While reading a English Syntax book, I wondered how I have to read a’, a”, a”’ in English.
Would you tell me how to?
Answer
I’m guessing that you are referring to McCawley’s numbering system for example sentences:
(1) a.
a′.
a″.
a‴.
b.
… and so forth.
These are not actually English words but typographic symbols. Like the tree diagrams, they’re not really intended to be spoken.
If you have to speak them, you may as J.R. suggests say a-prime, a-double-prime, etc. (which is a use borrowed from mathematics), or you may as FumbleFingers suggests say a-tick, etc. (but that is a British rather than US usage).
Attribution
Source : Link , Question Author : Listenever , Answer Author : StoneyB on hiatus