsEnabled) {
StackExchange.using("snippets", function() {
createEditor();
});
}
else {
createEditor();
}
});
function createEditor() {
StackExchange.prepareEditor({
heartbeatType: 'answer',
autoActivateHeartbeat: false,
convertImagesToLinks: false,
noModals: true,
showLowRepImageUploadWarning: true,
reputationToPostImages: null,
bindNavPrevention: true,
postfix: "",
imageUploader: {
brandingHtml: "Powered by u003ca class="icon-imgur-white" href="https://imgur.com/"u003eu003c/au003e",
contentPolicyHtml: "User contributions licensed under u003ca href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/"u003ecc by-sa 3.0 with attribution requiredu003c/au003e u003ca href="https://stackoverflow.com/legal/content-policy"u003e(content policy)u003c/au003e",
allowUrls: true
},
noCode: true, onDemand: true,
discardSelector: ".discard-answer"
,immediatelyShowMarkdownHelp:true
});
}
});
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
StackExchange.ready(
function () {
StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2fenglish.stackexchange.com%2fquestions%2f474575%2fpronunciation-of-phd%23new-answer', 'question_page');
}
);
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
PhD (or Ph. D.) is a bit of a frozen expression or idiom. The expression doesn't abbreviate the English phrase "Doctor of Philosophy". If it did, then it would be something like "DP" or "DoP". Instead, PhD retains the structure of the medieval Latin Philosophiae Doctor, which dates from the 17th century.
As to why the Latin abbreviation for "Philosophiae" was "Ph" rather than just "P"? "Philosophia" was a word borrowed into Latin from the Greek, and in Greek the word is spelled "φιλοσοφία", the first letter being φ. In Greek that's a single letter representing an aspirated π, and is transliterated into Latin as ph.
Since the abbreviation PhD does not match up with the English phrase it supposedly abbreviates, the pronunciation of the abbreviation has diverged from the pronunciation of the phrase.
answered Nov 26 '18 at 19:21
Mark BeadlesMark Beadles
21k36092
5
@Joker_vD More like late Renaissance German scholars, but yeah.
– Mark Beadles
Nov 26 '18 at 20:53
3
"that's a single letter representing an aspirated π" ... or at least it was at some time in Greek history. Even after the Greek pronunciation of φ changed, the Latin transliteration ph was retained.
– GEdgar
Nov 26 '18 at 21:38
2
As a Greek, I can safely upvote this.
– gsamaras
Nov 27 '18 at 9:55
3
then it be something like "DP" or "DoP" - Note that Oxford University (and possibly others?) awards DPhil instead of PhDs
– Matt Burland
Nov 27 '18 at 16:11
2
@ChristopherSchultz Most Germans habitually use the letter c for a great many things.
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
Nov 27 '18 at 20:29
|
show 5 more comments
PhD (or Ph. D.) is a bit of a frozen expression or idiom. The expression doesn't abbreviate the English phrase "Doctor of Philosophy". If it did, then it would be something like "DP" or "DoP". Instead, PhD retains the structure of the medieval Latin Philosophiae Doctor, which dates from the 17th century.
As to why the Latin abbreviation for "Philosophiae" was "Ph" rather than just "P"? "Philosophia" was a word borrowed into Latin from the Greek, and in Greek the word is spelled "φιλοσοφία", the first letter being φ. In Greek that's a single letter representing an aspirated π, and is transliterated into Latin as ph.
Since the abbreviation PhD does not match up with the English phrase it supposedly abbreviates, the pronunciation of the abbreviation has diverged from the pronunciation of the phrase.
answered Nov 26 '18 at 19:21
Mark BeadlesMark Beadles
21k36092
5
@Joker_vD More like late Renaissance German scholars, but yeah.
– Mark Beadles
Nov 26 '18 at 20:53
3
"that's a single letter representing an aspirated π" ... or at least it was at some time in Greek history. Even after the Greek pronunciation of φ changed, the Latin transliteration ph was retained.
– GEdgar
Nov 26 '18 at 21:38
2
As a Greek, I can safely upvote this.
– gsamaras
Nov 27 '18 at 9:55
3
then it be something like "DP" or "DoP" - Note that Oxford University (and possibly others?) awards DPhil instead of PhDs
– Matt Burland
Nov 27 '18 at 16:11
2
@ChristopherSchultz Most Germans habitually use the letter c for a great many things.
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
Nov 27 '18 at 20:29
|
show 5 more comments
PhD (or Ph. D.) is a bit of a frozen expression or idiom. The expression doesn't abbreviate the English phrase "Doctor of Philosophy". If it did, then it would be something like "DP" or "DoP". Instead, PhD retains the structure of the medieval Latin Philosophiae Doctor, which dates from the 17th century.
As to why the Latin abbreviation for "Philosophiae" was "Ph" rather than just "P"? "Philosophia" was a word borrowed into Latin from the Greek, and in Greek the word is spelled "φιλοσοφία", the first letter being φ. In Greek that's a single letter representing an aspirated π, and is transliterated into Latin as ph.
Since the abbreviation PhD does not match up with the English phrase it supposedly abbreviates, the pronunciation of the abbreviation has diverged from the pronunciation of the phrase.
answered Nov 26 '18 at 19:21
Mark BeadlesMark Beadles
21k36092
PhD (or Ph. D.) is a bit of a frozen expression or idiom. The expression doesn't abbreviate the English phrase "Doctor of Philosophy". If it did, then it would be something like "DP" or "DoP". Instead, PhD retains the structure of the medieval Latin Philosophiae Doctor, which dates from the 17th century.
As to why the Latin abbreviation for "Philosophiae" was "Ph" rather than just "P"? "Philosophia" was a word borrowed into Latin from the Greek, and in Greek the word is spelled "φιλοσοφία", the first letter being φ. In Greek that's a single letter representing an aspirated π, and is transliterated into Latin as ph.
Since the abbreviation PhD does not match up with the English phrase it supposedly abbreviates, the pronunciation of the abbreviation has diverged from the pronunciation of the phrase.
answered Nov 26 '18 at 19:21
Mark BeadlesMark Beadles
21k36092
edited Nov 27 '18 at 17:28
answered Nov 26 '18 at 19:21
Mark BeadlesMark Beadles
21k36092
answered Nov 26 '18 at 19:21
Mark BeadlesMark Beadles
21k36092
answered Nov 26 '18 at 19:21
Mark BeadlesMark Beadles
21k36092
21k36092
5
@Joker_vD More like late Renaissance German scholars, but yeah.
– Mark Beadles
Nov 26 '18 at 20:53
3
"that's a single letter representing an aspirated π" ... or at least it was at some time in Greek history. Even after the Greek pronunciation of φ changed, the Latin transliteration ph was retained.
– GEdgar
Nov 26 '18 at 21:38
2
As a Greek, I can safely upvote this.
– gsamaras
Nov 27 '18 at 9:55
3
then it be something like "DP" or "DoP" - Note that Oxford University (and possibly others?) awards DPhil instead of PhDs
– Matt Burland
Nov 27 '18 at 16:11
2
@ChristopherSchultz Most Germans habitually use the letter c for a great many things.
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
Nov 27 '18 at 20:29
|
show 5 more comments
5
@Joker_vD More like late Renaissance German scholars, but yeah.
– Mark Beadles
Nov 26 '18 at 20:53
3
"that's a single letter representing an aspirated π" ... or at least it was at some time in Greek history. Even after the Greek pronunciation of φ changed, the Latin transliteration ph was retained.
– GEdgar
Nov 26 '18 at 21:38
2
As a Greek, I can safely upvote this.
– gsamaras
Nov 27 '18 at 9:55
3
then it be something like "DP" or "DoP" - Note that Oxford University (and possibly others?) awards DPhil instead of PhDs
– Matt Burland
Nov 27 '18 at 16:11
2
@ChristopherSchultz Most Germans habitually use the letter c for a great many things.
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
Nov 27 '18 at 20:29
5
5
@Joker_vD More like late Renaissance German scholars, but yeah.
– Mark Beadles
Nov 26 '18 at 20:53
@Joker_vD More like late Renaissance German scholars, but yeah.
– Mark Beadles
Nov 26 '18 at 20:53
3
3
"that's a single letter representing an aspirated π" ... or at least it was at some time in Greek history. Even after the Greek pronunciation of φ changed, the Latin transliteration ph was retained.
– GEdgar
Nov 26 '18 at 21:38
"that's a single letter representing an aspirated π" ... or at least it was at some time in Greek history. Even after the Greek pronunciation of φ changed, the Latin transliteration ph was retained.
– GEdgar
Nov 26 '18 at 21:38
2
2
As a Greek, I can safely upvote this.
– gsamaras
Nov 27 '18 at 9:55
As a Greek, I can safely upvote this.
– gsamaras
Nov 27 '18 at 9:55
3
3
then it be something like "DP" or "DoP" - Note that Oxford University (and possibly others?) awards DPhil instead of PhDs
– Matt Burland
Nov 27 '18 at 16:11
then it be something like "DP" or "DoP" - Note that Oxford University (and possibly others?) awards DPhil instead of PhDs
– Matt Burland
Nov 27 '18 at 16:11
2
2
@ChristopherSchultz Most Germans habitually use the letter c for a great many things.
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
Nov 27 '18 at 20:29
@ChristopherSchultz Most Germans habitually use the letter c for a great many things.
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
Nov 27 '18 at 20:29
|
show 5 more comments
Because it is an initialism so you read out each letter ("DVD" is pronounced "dee-vee-dee", not "dvid"; "US" is pronounced "you-ess", not "uhs"). Your proposed pronunciation could be used were it an acronym.
answered Nov 26 '18 at 17:41
CarlyCarly
1,499213
6
Well, PhD isn't a strict English initialism since Ph isn't an English letter. This answer rather begs the question, why do we consider PhD an initialism and not an acronym?
– Mark Beadles
Nov 26 '18 at 17:53
1
Likely to distinguish it from other more comment "P-D" abbreviations, like "police department" or "private detective;" the "H" is likely explicitly called out as a courtesy to the listener, like the phrase "Phat as in p-h"
– Carly
Nov 26 '18 at 17:55
1
But even PD isn't an English initialism for Doctor of Philosophy. If it were, it would be DP or DOP. It retains the structure of the original Latin Philosophiae Doctor which predates the other "PD" abbreviations by a long while, so it can't just be "courtesy to the listener".
– Mark Beadles
Nov 26 '18 at 19:13
3
Now to clarify whether one says "P, aitch, D" or "P, hetch, D".
– Beanluc
Nov 26 '18 at 20:16
5
Who says "hetch" for H?
– Azor Ahai
Nov 26 '18 at 21:14
|
show 14 more comments
Because it is an initialism so you read out each letter ("DVD" is pronounced "dee-vee-dee", not "dvid"; "US" is pronounced "you-ess", not "uhs"). Your proposed pronunciation could be used were it an acronym.
answered Nov 26 '18 at 17:41
CarlyCarly
1,499213
6
Well, PhD isn't a strict English initialism since Ph isn't an English letter. This answer rather begs the question, why do we consider PhD an initialism and not an acronym?
– Mark Beadles
Nov 26 '18 at 17:53
1
Likely to distinguish it from other more comment "P-D" abbreviations, like "police department" or "private detective;" the "H" is likely explicitly called out as a courtesy to the listener, like the phrase "Phat as in p-h"
– Carly
Nov 26 '18 at 17:55
1
But even PD isn't an English initialism for Doctor of Philosophy. If it were, it would be DP or DOP. It retains the structure of the original Latin Philosophiae Doctor which predates the other "PD" abbreviations by a long while, so it can't just be "courtesy to the listener".
– Mark Beadles
Nov 26 '18 at 19:13
3
Now to clarify whether one says "P, aitch, D" or "P, hetch, D".
– Beanluc
Nov 26 '18 at 20:16
5
Who says "hetch" for H?
– Azor Ahai
Nov 26 '18 at 21:14
|
show 14 more comments
Because it is an initialism so you read out each letter ("DVD" is pronounced "dee-vee-dee", not "dvid"; "US" is pronounced "you-ess", not "uhs"). Your proposed pronunciation could be used were it an acronym.
answered Nov 26 '18 at 17:41
CarlyCarly
1,499213
Because it is an initialism so you read out each letter ("DVD" is pronounced "dee-vee-dee", not "dvid"; "US" is pronounced "you-ess", not "uhs"). Your proposed pronunciation could be used were it an acronym.
answered Nov 26 '18 at 17:41
CarlyCarly
1,499213
answered Nov 26 '18 at 17:41
CarlyCarly
1,499213
answered Nov 26 '18 at 17:41
CarlyCarly
1,499213
answered Nov 26 '18 at 17:41
CarlyCarly
1,499213
1,499213
6
Well, PhD isn't a strict English initialism since Ph isn't an English letter. This answer rather begs the question, why do we consider PhD an initialism and not an acronym?
– Mark Beadles
Nov 26 '18 at 17:53
1
Likely to distinguish it from other more comment "P-D" abbreviations, like "police department" or "private detective;" the "H" is likely explicitly called out as a courtesy to the listener, like the phrase "Phat as in p-h"
– Carly
Nov 26 '18 at 17:55
1
But even PD isn't an English initialism for Doctor of Philosophy. If it were, it would be DP or DOP. It retains the structure of the original Latin Philosophiae Doctor which predates the other "PD" abbreviations by a long while, so it can't just be "courtesy to the listener".
– Mark Beadles
Nov 26 '18 at 19:13
3
Now to clarify whether one says "P, aitch, D" or "P, hetch, D".
– Beanluc
Nov 26 '18 at 20:16
5
Who says "hetch" for H?
– Azor Ahai
Nov 26 '18 at 21:14
|
show 14 more comments
6
Well, PhD isn't a strict English initialism since Ph isn't an English letter. This answer rather begs the question, why do we consider PhD an initialism and not an acronym?
– Mark Beadles
Nov 26 '18 at 17:53
1
Likely to distinguish it from other more comment "P-D" abbreviations, like "police department" or "private detective;" the "H" is likely explicitly called out as a courtesy to the listener, like the phrase "Phat as in p-h"
– Carly
Nov 26 '18 at 17:55
1
But even PD isn't an English initialism for Doctor of Philosophy. If it were, it would be DP or DOP. It retains the structure of the original Latin Philosophiae Doctor which predates the other "PD" abbreviations by a long while, so it can't just be "courtesy to the listener".
– Mark Beadles
Nov 26 '18 at 19:13
3
Now to clarify whether one says "P, aitch, D" or "P, hetch, D".
– Beanluc
Nov 26 '18 at 20:16
5
Who says "hetch" for H?
– Azor Ahai
Nov 26 '18 at 21:14
6
6
Well, PhD isn't a strict English initialism since Ph isn't an English letter. This answer rather begs the question, why do we consider PhD an initialism and not an acronym?
– Mark Beadles
Nov 26 '18 at 17:53
Well, PhD isn't a strict English initialism since Ph isn't an English letter. This answer rather begs the question, why do we consider PhD an initialism and not an acronym?
– Mark Beadles
Nov 26 '18 at 17:53
1
1
Likely to distinguish it from other more comment "P-D" abbreviations, like "police department" or "private detective;" the "H" is likely explicitly called out as a courtesy to the listener, like the phrase "Phat as in p-h"
– Carly
Nov 26 '18 at 17:55
Likely to distinguish it from other more comment "P-D" abbreviations, like "police department" or "private detective;" the "H" is likely explicitly called out as a courtesy to the listener, like the phrase "Phat as in p-h"
– Carly
Nov 26 '18 at 17:55
1
1
But even PD isn't an English initialism for Doctor of Philosophy. If it were, it would be DP or DOP. It retains the structure of the original Latin Philosophiae Doctor which predates the other "PD" abbreviations by a long while, so it can't just be "courtesy to the listener".
– Mark Beadles
Nov 26 '18 at 19:13
But even PD isn't an English initialism for Doctor of Philosophy. If it were, it would be DP or DOP. It retains the structure of the original Latin Philosophiae Doctor which predates the other "PD" abbreviations by a long while, so it can't just be "courtesy to the listener".
– Mark Beadles
Nov 26 '18 at 19:13
3
3
Now to clarify whether one says "P, aitch, D" or "P, hetch, D".
– Beanluc
Nov 26 '18 at 20:16
Now to clarify whether one says "P, aitch, D" or "P, hetch, D".
– Beanluc
Nov 26 '18 at 20:16
5
5
Who says "hetch" for H?
– Azor Ahai
Nov 26 '18 at 21:14
Who says "hetch" for H?
– Azor Ahai
Nov 26 '18 at 21:14
|
show 14 more comments
Thanks for contributing an answer to English Language & Usage Stack Exchange!
- Please be sure to answer the question. Provide details and share your research!
But avoid …
- Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers.
- Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience.
To learn more, see our tips on writing great answers.
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
StackExchange.ready(
function () {
StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2fenglish.stackexchange.com%2fquestions%2f474575%2fpronunciation-of-phd%23new-answer', 'question_page');
}
);
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
7
To be consistent, you'd either read each letter (P - h - D) or treat it as a pseudo-word (fad). By convention, Ph.D is read as individual letters.
– Lawrence
Nov 26 '18 at 17:41
10
Well, the reason it’s not /fdiː/ is that syllable-initial /fd/ is not phonotactically valid in English, so that’s not a possible pronunciation of anything. It’s a good question, though. There’s no obvious way to pronounce initialisms with digraph letters, so why one strategy was chosen over another is an interesting conundrum.
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
Nov 26 '18 at 19:59
9
In English, the initial consonant cluster of /fd/ is impossible, and would never occur to a native speaker. I have heard it pronounced [fɨd], with a minimum vowel, but just as a joke.
– John Lawler
Nov 26 '18 at 19:59
4
You can call NaCl enn-ay-see-ell, or you can call it sodium chloride, or you can call it salt, but you can't call it nackel.
– Michael Kay
Nov 27 '18 at 15:58
7
@Fattie This is not an ELL question by any possible stretch of the imagination. No amount of learning English will teach you why PhD is pronounced as it is, and the answer is not one that any English speaker will know by dint of being an English speaker. You may find it tedious, but it is actually a very interesting and profound question that is very much an ELU question.
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
Nov 27 '18 at 20:27