July and August are months when many people take a vacation. How do you pronounce the word vacation? Click on each pronunciation. Do you sound like #1 or like #2?
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In American English, the vast majority (over 90%) of educated speakers pronounce the first two vowels identically, as represented in #1 above. Even in British English, at least 60% of cultivated speakers use this pronunciation. The second pronunciation is also heard among many British speakers, especially older ones. (The first vowel is a short, reduced vowel.) Younger British speakers have apparently started to use the pattern that is more prevalent in the U.S.
What do we advise? Either pronunciation is fine! If you want to sound like the majority of English speakers, especially American speakers, use pronunciation #1.
(This information about pronunciation preferences is referenced to J.C. Wells, Longman Pronunciation Dictionary, Pearson Education Limited, 2000)