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Algernon
Guest
I had a feeling this was the case.
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miniquedoes
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pnewton
Guest
I say Ah-men, when using Latin and Ay-men when using* American*.
I grew up with Ay-men and is was the only one I I knew.
I grew up with Ay-men and is was the only one I I knew.
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Monica4316
Guest
I say ‘ah-men’ 
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jmcrae
Guest
I’ve used all three pronunciations, depending on what kind of mood I was in.I’ve heard certain sung chants (Gregorian possibly, I can’t recall exactly) end in** AWE**-men.
Is this now a Trinity of Amens!!
I’m the only person I know who ever says “Ah-men” though. Most people around here say “Awe-men.”
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Nowhere_Man
Guest
So do you hate New Yorkers too? Because last time I checked there’s no “R” in toilet.Not at all.
Just with the way they mutilate the English language.
jk southerners…I love you all, but I received so much flak for being a “Yankee” during four years of college in the South, that I have no qualms about giving it back now and again.
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mangy_dog
Guest
One is English pronunciation the other is Latin - respectively.
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SalesianSDB
Guest
When I go to Spanish Mass, or when I say my prayers in Spanish (which isn’t too often), I say, “Ah-men.” But when I pray or go to Mass in English, or say it in conversation, I say, “Ay-men.”
Like when I go to Mass and the priest or Eucharistic minister says, “El Cuerpo de Cristo.” I say, “Ah-men.” Which is the Spanish response. If he/she says, “The Body of Christ” I say “Ay-men.”
So really for me it’s about the language I’m speaking at the time.
Like when I go to Mass and the priest or Eucharistic minister says, “El Cuerpo de Cristo.” I say, “Ah-men.” Which is the Spanish response. If he/she says, “The Body of Christ” I say “Ay-men.”
So really for me it’s about the language I’m speaking at the time.
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mellowcalico
Guest
I guess I should chime in as the only person posting so far who regularly says “ay-men.” I’ve heard it that way my entire life pretty much. The only time I say “ah-men” is when it’s sung at Mass.
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JCProject
Guest
It is rather simple, I guess.
Amen is pronounced Ahmehn in Hebrew and something close to that used to be standard in Europe.
But Americans tend to pronounce things the way THEY read it.
When words are adapted to other languages they often change in pronounciation, sometimes also in meaning, because the speakers don’t know the original language.
In Russian they say something like Amín.
In the middle ages the well educated spoke Latin so there was exchange among countries and standards have been sustained. People heard the word “Amen” in the mess, and the mass was Latin and without much participation of the people until the 20th Century…
Amen is pronounced Ahmehn in Hebrew and something close to that used to be standard in Europe.
But Americans tend to pronounce things the way THEY read it.
When words are adapted to other languages they often change in pronounciation, sometimes also in meaning, because the speakers don’t know the original language.
In Russian they say something like Amín.
In the middle ages the well educated spoke Latin so there was exchange among countries and standards have been sustained. People heard the word “Amen” in the mess, and the mass was Latin and without much participation of the people until the 20th Century…
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dawid
Guest
In South Africa we generally say Ah-men.
I found it strange to hear Ay-men when attending Mass in the US.
I think one parish did say it correctly though!
I found it strange to hear Ay-men when attending Mass in the US.
I think one parish did say it correctly though!
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servornon
Guest
In Ireland they say “ay-men”, so I’m guessing that the Irish brought it over with them.
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maggie115
Guest
I agree with some of others… i grew up with the Latin mass. In Latin we pronounced it Ahmen. When we said the mass in English it was pronounced Aymen.
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StTommyMore
Guest
This explains a lot. In my state, it is almost required, or so it seems, to mispronounce words (esp city names). ""Toe lee doh instead of “Tolaydo” (for Toledo, OH) Green Witch instead of Grennich (Greenwich, OH). THese are just two examples.
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jimcintosh
Guest
Okay, here’s your answer.
All European languages descended from the original Proto-Indo-European language have five vowels: a, e, i, o and u. In all languages, except English, they are pronounced ah (as in Matthew), eh (as in met), ee (as in feet), oa (as in boat) and oo (as in boot).
I say, all languages except English because a strange thing happened in English between 1450 and 1750: the sound of the vowels moved towards the back of the throat. This was called the Great Vowel Shift.
But, the change was incomplete. That’s why in English we have different sounds for the same vowel. The word, Abraham, for example, has three As and each A has a different sound.
Some words retain the original A-sound. That is, their pronunciation never shifted. An example is the word father, which is still pronounced with the European A-sound.
The word ah-men (using the same A-sound as in father) is the older, pre-vowel shift pronunciation which is the same used in European languages. The ey-men is the pronunciation of the A after the sound has been shifted. This pronunciation is unique to English.
It is, in effect, a word undergoing a shift. Older people and people in some geographic regions will retain and use the old pronunciation. Younger people and people in other regions will use the new pronunciation.
An example of another word undergoing a change in pronunciation is from the Magnificat: “… all generations shall call me blessed.” Is it bles-sed (two syllables) or blessed (one)? Depending on your age and where you live, one pronunciation will be the more common usage.
All European languages descended from the original Proto-Indo-European language have five vowels: a, e, i, o and u. In all languages, except English, they are pronounced ah (as in Matthew), eh (as in met), ee (as in feet), oa (as in boat) and oo (as in boot).
I say, all languages except English because a strange thing happened in English between 1450 and 1750: the sound of the vowels moved towards the back of the throat. This was called the Great Vowel Shift.
But, the change was incomplete. That’s why in English we have different sounds for the same vowel. The word, Abraham, for example, has three As and each A has a different sound.
Some words retain the original A-sound. That is, their pronunciation never shifted. An example is the word father, which is still pronounced with the European A-sound.
The word ah-men (using the same A-sound as in father) is the older, pre-vowel shift pronunciation which is the same used in European languages. The ey-men is the pronunciation of the A after the sound has been shifted. This pronunciation is unique to English.
It is, in effect, a word undergoing a shift. Older people and people in some geographic regions will retain and use the old pronunciation. Younger people and people in other regions will use the new pronunciation.
An example of another word undergoing a change in pronunciation is from the Magnificat: “… all generations shall call me blessed.” Is it bles-sed (two syllables) or blessed (one)? Depending on your age and where you live, one pronunciation will be the more common usage.
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Loboto-Me
Guest
That was really interesting Jim!
Being as I grew up hearing Mass in french, I have always said Ah-men. My husband who was raised Anglican in an “americanized Canada” has grown up using the Ay-men. We still use what we grew up with, but honestly, I think that Ah-men is more pleasing to the ear. Oh by the way, I think I’m one of the only ones that says Ah-men during Mass too… but I never noticed if that’s what the priest says or not. I’ll have to pay attention next Sunday.
Being as I grew up hearing Mass in french, I have always said Ah-men. My husband who was raised Anglican in an “americanized Canada” has grown up using the Ay-men. We still use what we grew up with, but honestly, I think that Ah-men is more pleasing to the ear. Oh by the way, I think I’m one of the only ones that says Ah-men during Mass too… but I never noticed if that’s what the priest says or not. I’ll have to pay attention next Sunday.
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ecumethodist
Guest
Technically speaking, the original Hebrew is pronounced “ah-men”. But It really doesn’t matter in the end. (Infact, I used “Ay-men” all the time.)
a Brother in Christ
-Anthony Fisher
Χριστὀς ανέστη!
(Christ is risen!)
a Brother in Christ
-Anthony Fisher
Χριστὀς ανέστη!
(Christ is risen!)
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jmcrae
Guest
And none of which are the “a” that we hear in “Amen” here in Canada.
Okay - and here again, in Canada, “father” is pronounced with a completely different sound (which happens to be the same sound that we use in “Amen” but which is nothing at all like the sound of the “a” in “Matthew.” The sound in “Matthew” is the “ah” sound, whereas in both “father” and “Amen” we hear an “aw” sound, like the short “o” in “cot”, or “bought.” (Except that in some places, they pronounce both of these to rhyme with “cat,” so perhaps that doesn’t help you …
)I have heard that usage here, too, but put it down to a lack of literacy, and of the person not having heard the prayer prayed aloud before - the proper pronunciation is “blés’-síd” of course!
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Supercatholic
Guest
I think it’s “ah-men” for the consecration and for receiving the Host and/or wine. And “ay-men” for someone that makes a profound theological statement. “Ay-men! preach it brother!” Or if you can find a parish locked in the early 70s singing “ayyyyy-men ayyyy-men ayy-men ay-men ay-men” Where you’ll also probably hear “Day By Day” or “Put Your Hand In The Hand” I don’t know how to write a shuddering expression. brrrrrrrr. I need to take a shower.
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zdon011
Guest
Evangelicals tend to say ‘ay-men’. I used to use both pronunciations, but about the time became an Anglican I dropped ‘ay-men’ altogether. Of course, the important thing is the intent behind the word (to affirm one’s worship in spirit and truth), not the pronunciation.
By the way, Algernon’s a great name!
By the way, Algernon’s a great name!
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