Pronunciation Poise: Angst
Here's one word we're dealing with a lot these days, but how should we pronounce it? Test your knowledge. 🤔
What's the traditional way to pronounce the first sound in "angst"?
ayngkst, as in "ain't"
ahngkst, as in the British-English pronunciation of "aunt”
Both are equally correct.
And the correct answer is option two, “ahngkst,” in which the first sound rhymes with the way “aunt” is said in British-English. Angst, which means strong anxiety and unhappiness brought on by worries, comes from German and traditionally was pronounced that way. Today, however, the pronunciation “ayngkst,” in which the first sound rhymes with the first sound in "ain't," dominates as the most common pronunciation in both American and British English, according to Garner’s Modern English Usage. Although a few major dictionaries, including Merriam-Webster and American Heritage, still list “ahngkst” as the first pronunciation, you’ll stay in good company if you use the long-“a” pronunciation, which is by far the most widely used.