However, navigating the labyrinth of Italian pasta names and their often-confusing pronunciations can be a challenge. Fear not, new research unravels the mysteries of pasta pronunciation just in time for World Pasta Day.
Embracing their Italian heritage, pasta names are woven into the heart of authentic cuisine. Yet, they often defy phonetic logic, leaving us stammering over “gnocchi” and “linguine.” To shed light on this linguistic quagmire, Preply, the online language learning platform, ventured into the realm of Google search data. The goal? To identify which pasta names befuddle the masses the most.
Gnocchi Takes the Cake
Surprisingly, the seemingly innocent “gnocchi” emerged as the most mispronounced pasta name, with a staggering 153,000 annual Google searches for pronunciation guidance. It seems this delightful potato-based pasta dish has left many linguistically puzzled.
To pronounce “gnocchi” correctly, follow these steps:
1. Start with the “gn” sound, which is unique to some languages like Italian. It’s similar to the “ny” sound in the English word “canyon.”
- To create this sound:
- Position your tongue at the front of the roof of your mouth, just behind your upper front teeth.
- Gently press the back of your tongue against the roof of your mouth.
- Exhale while maintaining this tongue position, creating a nasal “ny” sound. It’s like the sound in the word “canyon.”
2. After pronouncing the “gn” sound, move on to the “occhi” part:
- “Occhi” is pronounced like “awk-kee.”
- Start with the short “o” sound as in “dog” or “hot.”
- Then say “k” as in “kite.”
- Finally, end with “kee,” where the “ee” sounds like the double “e” in “see.”
So, when you put it all together, “gnocchi” is pronounced as “nyawk-kee,” with the emphasis on the “nyawk” part. It’s essential to create that nasal “ny” sound at the beginning for an accurate pronunciation.
Spaghetti and Penne in Pursuit
Following closely are the ever-popular “spaghetti” and “penne.”
To pronounce “spaghetti” correctly, follow these steps:
When you put it all together, “spaghetti” is pronounced as “spa-get-ee,” with the emphasis on “get.”
1. Start with the “sp” sound:
- Begin with a regular “s” sound as in “see.”
- Immediately follow it with a “p” sound, similar to the “p” in “pat.”
2. After pronouncing “sp,” move on to “a”:
- Say the short “a” sound as in “cat” or “bat.”
3. Then, pronounce “gh” like a silent “h”:
- In “spaghetti,” the “gh” is silent and doesn’t produce any sound. It’s there for historical and etymological reasons.
4. Finish with “etti”:
- “Etti” is pronounced like “eh-tee.”
- Start with the short “e” sound, as in “bed” or “let.”
- Follow it with “tee,” where the “ee” sounds like the double “e” in “see.”
To pronounce “penne” correctly, follow these steps:
“Penne” is pronounced as “pen-ay,” with the emphasis on the “pen” part. The “e” at the end is pronounced softly. Practice, and you’ll pronounce it accurately in no time.
1. Start with the “pe” sound:
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- Begin with the short “e” sound as in “bed” or “let.”
- Follow it with the “p” sound, similar to the “p” in “pat.”
2. Then, pronounce “nn” like a double “n” sound:
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- The “nn” should be pronounced as a double “n” sound, similar to the “ny” in the English word “canyon.”
3. Finish with “e”:
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- End with the short “e” sound again, as in “bed” or “let.”
Say goodbye to mispronunciations, and let your love for pasta shine through, knowing that you’ve mastered the art of saying “gnocchi,” “spaghetti,” and “penne” with grace and confidence. Happy World Pasta Day!
