Pronunciation guide: Alum

Hi Gents,
So in talking with some friends and old-timers, I've come to note that there is two distinct camps for the pronunciation of the alum bar:
1) Al 'uhm (like aluminum)
2)A 'lum (like alumni)


Which do you use?

Mark

from australia here,

i say 'a-loom' as such

From England, i pronounce it with the U sounding a bit more like an A. Can't spell it phonetically! Out of the two options it sounds very like the second, but not quite.

Edit: I'm not saying that's how the English pronounce it, I have no real idea, that's just me.

I pronounce it Alum like alumni. But I use styptic, which I pronounce stip (rhymes with sip) tic.

James.

I'm not sure Aluminum is the right word to compare with ( thoug I can't think of another)

We pronounce it: uh loo man um

While I hear the BBC pronounce it: al loo min ium

It's neither supposedly-

alum definition | Dictionary.com

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/alum

You can click the little icon to hear the pronunciation there. I did this at a couple different online dictionaries and it came up the same- Al (as in the name) ' em or... Al ' um (sounds like it to me).

well ya cant argue with websters now can ya? :shrug: i pronounce it like al-um, english has always been my worst subject though

-dan-

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ben.mid

From England, i pronounce it with the U sounding a bit more like an A. Can't spell it phonetically! Out of the two options it sounds very like the second, but not quite.

Edit: I'm not saying that's how the English pronounce it, I have no real idea, that's just me.

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Like "alarm" without the R? That's how I pronounce it. :)

actually it's AL-uhm, with the accent on the first syllable. Don't you have a dictionary?

X

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Philadelph

It's neither supposedly-

alum definition | Dictionary.com

alum - Definition from the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary

You can click the little icon to hear the pronunciation there. I did this at a couple different online dictionaries and it came up the same- Al (as in the name) ' em or... Al ' um (sounds like it to me).

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That's how I've always pronounced it:cool:

Thanks guys - at least now I know!

This is all about learning, right? This is what I love about shaving and this forum in particular...great way to go to bed less stupid :rofl2:

Mark

al-em is how ive always said it :D

OK, that's all well and good. Now how does one pronounce razor?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Philadelph

It's neither supposedly-

alum definition | Dictionary.com

alum - Definition from the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary

You can click the little icon to hear the pronunciation there. I did this at a couple different online dictionaries and it came up the same- Al (as in the name) ' em or... Al ' um (sounds like it to me).

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thats probably like some people say al u mini um . instead of aloomenum.

I have always gone with Arabic (from which the English word is derived) pronunciation: Al-hloum. The gutteral "hl" comes from the back of the throat.

Just kidding! :D I guess it gets its name from its chemical composition: aluminum potassium sulfate, K2SO4·Al2(SO4)3·24H2O.

I actually just pronounce it "sting stuff" :fim:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Wildtim

I'm not sure Aluminum is the right word to compare with ( thoug I can't think of another)

We pronounce it: uh loo man um

While I hear the BBC pronounce it: al loo min ium

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alum is pronounced: AL luhm

aluminum is kpronounced: ah LOO ma num

but I also call a creek: crick

and warsh my clothes