How to pronounce spreadsheet | American English tips

28 Jun 2018 · 3 min

Watch on YouTube

2:57

A short YouTube tutorial by Hadar Shemesh explaining how to pronounce the word “spreadsheet” in American English. The speaker breaks the word into parts (initial /sp/ cluster, /r/ onset, vowel /iː/ as in "sea" vs /ɪ/, and a final unreleased /t/), gives articulatory tips (tongue forward for the long E, lips spread, hold the T without releasing), contrasts minimal pairs (sheep vs ship; sheet vs shit), and stresses that primary stress falls on the first syllable: SPREAD-sheet. The video is aimed at teachers, accountants, HR managers and other organized professionals and ends with typical YouTube CTAs.

Questions this video answers

June 28, 2018

Teachers, accountants, HR managers and other organized people

Chapters

Hey guys, it's Hadar. And this is the accent's way. And today's video is about how to pronounce the word spreadsheet. So this video is going to be short and sweet and is dedicated to all you teachers, accountants, HR managers and other organized people who always want to say spreadsheet but end up saying spreadsheet. So we begin with an sp sound. So you start with an S sound. Don't add any vowels before. If you're a Spanish speaker. It's not a spread, but so you start with an S and you close it with a P. So bring your lips together. S. Bring your tongue up for the R. As your lips are closed, spread. Drop your jaw for the E and close it with a D. Spread, spread. You don't need to release the D here. Spread, spread. Then you move on to the sh sound. Spread. Sh, Right. So you actually hear something like. Like a ch, as in chicken. Spread. And then, and that's the important part, we have the vowel ee as in sea, she. To make the E sound, the tongue rolls forward and the body of the tongue almost touches the upper palate. It's so close that you even vibrations there. She. The lips pull to the sides a bit. Sheet. Now there is a difference between sheep and ship, just like there is a difference between sheet and shit. There, I said it. Shit. Okay, so if you don't bring the tongue forward and if you don't make it long enough, it's going to sound like spreadsheet, not spreadsheet. Okay, so spreadsheet, we move to the E sound and then you hold it abruptly with a held T at the end. Spreadsheet. That means that you don't really release the T. You just bring the tongue up or hold the air in your throat and there is an abrupt stop of air. And that's the T. She. Spreadsheet. Primary stress is on the spread. Spreadsheet. Ta da. Just open a new spreadsheet. I sent you the spreadsheet. Put it in the spreadsheet. That's it. Simple. Just smile and keep your tongue high. And that's my tip for you for life. What other words that can come across as awkward words do you have in mind? Let me know in the comments below. Don't forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel if you haven't yet. And click on the bell to get notifications so you know when I upload a new video. Have a wonderful week and I will see you next week. You know what? In the next video. Bye.