How to pronounce Cetera (as singer Peter Cetera)?

[pray4amy]

When it comes to pronounce English names, I am 50% lost.

Does it pronounce like "Ketera" or "Setera"?

Please help.

[Tdol]

I've heard 'Setera'.

[Ouisch]

I've heard Setera, too.


(Wonder if he has a brother named Et?")




(Et cetera? Get it? ...... never mind.....)

[pray4amy]

Thank you very much. Et Cetera... that was funny.

BTW, can you help more with the following questions?

1. "Illinois": do you pronounce the 's' or not? I have heard 2 different ways, wondering why? Is there a reason behind?

2. "Chicago": I heard people saying "CheeCargo" and "SheeCargo". Any background of origin regarding this?

These are the confusing things to me. I also wonder how do Americans learn about distinguishing those things... Where is the best site to look up for things like this? Pronunciation is my weakest point in learning English.

Thank you in advance.

[Ouisch]

You will find that even Americans have trouble or differences of opinion when it comes to pronouncing certain place names. The correct pronunciation of Illinois is "ill-eh-NOY". You do not pronounce the S. (But I've heard Yanks that do.) Chicago is pronounced "shih-CAH-go." Again, you'll hear all sorts of different variations.

I live in Michigan, which is pronounced MISH-eh-gan. But almost everywhere I've been in the UK, they always say "MITCH-eh-gan."

[Tdol]

Ouisch, I would have got your town wrong.

[riverkid]

Ouisch, I would have got your town wrong.

Your geography is worse than your pronunciation, Tdol. Ouisch never mentioned her town/city name.

Not to worry, I'd mess up big time on British place names, both in saying them and locating them.

[Tdol]

Geography was always my worst subject. And I have gone downhill since.

[Ouisch]

In all fairness, I often mispronounce foreign place names, too. I live in the city of Birmingham. There is also a city in England called Birmingham. And when I'm in the UK and pronounce "Birmingham", the natives get a big ol' laugh out of it.

I say "BIR-ming-ham." They say something like "BIR-minmmmmmm"

[Red5]

I say "BIR-ming-ham." They say something like "BIR-minmmmmmm"

LOL!