Ahh-men, Ay-men or Ah-main?

blueskies

blueskies

Supporter
“Blessed be the LORD for evermore. Amen, and Amen.”
Psalm 89:52, KJV

Over the recent holidays there were many more opportunities than usual at our home to say ‘Grace’ over meals and for prayers with friends and family. At the end of each blessing we all said, “Amen”.

Interestingly, to me, we are not always pronouncing it the same way.

‘Amen’ is often said at the end of prayers, hymns, affirmations, and supplications. When you say Amen vocally, or silently, do you pronounce it as as:
Ahh-men, Ay-men or Ah-main?

I find myself saying, “Ahh-men”.
 
blueskies said:
“Blessed be the LORD for evermore. Amen, and Amen.”
Psalm 89:52, KJV
Over the recent holidays there were many more opportunities than usual at our home to say ‘Grace’ over meals and for prayers with friends and family. At the end of each blessing we all said, “Amen”. Interestingly, to me, not always pronouncing it the same way. ‘Amen’ is often said at the end of prayers, hymns, affirmations, and supplications. When you say Amen vocally, or silently, do you pronounce it as as:
Ahh-men, Ay-men or Ah-main? I find myself saying, “Ahh-men”.
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Dave F. said:
I find myself using Ahh-men at the end of prayer, but Ay-men when agreeing with what the Pastor has said.
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Hello blueskies and Dave F.;

This is a good and interesting question, and thank you for sharing, brother.
At home when Dad said grace before dinner we all answered Ay-men.

In the UK while attending English school they would have prayer during assemblies and everyone would end with Ahh-men.

I like what Dave F. posted when agreeing with what I presume as the Pastor's message.
 
Dave F. said:
I find myself using Ahh-men at the end of prayer, but Ay-men when agreeing with what the Pastor has said.
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Dave F., I had not thought about it but I think this is true mostly for me also, with ‘Ay-men’ used more as an affirmation when I use it and ‘Ahh-men’ used for prayers.

bobinfaith said:
In the UK while attending English school they would have prayer during assemblies and everyone would end with Ahh-men.
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Thank you bobinfaith, Seems there are cultural influences from your experience.

‘Ah-main’ or ‘Ay-mayn’ is a pronunciation I’ve heard several Jewish friends using so perhaps it is a Hebrew pronunciation.
 
I have an expat British friend and she says in the UK everyone judges each other on the way they pronounce English. And you can tell where people are from by the way they talk.

Am not sure if that's a good or bad thing. I thought My Fair Lady was hilarious, but I especially like it when upper class aristocrats attempt to talk like chavs.

I had an Australian poet in my writers group once and everytime he opened his mouth and said something, I would laugh. Because they speak funny.

I can't talk though, I hate the sound of my own voice lol
 
That is true. Everyone seems to know where someone comes from. I am no good at recognising accents though.
 
Lanolin said:
I have an expat British friend and she says in the UK everyone judges each other on the way they pronounce English. And you can tell where people are from by the way they talk. Am not sure if that's a good or bad thing. I thought My Fair Lady was hilarious, but I especially like it when upper class aristocrats attempt to talk like chavs. I had an Australian poet in my writers group once and everytime he opened his mouth and said something, I would laugh. Because they speak funny. I can't talk though, I hate the sound of my own voice lol
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Cosia said:
That is true. Everyone seems to know where someone comes from. I am no good at recognising accents though.
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Hello Lanolin and Cosia;

Did your friend mean when someone pronounces the word English they get judged?

I love the English language. I studied speech, diction and public speaking of English at regular college and did well. I wish they taught this at seminary.

I can distinguish the English accent from the UK, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. They all live here in our community.

When people from other countries apologize to me for their "poor" English, I tell them "no, no! You're doing just fine and we're able to communicate." Then I tell them about Jesus.

Getting back to the topic, when a brother or sister from Jamaica worships the Lord they will respond with "Ay - Mon."
 
No! Just the way they speak english is judged.

Well, in the UK, according to my friend, if someone has a 'posh' accent they are judged as wealthy and if someone has something that is not 'proper english' like the Queen talks or the BBC, they might be seen as inferior or working class or whatever.

There is a big division between rich and poor by class in the UK and people can tell from others accents.
 
I can tell Irish and Scottish accents apart, though Welsh is kinda in between. But the regional variations within England I don't really know, except for Cockney and BBC English.

There is a Cockney Bible and also a Kiwi Bible where it's written using regional slang and you can read it in an accent if you wish.
 
blueskies said:
“Blessed be the LORD for evermore. Amen, and Amen.”
Psalm 89:52, KJV

Over the recent holidays there were many more opportunities than usual at our home to say ‘Grace’ over meals and for prayers with friends and family. At the end of each blessing we all said, “Amen”.

Interestingly, to me, we are not always pronouncing it the same way.

‘Amen’ is often said at the end of prayers, hymns, affirmations, and supplications. When you say Amen vocally, or silently, do you pronounce it as as:
Ahh-men, Ay-men or Ah-main?

I find myself saying, “Ahh-men”.
Click to expand...
Amen is a Biblical Hebrew word beginning with the letter Aleph, which is pronounced as "ah"; thus, the proper pronunciation is "ah-men".
 
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