How is the word ‘scintillating’ pronounced?
(T. Jayashree, Bangalore)
Many people pronounce the first syllable like the word ‘skin’. This, however, is wrong. The ‘c’ is silent; therefore, the first syllable is pronounced like the word ‘sin’. The ‘i’ in the second syllable is like the ‘i’ in ‘it’, ‘bit’, and ‘kit’, and the ‘lat’ is pronounced like the word ‘late’. The word is pronounced ‘sin-ti-late-ing’ with the stress is on the first syllable.
A conversation that is ‘scintillating’ is witty, interesting and clever. The word comes from the Latin ‘scintillare’ meaning ‘to sparkle’.
*The conversation during the meal was anything but scintillating.
S. UPENDRAN
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