pronunciation spelling

Save This Word!

noun

a spelling intended to match a certain pronunciation more closely than the traditional spelling does, as gonna for going to, kinda for kind of (meaning “rather”), git for get, or lite for light.

QUIZ

QUIZ YOURSELF ON "WAS" VS. "WERE"!

Were you ready for a quiz on this topic? Well, here it is! See how well you can differentiate between the uses of "was" vs. "were" in this quiz.

Question 1 of 7

“Was” is used for the indicative past tense of “to be,” and “were” is only used for the subjunctive past tense.

true

false

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Compare eye dialect.

usage note for pronunciation spelling

Pronunciation Spelling is used as a label in this dictionary.

Words nearby pronunciation spelling

pronuclear, pronucleus, pronuke, pronunciamento, pronunciation, pronunciation spelling, prony brake, pro-oestrus, proof, proofing, proof of concept

How to use pronunciation spelling in a sentence

Nicki Minaj popularized “yaaasssss” with her song “Yasss Bish” and she claims the pronunciation has roots in drag-queen culture.
Feminist, Bae, Turnt: Time’s ‘Worst Words’ List Is Sexist and Racist|Samantha Allen|November 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST
It features a young girl at a spelling bee who is asked to spell “Hagan.”
In North Carolina, GOP Overreach May Be More Unpopular Than Obama|Dean Obeidallah|November 3, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The current issue is also filled with dozens of grammatical errors and spelling mistakes.
It Was All a Dream: Drama, Bullshit, and the Rebirth of The Source Magazine|Alex Suskind|October 14, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The other two are da—meaning father—and te—an alternate spelling of ti.
Well, La Ti Da: Stephin Merritt’s Winning Little Words of Scrabble|David Bukszpan|October 11, 2014|DAILY BEAST

Other new admissions to the dictionary include qayaq—an alternate spelling of kayak—and thongy.
Well, La Ti Da: Stephin Merritt’s Winning Little Words of Scrabble|David Bukszpan|October 11, 2014|DAILY BEAST
For telegrams the spelling does n't matter; the people at the office correct it—or if they don't you can put it off on them.
Confidence|Henry James
The countess-dowager was not very adroit at spelling and composition, whether French or English, as you observe.
Elster's Folly|Mrs. Henry Wood
By doing this he in about an hour learned the spelling, pronunciation, and meaning of nearly 100 French words.
Assimilative Memory|Marcus Dwight Larrowe (AKA Prof. A. Loisette)
Obvious printing errors have been corrected, while minor irregularities in the spelling have been retained.
Remarks on a Pamphlet Lately published by the Rev. Mr. Maskelyne,|John Harrison
I follow F. mainly, correcting the spelling; and give selected variations.
Chaucer's Works, Volume 1 (of 7) -- Romaunt of the Rose; Minor Poems|Geoffrey Chaucer