DEAR ABBY: I know that this is going to sound like a silly question, but I really need to know: Is the word "harassment" pronounced "huh-RASS-ment" or "HAIR-us-ment"? Even on the news they pronounce it differently. -- BAKERSFIELD, CALIF.
DEAR BAKERSFIELD: Although Merriam Webster's Collegiate Dictionary (Tenth Edition) lists two pronunciations for the verb "harass," the first (and preferred) pronunciation is with the emphasis on the RASS. Presumably the same holds true for the noun "harassment."