Orthoepeia

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The study or practice of pronouncing words correctly according to standard rules and conventions
2. Correct or proper pronunciation of words in a language, especially as a subject of linguistic study
3. The art and practice of speaking words with accurate pronunciation in accordance with established standards

Etymology: Ancient Greek used "orthoepeia" for the correct pronunciation of words, the proper way of speaking them. It combines "orthos", meaning straight or correct, with "epos", meaning word or speech. That same "epos" lies behind the Greek word for a long narrative poem, which passed into English as "epic", so a term about pronunciation shares its root with Homer. English adopted the term as "orthoepy", modelled on "orthography", which pairs "orthos" with "graphein", to write. Orthography governs how words are spelled, while orthoepy governs how they are sounded, so the two words sit side by side in the language of dictionaries and pronunciation guides.

Synonyms: orthoepy