What’s the correct pronunciation of Mexico?
The answer to the question is simple: If you are speaking Spanish, the word is pronounced “Mehico”; if you are speaking English, it is pronounced “Mexico.”
Is Mexico pronounced as Mehico?
Originally Answered: Why is it called and spelt Mexico and not Mehico? Spanish is not pronounced or spelled the same as English. The common name is México because the letter H is silent in the Spanish language. Mexico is a nahuatl name that was pronounced meshiko, so Spanish men wrote it mexico.
How do Spanish people pronounce Mexico?
In no dialect of modern Spanish are México and Méjico pronounced differently. In no dialect of Spanish is the ‘x’ in México pronounced like [ks] .
1 Answer.
| Language | Pronunciation | Hypothetical pronunciation with “j” |
|---|---|---|
| 15C Spanish | México [ˈmeʃiko] | *Méjico [ˈmeʃiko] |
| 16C Spanish | México [ˈmexiko] | Méjico [ˈmexiko] |
Why is Mexico pronounced Mejico?
The name Mexico is derived from mexica, better known as aztecs. “Mejico” is what some spaniards prunounce “Mexico” because “X” can be pronounced like a “J” in nahuatl pronuntiation. Spanish in Spain isn’t enriched with nahuatl, that’s why they think the name is “Mejico”.
David Nilsen is the former editor of Fourth & Sycamore. He is a member of the National Book Critics Circle. You can find more of his writing on his website at davidnilsenwriter.com and follow him on Twitter as @NilsenDavid.