Tinnitus Pronunciation: How to Say It Correctly

Do you have difficulty pronouncing the word tinnitus? Many people seem to have this problem so you’re definitely not alone. Tinnitus is not a disease or some type of medical problem that you can treat. Instead, it’s a side effect caused by some underlying problem that you may not even know you have or by the use of certain types of medications. So, why is pronouncing the word tinnitus correctly important and something that you should learn? There are several reasons why you need to know how to say it the right way.

First of all, it can be very frustration trying to talk to someone about the ringing or other noises you hear, when you’re not sure what the right pronunciation of the word should be. Another reason it’s important is because it makes it more difficult to find out important information that’s needed in order to get the help you need for this problem. If you’re being prescribed medication, you need to be able to tell the attending physician that you have tinnitus since some medications can make the condition worse.

Tinnitus originates from a Latin word that means “ringing” or “tinkle”, which is fitting since tinnitus is actually a ringing or buzzing noise heard in the ears when there are no external sounds creating it. Many people find the pronunciation to be a bit confusing. This is partly because there are actually two correct ways to say it.

Some doctors will pronounce it “tin’-i-tus” and others will call it “tin-night’-us”. According to many dictionaries, both of these pronunciations are correct. For that reason, you can choose to use either one and be correct. If you would like to research the matter further, then you can refer to the Old English Dictionary. This is famous for researching and finding the history of words. The Old English Dictionary will give you the very first usage of the word tinnitus, which is from old German and it was pronounced “tin-night’-us”.