How to pronounce boatswain
Say it like BOH-sun. Boatswain has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (BOH).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce boatswain. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- BOH
- sun
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Boatswain pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- BOHSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "o" in go.
- sunKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of boatswain
- The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh".
British respelling: BOH-sun.
What does boatswain mean?
- The officer (or warrant officer) in charge of sails, rigging, anchors, cables etc. and all work on deck of a sailing ship.
- The petty officer of a merchant ship who controls the work of other seamen.
- A kind of gull, the jaeger.
Where does boatswain come from?
From Middle English botswain, botswein, bote-swayn, from late Old English bātsweġen, from bāt (“boat”) + sweġen (“swain”), the latter element a borrowing from Old Norse sveinn (“boy”); equivalent to boat + swain (“boy, servant”).
Questions about saying boatswain
How do you pronounce boatswain?
Say BOH-sun. The American pronunciation is /ˈboʊsən/. In British English it is /ˈbəʊsən/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in boatswain?
Boatswain has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (BOH). Broken into parts: BOH · sun.
Is boatswain pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh". The British form is /ˈbəʊsən/ (BOH-sun).