How is 'dilettante' pronounced?

[Yodel]

Is it 'anti' at the end or is it 'ant'?

[Quizmonkey]

More an-tay than anti - but not ant.

[makemesmile]

I've heard....


dill - a - tarnt - a

The e (in both instances) is pronounced as per french way (with accents)

[Quizmonster]

Dill-it-an-tay.

[Clanad]

As usual, the American pronunciation is at odds with those posted, especially in that the ending 'e' is silent. Having said that there are a number of acceptable but differing pronunciations as seen here:

http://dictionary.reference.com/wordoftheday/a rchive/2003/10/18.html

By the way, good to see you Q... I'd rather dispaired that you might have flown the coop, so to speak, especially following the deconstruction of the site... How're the culinary expeditions doing?

[Quizmonster]

The word is Italian rather than French in origin, so - though I am no expert in that tongue - I'm pretty sure the final 'e' would be pronounced by the Romans.

(And you, C. I'm not impressed by the changes and definitely get the impression we are losing people because of them. However, my recent personal 'scarceness' has been caused by a family visit. France is now "off the menu'' until next spring, I'm afraid.)

[Peter Pedant]

yeah so what where it comes from - we dont say Paree !

It is indeed Italian, and is dil-ett-an-tay,

more than one is dil et an tee (ends in an i)

as in the Society of D.

Monied foppish amateur.

Do the Americans use the word. 'A marine Cor of dilettanti liberated parts of Baghdad today....' I'm not sure

[Quizmonster]

I mentioned where the word came from because - unlike Paris/Paree - we in Britain pronounce it in much the same way as the native speakers (Italians in this case) do!
That's 'so what where it comes from'.