xxxvi

Typically you pronounce it as the number 36 in spoken form: /ˈθɜːrti sɪks/ (US/UK) when read as a numeral in regular prose. If you’re reading it as a label or in a context that preserves the Roman-numeral style, you might spell it as /ˈiː ɛk s ɛk vi/ (letter-by-letter) in very formal manuscript contexts, though this is rare. The most natural approach is to say “thirty-six” in running speech; use the letters only when the style guide or context explicitly requires it. In fast speech, the phrase can reduce to /ˈθɜːti-sɪks/ with minimal hiatus, keeping a clear stress on the first syllable of thirty. When you encounter xxxvi in a scientific table or edition indicator, default to the numeric reading to preserve clarity. IPA guidance: US/UK: /ˈθɜːrti sɪks/. Audio reference: consult standard numeral pronunciation sources or Pronounce for context-specific vocalization.

Common mistakes include reading it as a hyphenated weird cluster or over-enunciating every letter. People sometimes treat it as /ˈɛks ɛks ɛks vi/ with exaggerated consonants. The correction is to prefer the natural numeric pronunciation /ˈθɜːrti sɪks/ when used as a number in running text. If the context demands letter pronunciation, say each letter distinctly: /ˈɛks ɛks ɛks vi/ with a crisp onset for each letter and pausing slightly between letters. Also beware of vowel reduction in fast speech; keep the /ɜː/ in thirty for a stable rhythm, avoid merging it with the following /s/ sound. For non-native speakers, work on easing the cluster XXX into a compact syllable: three separate consonant onset positions in quick succession can be challenging in rapid speech; practice by saying “thirty-six” slowly, then phrase-merge the two syllables so the /r/ and /t/ transitions are smooth. Finally, avoid pronouncing it as “ex-ex-ex-vee” in contexts where a numeral reading is expected. Use the numeral reading for clarity, or letter-reading only when instructed by a style guide.

In US and UK accents, the numeral reading becomes /ˈθɜːrti sɪks/ with a clear schwa-less vowel in some American pronunciations: /ˈθɜːrti sɪks/ or /ˈtɜrti sɪks/ depending on regional vowel quality. Rhoticity in US accents makes the /r/ strong; UK non-rhotic speakers may drop the /r/ in /ˈθɜːti/ to something closer to /ˈθɜːti/ with a weaker post-vocalic r. Australian English tends to be rhotic with a broad /ɜː/ in the first syllable, similar to UK but with more twang in the second syllable; vowel quality can be slightly more centralized and faster in casual speech. If you must pronounce the letters, US/UK/AU each produce /ˈɛks ɛks ɛks vi/ with stable, crisp consonant articulations, but Australia can have a slightly broader vowel in the /ɛ/ of “ex.” Also, native stress patterns favor one primary stress on the first syllable in the numeral reading, while letter pronouncing tends to maintain even stress across letters. In practice, prefer numeric reading in formal contexts across all three accents; reserve letter pronunciation for typographic or catalog contexts where the style guide demands it.

The difficulty stems from a few phonetic concerns: You must decide whether to vocalize as a compound numeral or spell it as letters, and this choice changes rhythm and mouth positioning. The numeral reading /ˈθɜːrti sɪks/ requires clean linking between /r/ and /t/ and a controlled release from the velar /k/ into the /s/; fast speech can cause vowel reduction or consonant clustering issues. For letter pronunciation /ˈɛks ɛks ɛks vi/, you must maintain precise articulation for three similar consonant-onset segments in sequence, which can be awkward in fluent speech. Additionally, in connected speech, the /r/ in “thirty” can blend into the /s/ of “six,” and non-native speakers sometimes insert an unwieldy vowel between segments or misplace the accent. The main challenge is consistency: choose one reading per context and practice the transition between syllables or letters to avoid a choppy delivery. Finally, many learners struggle with the subtle vowel length and unstressed syllables in “thirty” and “six,” so work on stress placement and natural rhythm to sustain smooth pronunciation.

A unique question is whether you should vocalize the capitals when used in a list: should you read it as a stand-alone numerals or as Roman-numeral letters? In academic or catalog contexts, the convention is to pronounce XXXVI as a single numeral token when referring to an edition or volume, as in “Edition XXXVI,” pronounced “Edition thirty-six.” In contrast, when the context specifies the identifier as a stylistic label, you might recite the letters with clear syllabic separation: /ˈɛks ɛks ɛks vi/. The key distinction is context: running prose and numeric references favor the numeral reading; formal cataloging or typography contexts favor letter pronunciation. As you encounter such uses, align with the surrounding conventions to avoid confusion for your listener, preserving the formality or brevity required by the discourse.