Pronunciation Guide • English
How to Pronounce salmon
Difficulty: easy
IPA Transcription
/ˈsæmən/
Why is it so hard to pronounce?
SAM-un. The "l" is completely silent. This is one of the most famous silent letters in English. The "l" was inserted into the spelling in the 15th century to make the word look more "Latin", but the pronunciation never changed.
💡 Pro Tip for salmon
SAM-un. Ignore the L completely. It has never been pronounced in English.
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Hear 'salmon' Audio Now →Word Origins
The term salmon originates from Latin "salmo". Understanding its etymology helps explain why it breaks standard pronunciation rules.