The recently completed Marina Barrage turned Marina Bay and Kallang Basin into a freshwater reservoir. But how does one pronounce the word “Barrage”? Is it “Bah-rage” or “Bear-rage” or “Buh-rage”?
There are actually two ways to pronounce ‘barrage’. You can either say ‘buh-RAHGE’ with the stress on the second syllable or ‘BARE-rahge’ with the stress on the first syllable.
The second way of pronouncing ‘barrage’ is a chiefly British way of pronouncing the word.
But in the context of the Marina Barrage, you would pronounce ‘barrage’ the first way (buh-RAHGE) because you’re referring to ‘barrage’ in a civil engineering context.
Things always get complicated when engineering gets involved, doesn’t it?
Source: Edited from “English As It is Broken” on STOMP. Visit www.stomp.com.sg for more.
