Well, let me tell you about my personal experience with the word “ten” and its pronunciation. I have always considered “ten” to be a short word, both in terms of its length and its pronunciation. To me, the word “ten” does not have a long /e/ sound.
When I think of long /e/ words, words like “cheese,” “beach,” and “sheep” come to mind. These words have a distinct /i:/ sound, which is commonly associated with the long /e/ sound. On the other hand, the word “ten” has a short vowel sound, similar to the /ɛ/ sound in words like “check,” “pen,” and “when.”
I have never come across any situation where someone pronounced “ten” with a long /e/ sound. It has always been a short and crisp sound, like the /ɛ/ sound in “bet” or “let.”
Now, let’s consider some synonyms for the word “ten.” We could use “decade,” “tenner,” or “X,” depending on the context. However, none of these synonyms change the pronunciation of the word “ten.” It remains a short /e/ sound, regardless of the word used to describe the number.
To avoid repetition, I could list some other short /e/ words to emphasize the sound of “ten.” Words like “bed,” “red,” “men,” and “pet” all share the same short /e/ sound. These words help illustrate that “ten” falls into the category of short /e/ words.
In terms of adjectives, I don’t believe there are many that can be used to describe the pronunciation of “ten.” It is simply a short /e/ sound, without much variation. However, I can say that the pronunciation of “ten” is consistent and widely accepted across English speakers.
“ten” is not a long /e/ word. It falls into the category of short /e/ words, with a sound similar to /ɛ/. This pronunciation is consistent and does not vary based on synonyms or context. My personal experience and observations align with this understanding.