this christmas day how do i pronounce the words  christian which is a follower of christianity  

and christianity a religion based on the teachings  of jesus christ so i do think people get confused  

because the person's name jesus christ is  with the long i christ but when we say the  

word christian and christianity we are actually  going to use a short i so let's take a look at  

both of these words how do we say these words so  to say christian we're going to think about two  

beats chris chen the mistake i hear as people  try to pronounce all of these letters um and say  

christian and that isn't correct it's just two  beats two syllables chris chun for christianity  

we're going to have one two three four five beats  or five syllables and this gets slightly confusing  

because we are going to shift the word stress from  syllable one on chris to the an adi when we add  

that ity ending so let's break these two words  down to say christian we're going to start with  

chris and to do this we're going to say the k and  the r sound together in a blend or a cluster to do  

this tip of your tongue is pointed down for the  k back of the tongue is pulled up air puffs out  

keep your tongue there you're going to close your  mouth a little bit to square tense lip shape and  

that is going to give you that r sound you do not  want to open your mouth wide between those sounds  

that will add an extra sound there keep your mouth  in about the same position and then just close it  

add the short sound relaxed mouth your mouth is  slightly open tongue is just below those top teeth  

and then end with an s for that first syllable  to do an s the tip of the tongue either behind  

the top teeth or pointing down it is not  touching the t so that air can move out  

chris then we're going to end with chun to do  this the ch sound two letters one sound the  

ch sound to do that touch the tip of your  tongue to the back of your top front teeth  

and then pull the tongue back  your lips are going to be puckered

and then you're going to add the schwa the  uh sound your mouth is just open and relaxed  

and then end with the n the n sound you're going  to do that by touching the tip of your tongue to  

the back of your top front teeth air is going to  move out of your nose i did write it as chin if  

that's easier for you to remember like your chin  um then you can say it that way as well the key is  

just a very short and relaxed vowel for syllable  two let's put that all together chris chin  

christian christian christian and now for christianity  

syllable number two instead of the short  is going to be along e chi to make that e  

you're going to smile and make that vowel nice  and long and then we're going to say and to do  

this open your mouth wide tongue tip will be low  in your mouth back of the tongue will be pulled up  

mouth is in a nice wide circle and then move that  mouth while you're closing it move the tongue to  

the back of the top front teeth again for the  n an this syllable is going to be the loudest  

the longest and the highest because this is  our stressed syllable so again longest vowel  

a little bit louder and higher in pitch than  the others then we're going to add a schwa uh  

and then end with d to do that touch the tip of  the tongue to the back of the top front teeth  

and then smile for the e e all right so let's put  this all together chris chi an a dee chris chi an  

adee christian adee christianity christianity  Christianity let me try it again christianity  

christian christianity and now for a sentence  it's a big day for people who follow christianity  

these christians from around the world will  be celebrating christmas merry christmas  

everyone wishing you peace and joy in  this holiday season thank you everyone