Pronunciation: [am tˈə͡ʊld] (IPA) 
The spelling of the phrase "am told" can be explained through its IPA phonetic transcription. "Am" is pronounced as /æm/, with the "a" sound as in "cat" and the "m" sound as in "man". "Told" is pronounced as /toʊld/, with the "t" sound as in "top", the "o" sound as in "so", the "l" sound as in "little", and the "d" sound as in "dog". Together, "am told" is pronounced as /æmtoʊld/.
The phrase "am told" is a verbal construction used to convey information or relay a message that has been transmitted to the speaker by another person or source. It is the past tense of the verb "tell" in the first person singular pronoun "am," indicating that the information has been communicated directly to the speaker. This expression is frequently used in contexts where the speaker wants to emphasize the source of the knowledge or to distance themselves from the truth or accuracy of the statement being relayed.
"Am told" serves as an acknowledgment by the speaker that they do not have firsthand experience or personal knowledge of the information presented. Instead, it indicates a reliance on the credibility or authority of the person who provided the information. The phrase is often accompanied by the name or identifier of the individual or entity from whom the speaker received the information. It is used in both informal and formal communication settings, such as in conversations, reports, news articles, or academic papers.
In summary, "am told" is an expression that denotes the act of being informed or advised about something by someone else. It underscores the speaker's position as an intermediary rather than as an eyewitness or originator of the information, highlighting the role of another person or source in conveying the message.
The phrase "am told" is not a word, but rather a combination of verb forms. The word "am" is the first-person singular present tense of the verb "be", and "told" is the past participle form of the verb "tell". Therefore, the etymology of "am told" primarily comes from the individual etymologies of the verbs "be" and "tell".
The verb "be" can be traced back to Old English, where it had various forms and origins. Ultimately, it can be connected to Proto-Germanic and Proto-Indo-European roots, indicating its ancient heritage.
The verb "tell" also has a significant history. The Old English verb "tellan" derived from the West Germanic word "taljan", which meant "to count, reckon".
