How to pronounce vernacular
Say it like ver-NAK-yuh-ler. Vernacular has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (NAK).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce vernacular. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- ver
- NAK
- yuh
- ler
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Vernacular pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- verKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "er" in butter.
- NAKSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "a" in cat.
- yuhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- lerKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "er" in butter.
American vs British pronunciation of vernacular
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: vuh-NAK-yuh-luh.
What does vernacular mean?
- The language of a people or a national language.“The principal vernacular of the United States is English.”
- Everyday speech or dialect, including colloquialisms, as opposed to standard, literary, liturgical, or scientific idiom.“Street vernacular can be quite different from what is heard elsewhere.”
- Language unique to a particular group of people.“For those of a certain age, hiphop vernacular might just as well be a foreign language.”
- Of or pertaining to everyday language, as opposed to standard, literary, liturgical, or scientific idiom.
- Belonging to the country of one's birth; one's own by birth or by nature.“a vernacular disease”
- Of or related to local building materials and styles; not imported.
Where does vernacular come from?
From Latin vernāculus (“domestic, indigenous, of or pertaining to home-born slaves”), from verna (“a native, a home-born slave (one born in his master's house)”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with vernacular
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of vernacular.
Questions about saying vernacular
How do you pronounce vernacular?
Say ver-NAK-yuh-ler. The American pronunciation is /vɚˈnækjəlɚ/. In British English it is /vəˈnækjələ/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in vernacular?
Vernacular has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (NAK). Broken into parts: ver · NAK · yuh · ler.
Is vernacular pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead. The British form is /vəˈnækjələ/ (vuh-NAK-yuh-luh).