English Pronunciation Tip of the Day
Tip 31
Category: Word
endings
Author: JAM
<-sis>
In the word ending <-sis> both of the consonants are /s/ NEVER /z/. In the plural the second <s> represents /z/ but the first is still /s/.
| basis | /"beIsIs/ | bases | /"beIsi:z/ | |
| crisis | /"kraIsIs/ | crises | /"kraIsi:z/ | |
| emphasis | /"emf@sIs/ | emphases | /"emf@si:z/ | |
| neurosis | /njU@"r@UsIs/ | neuroses | /njU@"r@Usi:z/ | |
| thesis | /"Ti:sIs/ | theses | /"Ti:si:z/ |
Notice that bases is ambiguous. It could be either the plural of basis or the plural of base. In the latter case it is pronounced /"beIs@z/.