(Notice the difference in the length of the vowel.)
4. Notice also that we have
| [z] | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| in | reserve | in | research |
| disease | disobey | ||
| dissolve | dissolvent, dissolute | ||
| presumption | presuppose |
Find other examples (there are many). How do you pronounce disarm?
5. x represents [ks] in exercise, excellent, and in extra, exceed, express, extol, but [gz] in exert, examine, anxiety, exult, exonerate, exorbitant, exotic.
Do you agree with this statement?
Try to find a rule for the pronunciation of x.
In exile both pronunciations of x may be heard, [ks] being perhaps the more common.
For the dropping of h in compounds with ex- see § 47.