The Hindu : Education Plus Thiruvananthapuram / Know Your English : How is the word `phlegmatic' pronounced?

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Tuesday, Nov 20, 2007

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How is the word `phlegmatic' pronounced?

(S. Vibha, New Delhi)

The `ph' in the ?rst syllable sounds like the `f' in `?sh', `feel' and `full'; the `l..e..g' that follows sounds like the word `leg'. The following syllable is pronounced like the word `mat', and the ?nal `ic' is like the `ic' in `picnic' and `fantastic'. The main stress is on the second syllable `mat'; the word sounds like `?egmatic'.

The word is normally used to talk about an individual's temperament. When you say that someone is phlegmatic, what you mean is that person remains cool under pressure. He remains unemotional.

*As expected, the champion remained phlegmatic throughout the tense ?fth set.

"Opinions are like feet. Everybody's got a couple, and they usually stink." - Jim Slattery

S. UPENDRAN

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