Pronunciation Tips - Words ending in -age
There are three ways in which words ending in -age are pronounced in English. And often times mispronounced with the pronunciations interchanged. Sound 1: /eɪdʒ/: Here, the syllable '-age' is stressed and rhymes with the word 'age' Eg: page, stage, engage, cage, rage, wage, sage Sound 2: /ɑːʒ/: The French pronunciation takes over when a word may have a French origin. The /j/ sound is produced by raising the center of you tongue against the center of your palate but not really touching it causing an '-aa-j' effect. Eg: garage, vintage, sabotage, mirage, collage, camouflage, massage Sound 3: /ɪdʒ/: The syllable '-age' is not stressed in these words, rather, the stress is on the syllables before it. The sound is a simple '-ij' where the middle and front of your tongue touches the roof of your palate. Eg: language, usage, vintage, manage, village, luggage, advantage, courage, average, message, garbage, marriage