irrelevant

Pronunciation note
The pronunciation of irrelevant  /ɪˈrɛləvənt/ Show Spelled[ih-rel-uh-vuhnt] Show IPA, as  /ɪˈrɛvələnt/[ih-rev-uh-luhnt], as if spelled irrevelant, is the result of metathesis, the transposition of two sounds, in this case, the  /l/[l] and the  /v/[v]. Relevant, the base word, is occasionally subject to the same process. Analogy with words like prevalent and equivalent may play a role. EXPANDA similar reordering of the  /l/[l] and  /v/[v] consonant sounds, althought not a strict one-to-one metathesis, can be heard for Calvary  /ˈkælvəri/[kal-vuh-ree] when pronounced  /ˈkævəlri/[kav-uhl-ree]. Here the transposition is reinforced by the existence of the familiar word cavalry.

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