How is the word ‘masquerade’ pronounced?
(B.S.Mathew, Trivandrum)
The first syllable is pronounced like the word ‘mask’, and the ‘ue’ in the second syllable is like the ‘a’ in ‘china’. The final syllable sounds like the word ‘raid’. The word is pronounced ‘mask-e-RAID’ with the stress on the final syllable. Some people drop the vowel in the second syllable, and pronounce the word ‘mask-RAID’.
The word comes from the Italian ‘mascarata’ meaning ‘a ball at which masks are worn’. People generally wear a mask when they wish to hide their identity. When you masquerade as being someone else, you are pretending to be someone that you are not.
*Terrorists masquerading as policemen managed to enter the Minister’s house.
The word can also be used to mean ‘to put on a show’ or to cover up; you act in a way which prevents others from knowing the truth about something unpleasant.
*For the sake of her parents, Gayathri kept up a masquerade of being happily married.
S. UPENDRAN
upendrankye@gmail.com
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