employee

[Abstract Idea]

What is the correct pronunciation of the word 'employee'?
Where is the more stressed syllable?
Are there differences regarding AmE and BrEng pronunciation of such word?

[Anglika]

Basically in BrE the syllables carry approximately the same stress. If anything, the final syllable will be stressed.

[PROESL]

Originally Posted by ymnisky

What is the correct pronunciation of the word 'employee'?
Where is the more stressed syllable?
Are there differences regarding AmE and BrEng pronunciation of such word?

To my knowledge, the word "employee" is pronounced the same in all styles of English. The stress falls on "ee". Here is another word which is similar: referee.

And here is another: jamboree.

[Abstract Idea]

Thanks for your important contribution PROESL. It is remarkable to hear that information from Massachusetts USA. However I would like to stress that I do
have heard the word employee pronounced whith -ploy- stressed rather then -ee-. I have heard on some VOA news interviews and also here: employee: Definition, Synonyms from Answers.com

Oh, while I was writing this post, and rereading the link above I think I found the solution. I have just realized there are two accepted spellings of the word:
employee and employe - with just on final e . I guess the first pronounces with stressed ee and the second with stressed ploy.

Is that so? Do you agree we have two possible spelling for this words, both of them with the same meaning ?

[PROESL]

Originally Posted by ymnisky

Thanks for your important contribution PROESL. It is remarkable to hear that information from Massachusetts USA. However I would like to stress that I do
have heard the word employee pronounced whith -ploy- stressed rather then -ee-. I have heard on some VOA news interviews and also here: employee: Definition, Synonyms from Answers.com

Oh, while I was writing this post, and rereading the link above I think I found the solution. I have just realized there are two accepted spellings of the word:
employee and employe - with just on final e . I guess the first pronounces with stressed ee and the second with stressed ploy.

Is that so? Do you agree we have two possible spelling for this words, both of them with the same meaning ?

That's a good point. Yes, there are words that have more than one pronunciation, and come to think it, yes, employee would be one of them. I would say that both pronunciations of "employee" sound familiar to me.

As for the spelling, I am not familiar with "employe". I've only written and have only read "employee". Though interestingly enough, the spelling "employe", as presented in the dicationary, shows that the last syllable receives stress for that spelling: employee: Definition, Synonyms from Answers.com

candidate, program (noun or verb) - with or without schwa in the last syllable - I know I've definitely heard both pronunciations, and I believe that I could be inclined to use both pronunciations of "candidate", but I would always give a full vowel sound to the "a" in "program". To me, this is the sort of thing one only notices from teaching English. I don't think many native speakers would notice this or give it any consideration. Though they may not be aware of it, some might have a preferred pronunciation for such words.

[PROESL]

Here are more words that follow the same pattern. And as I thought I recalled, and suspected, the "ee" ending represents the French and Latin influence on English, as indicated in a language article at Dictionary.com: -ee Definition | Definition of -ee at Dictionary.com

[Middle English, from Old French -e, -ee, past participle suff., from Latin -ātus; see -ate1.]


payee payee: West's Encyclopedia of American Law (Full Article) from Answers.com

nominee nominee: Definition, Synonyms from Answers.com

inductee inductee: Definition from Answers.com

addressee addressee: Definition from Answers.com

absentee

refugee

[PROESL]

I was reminded of another one today. And that word is "trainee".

trainee

[Abstract Idea]

And I have researched on more trustful fonts (printed dictionaries) for the variant employe with only one final e, without success - only emploee can be found with this meaning. I think the problem is really just with the pronounciation.

PROESL, regarding those words you reminded us, whith the final ee, do any of them have two accepted pronounciations, like employee ?

I would also like to confirm if both pronounciations are accepted in other variations of English besides AmE.

[PROESL]

Originally Posted by ymnisky

And I have researched on more trustful fonts (printed dictionaries) for the variant employe with only one final e, without success - only emploee can be found with this meaning. I think the problem is really just with the pronounciation.

PROESL, regarding those words you reminded us, whith the final ee, do any of them have two accepted pronounciations, like employee ?

I would also like to confirm if both pronounciations are accepted in other variations of English besides AmE.

I've just looked at them and pronounced them. The last syllable, to me, quite naturally receives the stress in these words. Though in reality, there is, I suppose, a chance that one might allow the intonation to fall on the last syllable in one or two of these words.

I would simply advise trusting that the last syllable receives the stress in these words, as this is indicated in the dictionary as well. I can't say with certainty whether or not both pronunciations of "employee" are accepted in other variations of English. I would guess that other styles of English are consistent with American English for this particular word: employee.

However, where dictionaries are concerned, it should be noted that the "re" and "de" prefixes are shown to have full long "e" vowel sounds, while oftentimes, in these words, the "e" is often pronounced as a schwa. For example, this is the case in the words "reduce" and "decide".

reduce: Definition, Synonyms from Answers.com

decide: Definition, Synonyms from Answers.com

[Raymott]

Originally Posted by ymnisky

And I have researched on more trustful fonts (printed dictionaries) for the variant employe with only one final e, without success - only emploee can be found with this meaning. I think the problem is really just with the pronounciation.

PROESL, regarding those words you reminded us, whith the final ee, do any of them have two accepted pronounciations, like employee ?

I would also like to confirm if both pronounciations are accepted in other variations of English besides AmE.

I have never heard of employe with one 'e'. Nor for any of the words that PROESL has listed ending with 'ee'.
"Employee" can be pronounced with the stress on any of the syllables, though if you stress the first, you'd also stress the first.

I wonder where Merriam-Webster got 'employe' from? Perhaps they've taken to listing any mistake that gains some modicum of currency.