# Forum Other Languages English for Russians - Изучаем английский язык Practice your English  pronunciation of template

## Mr Happy Go Lucky

How do you pronounce the word "template"?
I've always pronounced it the way it is described in this dictionary entry: http://www.thefreedictionary.com/template
(te'mplit)
But lately I've been hearing people say "templat'e" - which rhythms with "plate" and the second syllable is stressed.
I'm totally nonplussed...this completely throws me off...
Native speakers' opinions will be much appreciated. 
Thanks

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## gRomoZeka

My dictionary states that both pronunciations are correct.   ::  
But it's interesting to know which one is more common, or preferable.
PS. I would pronounce it "tem-*PLATE*", but that's because I'm used to it being pronounced in Russian like that.

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## sperk

I'd say tem-PLATE. The other way never occurred to me.

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## Paperplane

I say both TEM-plit and TEM-plate. I think the former is the older pronunciation but both are standard. afaik i've not heard tem-PLATE

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## Mr Happy Go Lucky

Thank you guys for the input
As far as I can remember I always heard people say "te'mp-lit", be that on the radio, or on youtube or in face to face conversaion.
Yesterday I was on the phone with one or my British colleagues and much to my amazement he uttered "temp-lei't".
That threw me for a loop to say the least. 
Well, I guess I can conclude that it's a matter of preference, but none the less "temp-lei't" strikes me as quite odd pronunciation.

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## rockzmom

sorry that I'm a bit late on this one... I was really trying to recall with all my living around the U.S. if there was one area that said it one way vs. the other or one reason, like specific meanings that I use the other pronunciation, and I just can't remember...I'm of the tem-plate group (at least I think I am most of the the time)! 
I did find this for you:   

> Also, templet.
> Origin: 
> 1670–80; alter. of templet, appar. by falsely etymologizing final syllable as plate1
> Word Origin & History
> 1677, templet "horizontal piece under a girder or beam," probably from Fr. templet "weaver's stretcher," dim. of temple, which meant the same thing, from L. templum "plank, rafter," also "building for worship" (see temple (1)). The meaning "pattern or gauge for shaping a piece of work" is first recorded 1819 in this form, earlier temple (168; the form was altered 1844, probably influenced by plate, but the pronunciation did not begin to shift until much more recently.
> Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/templet

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## Mr Happy Go Lucky

> I'm of the tem-plate group (at least I think I am most of the the time)!

 So, i take it you pronounce it as "tem'-plit", correct?   ::

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## rockzmom

> Originally Posted by rockzmom  I'm of the tem-plate group (at least I think I am most of the the time)!   So, i take it you pronounce it as "tem'-plit", correct?

 I pronounce it like this dude does, but like a girl and not with his snooty accent!  http://www.howjsay.com/index.php?word=template

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## Mr Happy Go Lucky

Jees, I'm totally flabbergasted   ::  
Here is how I pronounce it (5 sec from the start, the voice is not mine   ::  though sometimes I wish it was, but I digress) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BujtoqgQ7GE 
Your like the third person whom I know who pronounces it as "tem-pleit"   ::  Every time you think you've seen it all (or shall I say heard), something new comes along that shatters your beliefs. Well, I'll be aware of that. Thanks for the skinny.

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## почемучка

> I'd say tem-PLATE. The other way never occurred to me.

 Odd, I don't think I've ever heard anyone say it that way before. 
I say TEM-plit and I hear TEM-plate as well, but the stress on the syllable strikes me as very unusual.

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## translationsnmru

I am not sure if I ever had to say this word outloud (btw, is _outloud_ actually a word?), but IF I had, I would probably pronounce it as "TEMP-lit". At least that's how it sounds in my brain right now.

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## chaika

I'm like you, Mr Happy. I have always said TEM-plit. 
Otherwise you have a word with two stresses TEM-PLATE (/ej/ only occurs stressed), which, though not totally unknown for English, always sounds strange to me. I think it is because people are pronouncing initially unknown words as they are written. Given the oddities of our spelling system (or nonsystem), I am not surprised. But this is happening all the time. I think the same might be true of the pronunciation of /t/ in the word "often."  
I bet you pronounce the sea to the south of us as ca-RIB-e-an instead of the double-stressed KAR-a-BE-an, as they say these days, totally forgetting or maybe even never having been aware of the origins of the word, from Carib. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carib .  
And then there are people who use the word "enormity" thinking it means "really big." But at least they pronounce it correctly. And don't get me started on EYE-RAK and EYE-RAN.
=:^))

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## Lynn

> And then there are people who use the word "enormity" thinking it means "really big." But at least they pronounce it correctly. And don't get me started on EYE-RAK and EYE-RAN.
> =:^))

 Just to be fair, "enormity" *can* mean "really big." It has its other definitions too, "really horrible" or "really weird." But people using it to refer to magnitude aren't running afoul of the OED.  ::   
Also, +1 for TEM-plit here.

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## rockzmom

> I bet you pronounce the sea to the south of us as ca-RIB-e-an instead of the double-stressed KAR-a-BE-an, as they say these days, totally forgetting or maybe even never having been aware of the origins of the word, from Carib. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carib .

 Yes... I pronounce Karabeein like the almost American white trailer park trash that I am and darn proud of it!

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## fortheether

I pronounce it tem-PLATE. 
Scott

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## почемучка

> I'm like you, Mr Happy. I have always said TEM-plit. 
> Otherwise you have a word with two stresses TEM-PLATE (/ej/ only occurs stressed), which, though not totally unknown for English, always sounds strange to me. I think it is because people are pronouncing initially unknown words as they are written. Given the oddities of our spelling system (or nonsystem), I am not surprised. But this is happening all the time. I think the same might be true of the pronunciation of /t/ in the word "often."  
> I bet you pronounce the sea to the south of us as ca-RIB-e-an instead of the double-stressed KAR-a-BE-an, as they say these days, totally forgetting or maybe even never having been aware of the origins of the word, from Carib. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carib .  
> And then there are people who use the word "enormity" thinking it means "really big." But at least they pronounce it correctly. And don't get me started on EYE-RAK and EYE-RAN.
> =:^))

 What is your stance on nucular energy?    ::

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## quartz

> What is your stance on nucular energy?

 I use nucular energy at my place to power the Internets.

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