The pronunciation of “Christmas” as “Chris-mas” is due to linguistic evolution and natural speech simplification over time. The term “Christmas” originates from the Old English word Cristes Maesse, meaning “Mass of Christ.” Over centuries, the word underwent phonetic changes for easier and faster pronunciation.
In everyday speech, the “t” in “Christ” is softened or dropped, leading to “Chris-mas.” This phenomenon, known as elision, often occurs in English to make words flow more smoothly. Similarly, other words have their pronunciations simplified for convenience over time.
Despite this pronunciation shift, the spelling “Christmas” retains its original form, reflecting its historical and religious roots.
