Symbols should always be pronounced to denote their intended meaning. For example, the ampersand symbol (&) means "and", and so is pronounced that way:

eg "Smith & Jones" would be read as "Smith and Jones".

You would not expect someone to pronounce the symbol as "ampersand" when encountering it in a text.

The "slash" symbols (/ and \) are described by the terms "forward slash" and "backslash" but as mathematical symbols they can denote a number of things. Therefore the reader needs to understand their intended meaning before they can be read properly.

In your example...

There is another common business type of partnership 51% / 49%.

... it seems to me that this is representing a ratio.

A ratios expressed using the format "51:49" would normally pronounced:

Fifty-one to forty-nine.

However, when it comes to percentages it is quite common to omit the ratio altogether. You may be familiar with the expression "50/50" (fifty-fifty) meaning an equal split two-ways. It may, therefore, be acceptable to say:

Fifty-one forty-nine.

There are other uses for the slash symbol, for example a fraction. Although fractions are traditionally displayed vertically with the numerator above the denominator, it is also common for some to display these on one line using a slash due to the limitations of a computer keyboard. You should consider what it means in context before attempting to pronounce it.

Symbols should always be pronounced to denote their intended meaning. For example, the ampersand symbol (&) means "and", and so is pronounced that way:

eg "Smith & Jones" would be read as "Smith and Jones".

You would not expect someone to pronounce the symbol as "ampersand" when encountering it in a text.

The "slash" symbols (/ and \) are described by the terms "forward slash" and "backslash" but as mathematical symbols they can denote a number of things. Therefore the reader needs to understand their intended meaning before they can be read properly.

In your example...

There is another common business type of partnership 51% / 49%.

... it seems to me that this is representing a ratio.

A ratio expressed using the format "51:49" would normally be pronounced:

Fifty-one to forty-nine.

However, when it comes to percentages it is quite common to omit the ratio altogether. You may be familiar with the expression "50/50" (fifty-fifty) meaning an equal split two-ways. It may, therefore, be acceptable to say:

Fifty-one forty-nine.

There are other uses for the slash symbol, for example, a fraction. Although fractions are traditionally displayed vertically with the numerator above the denominator, it is also common for some to display these on one line using a slash due to the limitations of a computer keyboard. Whatever the symbol, you should consider what it means in context before attempting to pronounce it.

Symbols should always be pronounced to denote their intended meaning. For example, the ampersand symbol (&) means "and", and so is pronounced that way:

eg "Smith & Jones" would be read as "Smith and Jones".

You would not expect someone to pronounce the symbol as "ampersand" when encountering it in a text.

The "slash" symbols (/ and ) are described by the terms "forward slash" and "backslash" but as mathematical symbols they can denote a number of things. Therefore the reader needs to understand their intended meaning before they can be read properly.

In your example...

There is another common business type of partnership 51% / 49%.

... it seems to me that this is representing a ratio.

A ratios expressed using the format "51:49" would normally pronounced:

Fifty-one to forty-nine.

However, when it comes to percentages it is quite common to omit the ratio altogether. You may be familiar with the expression "50/50" (fifty-fifty) meaning an equal split two-ways. It may, therefore, be acceptable to say:

Fifty-one forty-nine.

There are other uses for the slash symbol, for example a fraction. Although fractions are traditionally displayed vertically with the numerator above the denominator, it is also common for some to display these on one line using a slash due to the limitations of a computer keyboard. You should consider what it means in context before attempting to pronounce it.

Symbols should always be pronounced to denote their intended meaning. For example, the ampersand symbol (&) means "and", and so is pronounced that way:

eg "Smith & Jones" would be read as "Smith and Jones".

You would not expect someone to pronounce the symbol as "ampersand" when encountering it in a text.

The "slash" symbols (/ and \) are described by the terms "forward slash" and "backslash" but as mathematical symbols they can denote a number of things. Therefore the reader needs to understand their intended meaning before they can be read properly.

In your example...

There is another common business type of partnership 51% / 49%.

... it seems to me that this is representing a ratio.

A ratios expressed using the format "51:49" would normally pronounced:

Fifty-one to forty-nine.

However, when it comes to percentages it is quite common to omit the ratio altogether. You may be familiar with the expression "50/50" (fifty-fifty) meaning an equal split two-ways. It may, therefore, be acceptable to say:

Fifty-one forty-nine.

There are other uses for the slash symbol, for example a fraction. Although fractions are traditionally displayed vertically with the numerator above the denominator, it is also common for some to display these on one line using a slash due to the limitations of a computer keyboard. You should consider what it means in context before attempting to pronounce it.