how do you pronounce....

[labcrazyland]

Long A sound here too!

[angelsmith52]

Long a for me too!

[Gran]

Here's Webster's take on it:

http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/skein

 

www.m-w.com is a really handy site. It has links in words that actually pronounce the words for you.

 

Nothing's changed in the pronunciation. It's still a long a.

[ScoobyDoo0811]

Geesh, you guys had me really stumped with this word Being a speech and language pathology student I got out my phonetic dictionary ( A Pronouncing Dictionary of American English by Kenyon and Knot) and looked it up. All pronounciations in this dictionary are General American English.

 

And it sayed sken (the "e" is the phonetic symbol for the long a sound). First time ever that I have heard it pronounced like this. As I say skin ( "i " is the phonetic symbol for the long e sound as in sk-eeen). So saying sk-eeen or sk-ine are just dialectal differences which are also correct.

[Titus2woman]

I say "skeen", and my darling is sure I'm saying something obscene. (((((HUGS))))) sandi

[DoubleTreble]

Me too, skane.

[caramellosdream]

Neither. I say sk ay n with a long a.

 

 

Yep I too say Sk AY n

[yarntotingmama]

I was never taught the second half of this rhyme in school: "I before E, except after C, or when sounded A, as in NEIGHBOR and WEIGH." I still remember discussing the "I before E" rule in seventh grade because I remember being the one that pointed out the word "their" didn't fit the rule and my teacher had forgotten momentarily how it was spelled to know that I was right.

 

When I think about it, I don't know whether I've heard anyone say the world "skein" so in reading it I guess I just went by the rule "When two vowels go a-walking, the first one does the talking" (actually, I only learned that recently from my 2yo's language computer games but I obviously followed it without knowing the rhyme for it). Obviously that doesn't always hold true (their, neighbour, weight ..) but I had never heard it pronounced and I was totally robbed of the second half of that I and E rhyme in primary school!

 

Now, if it had stayed with the Middle English spelling mentioned on Merriam Webster, "skeyne" then I would have known it was pronounced with a long A sound!

[Nutsaboutcrochet13]

I say sk ay n as well

[Nila]

I've always said skeen, though the only other person I know who talks about yarn is my sister, so I haven't had much exposure to other pronunciations. Though most of the time I just call it a roll...lol

[Shelley_MO2GA]

I also say it with the long A sound.

[abc-dee]

here in Australia ive never heard anything other than SKEYN

 

although its more common here to call

yarn - wool

skein - ball

 

but thats just us aussies

[marikamum]

I voted for skeen, though I typically say skane... but my secondary position is skeen

[hockeymomcrochets]

I say it with a long a. sk and then ain like rain.

[crochetrenee]

Neither. I say sk ay n with a long a.

Same here!

[shazzeth]

here in Australia ive never heard anything other than SKEYN

 

although its more common here to call

yarn - wool

skein - ball

 

but thats just us aussies

 

Also in the UK

[gsx2ts4u]

always been SKEEN to me lol

[BrendaR]

I say it with the long A

[eurolyons]

I say Skane (long "a")

[CrochetbyClarissa]

I say it with the long a.... like skane. I've never heard it any other way until now.

[Carla J]

:blushI've always pronounced it as skeen. I didn't hear it called skane until I move to SC, so thought it was the southern dialect. Maybe, even though I didn't see it in the dictionary, skeen is the plural of skane, cuz you know it's hard to stop with just one!

[callen610]

Hmmm...... I pronounce it "sk-AYN" (rhymes with "lane")

 

~Corrina

 

WIP:

 

Peephole Ripple Afghan in Mint, Blue, White

[tarastreet]

sk-EEN

[Yarnluver]

I'm Hispanic and glad to see I learned to say it the way it's in the dictionary...

[dragonpuck]

i say skane-- long a

checked my Websters it say" long a"