| Kenneth G. Wilson (1923–). The Columbia Guide to Standard American English. 1993. |
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| patent (adj., n., v.) |
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| has two pronunciations in American English, and fear of confusing them can bother inexperienced speakers. The adjectival sense illustrated in letters patent, which are open to public view, and patent medicine, is pronounced PAT-int, as are all senses having to do with the patent office, including the noun patent and the verb to patent. But the more general adjectival senses, “affording free passage, open, unobstructed” and “visible and obvious,” are pronounced PAIT-int. The British generally use that pronunciation for the other senses and functions as well, but Americans would say that to PAT-int a PAT-int medicine and then advertise it widely is to make PAIT-int the fact that it’s PAT-int-id. | 1 |
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| | | The Columbia Guide to Standard American English. Copyright © 1993 Columbia University Press. |
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