How to pronounce mondegreen
Say it like MON-duh-green. Mondegreen has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (MON).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce mondegreen. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- MON
- duh
- green
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Mondegreen pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- MONSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
- duhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- greenKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of mondegreen
- The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English.
British respelling: MON-duh-green.
What does mondegreen mean?
- A form of (possibly intentional) error arising from mishearing a spoken or sung phrase, possibly in a different language.
- A misunderstanding of a written or spoken phrase as a result of multiple definitions.
Where does mondegreen come from?
Coined by American journalist and editor Sylvia Wright in 1954 in Harper's Magazine from mishearing a line in the Scottish ballad The Bonnie Earl o' Moray: “They have slain the Earl o' Moray, / And laid him on the green”, the second line be
Questions about saying mondegreen
How do you pronounce mondegreen?
Say MON-duh-green. The American pronunciation is /ˈmɑndəɡrin/. In British English it is /ˈmɒndəɡriːn/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in mondegreen?
Mondegreen has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (MON). Broken into parts: MON · duh · green.
Is mondegreen pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English. The British form is /ˈmɒndəɡriːn/ (MON-duh-green).