Pronunciation Of Yerba Maté

Mendo Maté Version:

  • Share/Save

Division:

Department:

Audience:

Page Status:

Yerba: The Spanish word "hierba" means herb, grass or bush; Yerba is one of many spelling's of the word that is used in Argentina. Maté is from the Quechua Marti, meaning "cup". Therefore Yerba Maté means "cup herb" or the like. The Brazilian Portuguese name is Erva Maté and is known locally in Southern Brazil as Chimarrão when hot or Tereré when taken cold. The name given to the plant in Guaraní, language of the indigenous people who first cultivated and enjoyed Yerba Maté, is ka'a, which has the same meaning as Yerba Maté.

Maté: In English the acute é indicates the pronunciation is not the same as the much more common English word "Matte", by analogy with words of French origin such as "Café" and other words whose acute é distinguishes their pronunciation from otherwise identically spelled English words, such as résumé and resume. Linguistic prescriptive's regard this usage as erroneous, a case of hyper correction. Purely descriptive linguists regard this sort of usage as a natural evolution of the language.

Explaining the acute é as in Maté

Mendo Maté Version:

  • Share/Save

Division:

Department:

Audience:

Page Status:

In the English language as in most languages we have developed symbols to denote the pronunciation of letters in words that are not pronounced with the same rules of grammar as in the given language. The purpose of this is to extenuate the sound of a letter that has been changed by the transition of the given word across countries or continents.

Examples of this are all around us in the United States and throughout the English language. In our case the elephant in the room is the word "Maté". In normal English grammar this word would mean the following.

Matte: mate 1  (mt)

n.

1. One of a matched pair: the mate to this glove.
2. A spouse.

3.

a. Either of a pair of animals or birds that associate in order to propagate.

b. Either of a pair of animals brought together for breeding.

4.

a. A person with whom one is in close association; an associate.
b. Chiefly British A good friend or companion.
c. A person with whom one shares living quarters. Often used in combination: advertised for a new flatmate.
5. A deck officer on a merchant ship ranking next below the master.
6. A U.S. Navy petty officer who is an assistant to a warrant officer.

Now to show the actual change in pronunciation of "e" at the end of "mate" in English you would place the acute "é" in the place of the normal "e" so you would have the word "maté". In this example you would get the following word and definition.

Maté: ma·té  (mät, mä-t)

n.

1. A South American evergreen tree (Ilex paraguariensis) widely cultivated for its leaves, which are used to prepare a tealike beverage.
2. A tealike beverage, popular in South America, made from the dried leaves of this plant. Also called Paraguay tea, yerba maté.

Thus since in Latin America and throughout the Spanish speaking world they automatically pronounce the acute é or e the same way there is no need to speak of the difference. Matte and or Maté is pronounced the exact same way.

Further here is a list of acute and other common letters with various symbols in use:

Latin small letter A with acute: á

Latin small letter E with acute: é

Latin capital letter E with acute: É

More letters with acute, cercumflex, grave and diaeresis: á é í ó ú ý ê î ô û è ä ë ï ö ü Á É Í Ó Ú Ý Ê Î Ô Û È Ä Ë