Questions tagged [pronunciation]
This tag is for questions which a dictionary cannot answer about the sound, intonation, and stress of how words are uttered or produced.
918
questions
0
votes
1answer
43 views
-ctly pronunciation in British (ex. exactly, correctly etc.)
I have a question about the pronunciation of these words in British accent; exactly, correctly etc.
I am more familiar with the American accent, so I tend to ignore the 't' between two consonants.
Do ...
1
vote
2answers
35 views
At which point does mispronunciation become accent?
A while back, when I was talking to one friend of mine (we are both English language learners), he "mispronounced" a word so I pointed it out. He responses with something like "Well, I ...
-1
votes
1answer
36 views
Words with 'oo' that aren't pronouced as [ʊ]
I'm looking for words that has double o, but aren't pronounced as [ʊ].
(aren't like moon, goose, school)
Ideally is there a rule, or even a hint for finding these kind of words?
Looking at the ...
0
votes
0answers
23 views
Is “ScU Sub” an alliteration?
The "S" in "ScU" is [es], while the "S" in "Sub" is [s]. Therefore, I'm not sure whether it is an alliteration.
ScU is Sichuan University.
I'm considering "...
2
votes
2answers
90 views
The silent “u”: “forty” and “fourteen”
We all know that the cardinal and ordinal numbers 4 and 4th are spelled ‘four’ and “fourth” respectively. Then we have 14 and 14th which are spelled “fourteen” and “fourteenth”. Yet the numbers 40 and ...
0
votes
4answers
79 views
Linking pronunciation: ‘linked to’
How to pronounce ‘linked to’?
I assume ed+t should be linked? Or is it ok to be pronounced separately. How about ‘linked them’? I can tell there is some difference between ‘link to’ and ‘linked to’ ...
2
votes
1answer
50 views
How to pronounce “Stannis's”? [duplicate]
I know that the "s" becomes "z" when it comes after a voiced sound. And it is pronounced as "s" when it comes after a voiceless sound. I also know rules about possessives ...
0
votes
2answers
67 views
How is the name 'Margie' pronounced?
'Margie' is a diminutive form of Margaret /m'a: grit/. It is normally pronounced as [mˈɑːdʒi] by the native speakers. Some other derivatives include Maggie, Meg, Megan, etc. Now, all of these have the ...
1
vote
4answers
134 views
Can I always drop the T and the D at the end of verbs in the past (or past participle) tense when they come between two consonants sounds?
I am Brazilian and I'm trying to improve my English-speaking skills. I having a tough time linking verbs in the past tense to words starting with consonants other than T and D. I learned that many ...
1
vote
1answer
51 views
Word(s) in which 'V' is pronounced /f/
I was reading this question and it reminded me of a word (I've forgotten now) which was the opposite of that question i.e. a word in which the letter V is pronounced /f/. I racked my brain for about ...
2
votes
1answer
87 views
Why are the vowels in “sense”, “nonsense” and “nonsensical” pronounced differently?
I'm a bit confused by these words. Since "nonsense" derives from "sense" but the vowel in "sense" is /ɛ/ and it reduces to /ə/ in "nonsense". BUT "...
1
vote
2answers
221 views
On the meaning of YgUDuh by E.E. Cummings
I'm currently trying to understand E.E. Cummings Poem "YgUDuh":
ygUDuh
ydoan
yunnuhstan
ydoan o
yunnuhstand dem
yguduh ged
yunnuhstan dem doidee
yguduh ged riduh
ydoan o nudn
LISN bud LISN
...
0
votes
0answers
17 views
“Asks” pronunciation in sentence [duplicate]
How do you pronounce “asks” in “She asks too many questions”? Is it possible to omit the “s” while we are speaking?
2
votes
1answer
52 views
The pronunciation of English consonants
Do native speakers not pronounce the final consonants in words? For example, the "d" in "bad" and "g" in "ing" in "interesting" or "speaking&...
35
votes
5answers
7k views
Why is the t in “often” silent?
Cambridge online dictionary pronounces "often" without the "t" but also gives the pronunciation with the t. I checked in many other dictionaries but it is silent.
UK: /ˈɒf.ən/ /ˈɒf....
-1
votes
1answer
37 views
POME GRANATE or pom o gra nate
What is the pronunciation of pomegranate?
When I check the dictionaries for the pronunciation, its different from the way the native speakers pronounce it.
I'm confused what pronunciation should I use....
1
vote
1answer
107 views
Are /s/ and /z/ really distinguishable at the end of a word?
I know /z/ is voiced and /s/ is not, but many times I heard /s/ when it should be /z/.
For example, the word "yours", according to IPA, should be pronounced yourz /jɔːz/, but I almost always ...
18
votes
2answers
2k views
'Me' vs 'my' [pronunciation] in British English
I noticed that British people sometimes use me instead of my. For example, Liam Gallagher does it quite often.
Example:
The wind was strong I have nearly lost me pants
What is a story behind this ...
2
votes
2answers
71 views
How to pronounce the “n” in “wasn't really…” fast?
When people say "wasn't really" really fast, does the tongue position for /n/ in "wasn't" exactly the same as an usual /n/?
(like in this description.)
I ask this question because ...
1
vote
0answers
73 views
How can I differentiate the american R from the american W?
I followed some guides fro the pronunciation of the american R, as a result of which my R sounds just like a W. What is the difference between them?
0
votes
1answer
44 views
Common words where TH is not pronounced as TH?
I've recently been told that the word "clothes" is actually pronounced as "close", because an American friend heard me saying it with a voiced TH sound.
The thing is I usually can'...
0
votes
1answer
41 views
Are past participles in -thed ever pronounced -ðid?
Do native speakers ever (erroneously) pronounce past participles in -thed, such as bathed and clothed, as -ðid rather than -ðd? If so, how prevalent is this?
2
votes
3answers
935 views
Pronunciation of past participles of words that end with 'thed' (e.g. bathed)
How does one pronounce past participles in -thed, such as "clothed" and "bathed" in British English? Are there more than one correct pronunciation?
A Cambridge dictionary said [-ðd]...
0
votes
1answer
40 views
Standing in “fries” of me?
In Christina Perri's song A Thousand Years, according to all lyrics websites at 1:46 the lyrics is "standing in front of me".
https://youtu.be/rtOvBOTyX00?t=106
But to my ear she clearly ...
2
votes
2answers
60 views
How are transliterated words pronounced: as they are in the origin language or according to the recipient language's rules?
How are transliterated words pronounced: as they are in the origin language or according to the recipient language's rules? Say, we have a Soviet multiple rocket launcher "Buk". In Russian, ...
0
votes
1answer
115 views
the pronunciation of “gripe”
Cambridge Dictionary gives IPA symbol /ɡraɪp/ for "gripe" while Merriam-Webster gives /ˈgraɪp/.
Both audio clips on them sound like grape, at least sound closer to grape than to white.
When ...
0
votes
0answers
26 views
Is “status 1” pronounced “status of one”
In a tutorial, it sounds like "non-zero exit status 1" is pronounced "non zero exit status of one", with the pattern xx of number when talking about a number-value of something.
...
0
votes
1answer
93 views
Are there any differences in the ways of speaking English by men and women? Any typical examples?
In Japan, my home country, men and women speak slightly differently in terms of word choice and how to end a sentence, to give you just a few examples. This is especially true in informal situations. ...
1
vote
2answers
76 views
How to pronounce “another thing”
When you pronounce "another thing", should you pronounce the "r" at the end of another?
0
votes
1answer
47 views
“one thousand feet” or “one thousand foot”
According to a post
Phoebe lives less than 1000' from the coffeehouse.
When speaking, should I pronounce one thousand feet or one thousand foot?
-1
votes
1answer
40 views
“for” vs. “fur”
In a scene of Friends Season 2 Episode 1, Phoebe helps Monica Cheats on Rachel and says
went shopping for fur
Those two words sound the same.
According to Merriam-Webster, fur is pronounced /ˈfɚ/, ...
1
vote
3answers
75 views
silent syllables in AmE and BrE
From Cambridge Dictionary, the word "comfortable" is pronounced /ˈkʌm.fɚ.t̬ə.bəl/, while some native speakers would pronounce it /ˈkʌm.ft̬ə.bəl/, which means "for" in the word is ...
1
vote
1answer
68 views
How to tell apart ɝ and ɛ?
Today I discovered the word "scurry" and I immediately found that I couldn't tell it apart with "scary". I looked it up and found that it boils down to differentiating ɝ and ɛ, at ...
0
votes
0answers
30 views
Free to use collection of English words' pronunciations (to be used in an English teaching app)
I am building an English teaching app and I need pronunciations of the words for free so that I can use them in my app without Copyright infringement.
0
votes
1answer
44 views
the sound of “pfft” in real life
I think I know, but I'm not sure. Dictionary sound is different from real life. Does it sound like "chi"?
(weirdly I couldn't find this with google or youtube)
0
votes
1answer
61 views
How to pronounce “Karl Wilhelm Bücher” in american english?
How to pronounce "Karl Wilhelm Bücher" in american english?
please use the standard phonetics
Karl Wilhelm Bücher (16 February 1847, Kirberg, Hesse – 12 November 1930, Leipzig, Saxony) was a ...
4
votes
1answer
59 views
How common is it for a native speaker to use “i.e.” in their conversation?
How common is "i.e." in everyday conversation? If so,
How do native speakers pronounce it? "id est" or something else?
0
votes
1answer
41 views
Please help me with my dictation. He's British
very short, only voice, British
I'm hearing...
A: doing that blah blah 45?
B: that's plenty of time
I'm watching a British cooking show program
Situation is, there's three people in a team and
one ...
0
votes
0answers
43 views
A strange lesson from a bilingual American. About article “the”
I just have happened to have found this video.
He is teaching English in Japanese TV and is saying he is frustrated about every time he speaks the as in "thə" (which should grammatically be ...
0
votes
2answers
67 views
Does a following consonant cancel the preceding consonant?
According to a tutorial, we can link /d/ to /t/ or /t/ to /d/ in speech, for example,
I need two kilos of shrimp.
the /t/ sound in "two" cancels the /d/ sound in "need".
She ...
0
votes
0answers
15 views
How common is the glottal t pronunciation in British English compared to the /t/ sound?
How common is the glottal t pronunciation in British English compared to the /t/ sound?
I've heard both of them, but I'm not sure what frequency they represent. Does one of them represent more formal ...
0
votes
0answers
52 views
Is it common to omit “it's” in spoken American?
From a tutorial
it's just time to move on
It sounds like "it's" is completely omitted. Is it common in spoken American?
1
vote
2answers
102 views
Is it common to pronounce two /tjuː/?
The word "two" in a tutorial sounds like /tjuː/ at multiple positions.
Is it common to pronounce two /tjuː/?
Another tutorial uses the same pronunciation.
I want you to listen to English through ...
1
vote
1answer
29 views
“how comes down” vs. “It all comes down”
Meaning of come down on Cambridge Dictionary
to fall and land on the ground
A tutorial sounds like
This is why Hebrew may come across as aggressive, but it's basically the way we
stress words....
0
votes
1answer
23 views
read that time point of a video
Should I use present continuous or present simple tense here to describe an action in a video? says
At 1:19, he's holding the ball, and then drop it freely down to his foot
Should I read that time ...
0
votes
1answer
25 views
“equivalent” pronunciation of pairs of words
This "The Langage Nerds" post illustrates many "same pronunciation different meaning" pairs of words.
While most seem reasonable to me, I'm surprised by some, and wonder if there is some USA's bias or ...
0
votes
0answers
43 views
It seems that British people do not have inclination to pronounce some “r”, but why?
Why British people do not pronounce most "r" which is mostly located at the the end of word? for example :
There: UK /ðeə(r)/ and US /ðer/
therefrom: UK /ˌðeəˈfrɒm/ and US /ˌðerˈfrɑːm/
More:UK ...
7
votes
5answers
232 views
How do you pronounce 2'' x 9/2" x 8' (board)?
I called Home Depot to reserve some wood. This is my exact requirement: 2" x 9/2" x 8ft.
I told them over the phone many times
"I am calling to make sure if you have four 2 inch times 9 inch ...
0
votes
1answer
47 views
An interesting teaching by a native speaker
Watching this video,, in which a native speaker is teaching Japanese learners about English,
The teacher is saying about "Wait a minute", from 3:16～
Wait a minute = Waitamini(small t)
To me ...
0
votes
1answer
55 views
English Pronunciation of “Employé”
I've read a number of older books in which I see the work "employé" being used where we would today use "employee". The meaning in all cases was obvious.
Example:
"You seem most fortunate in having ...
