Talk:ate

Pronunciation

1. Why only 2 countries?
2. Is the pronunciation /Ɛt/ really never used in the US.

Chambers dictionary is more pragmatic: it just says /Ɛt/ or /eɪt/ --Hroðulf 09:53, 31 October 2006 (UTC)

@Hroðulf No, /ɛt/ is never used in the US. I would like to know where in the UK it is used. I suspect only in certain areas (and in a certain class) in England. Eric Kvaalen (talk) 07:12, 2 February 2017 (UTC)

/ɛt/ is used in the US, but only dialect, colloquial. When used, it is usually the past participle (eaten), but it is possible to use it as the past tense: Have you et yet? No, I ain't et yet. I done et the whole thang. —Stephen ^(Talk) 01:12, 3 February 2017 (UTC)

/ɛt/ is the traditional form in Received Pronunciation. Older British dictionaries sometimes don't even give /eɪ̯t/ or call it rare. I do think it's now become predominant (for whatever reason), but both are standard. 178.4.151.17 02:08, 29 November 2021 (UTC)