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.
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0answers
21 views
Do I need to repeat the pronoun “their” in my sentence, when describing something
I would like to describe the help and communication of some workers. I just wonder do I need to repeat the pronoun "their" in my sentence or not.
I would like to thank the staff at the university ...
0
votes
1answer
36 views
Regarding the pronunciation of “address”
pronunciation of address
I'm a post-80s. I had been keeping pronouncing it /əˈd'drɛs/ for many years until recently. Now I know its pronunciation in verb form /əˈdrɛs/ and noun form /ædrɛs/.
I ...
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1answer
31 views
Why “interference” has pronunciation of “/… fɪə …/”?
We speak "interference" as: /ɪntə'fɪər(ə)ns/. However, I do not understand why we don't say it as: /ɪntə'fɜːr(ə)ns/? Just like the word "infer". Why do we pronunce differntly about "fer" part in these ...
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1answer
30 views
how to practise pronouncing r
I have been saying the 'r' sound using my teeth and my top lips.
It sounds weak, often kinda like a 'w'.
I want to start saying it properly all the time, using my tongue.
I can do this, but find ...
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0answers
17 views
How to start hearing the difference between similar sounds [migrated]
The question i have is something that every student of a second language should have. That is about not being able to hear the difference between similar sounds, because of the first language. F.e. as ...
1
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1answer
37 views
Question about the pronunciation rule of the letter G followed by e or i
In school I was taught that words with the letter G followed by i or e pronounced as [ʤ] as in the words: page, cage, large, gene, giant, giraffe, image, gel, general, gentle, etc.
With time I found ...
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1answer
41 views
English and French reading rules
Lieutenant is a word of French origin, and it is read as /lefˈtenənt/.
I've never learnt French and I don't know anything about French reading rules, unfortunately. But I guess the English reading ...
3
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1answer
94 views
I'm fluent in English, but I can't understand names of people and places
Ok, this is a tough one to put into words, so bear with me for a moment please. It is actually the first time I'm writing this down, and it is very difficult to explain. Long story short, I've been ...
-1
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0answers
44 views
Is it /tʃ/ or /ʃ/ in words like Picture, Lecture- General American?
Google speech indicates clearly that words like "Picture & Lecture" is pronounced with only /ʃ/ sound (i.e. dropping the /t/ sound) in GA. I just want to make sure my hearing is correct and why ...
0
votes
1answer
37 views
How to read mixed fractions? [closed]
Is it correct to read mixed fraction 35 466/635 as ' thirty five and four hundred sixty six over six hundred thirty five'?
I know we can read it as thirty five and four hundred sixty six six hundred ...
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1answer
49 views
How do people normally pronounce the “l” in “welcome”?
I wonder how the dark L in this word is pronounced. I thought when pronouncing a dark L, I should put the tongue tip on the alveolar ridge behind the teeth, but in Rachel's English video she says she ...
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0answers
49 views
How to speak english fluently [closed]
I am here to share one of my personal problem with you. I am not a native English speaker. I learn to read how to read or write in English. I am not very fluent in english. Sometime people ask me ...
1
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1answer
72 views
Problem in pronunciation of voiced and unvoiced th
My sister and I have problem in pronunciation of voiced and unvoiced Th. We used to substitute unvoiced th with \s\ (like in think) and \t\ (like in thank you) and voice th with \d\
Now we are ...
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2answers
42 views
Article or paragraph 47/1 pronunciation question
How should I pronounce 47/1?
India abstained on resolution 47/1 of 22 September 1992.
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1answer
66 views
It tastes like chicken(pronunciation-unstressed end consonant?)
When a particular new food is given to you, and you tasted it, you say:
"Nice! It tasteS like chicken!''
Do you say it with stressed S sound or you don't have to? Because I heard from BBC learning ...
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1answer
47 views
Should I pronounce my russian name as an american or as a russian?
In meetings with my teammates from USA they pronounce my russian name "Artem" with American accent(not the way other russians pronounce it). Should I also pronounce other's Russian names with the ...
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1answer
47 views
Improve pronunciation if one's English level is already ~C1?
I've been studying English for a while and considered myself a good speaker (mostly because I had passed CAE a year ago). Lately, though, I found myself in an environment where English is used a lot ...
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3answers
1k views
Mam or mum in English crime series
In English crime series I often hear mom or mam or mum. I don't know...
What does it mean? When is an appropriate time to use it?
See this trailer from the BBC's Bodyguard crime series.
-1
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1answer
52 views
Pronunciation of word ending with z sound followed by word starting with sh sound
Here are two examples of words ending in a z sound followed by a word starting with a sh sound:
Does she
Always shines.
Do we pronounce the z sound or do we skip it and pronounce sh ...
1
vote
2answers
155 views
American English pronunciation: basically or “basicly”?
Does the final "a" drop out in words like "basically", "logically", etc, or should I pronounce it?
1
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1answer
36 views
How do you pronounce the plural of 'f" (f's)? Is it /efs/ or /evz/?
How do you pronounce the plural of 'f" (f's)?
Is it /efs/ or /evz/?
Are there any fixed rules?
1
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2answers
53 views
Complaint vs Complain (AmE pronunciation) [closed]
My question is about the pronunciation of the T of the word complaint.
On one hand, I work for a company where I deal with different nationalities. Some Egyptians, Indians, and other nationalities ...
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1answer
112 views
How do people normally pronounce it (VAT)?
How do people normally pronounce the abbreviation VAT (Value added tax)?
Which of the two chices is more common?
To read each letter seperately (V.A.T)
To read it as a word (vat)
1
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1answer
322 views
Why the p in “receipt” is not pronounced?
Is there any known pronunciation rule that justifies the p in "receipt" not being pronounced, does it have to do with the origin of the word or something or how it is? Why the p in "receipt" is not ...
0
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2answers
59 views
How often do English speakers mishear an important and unimportant?
I know it's silly, but it's been bugging me for a while. Namely, the word unimportant and combination "an important". Whenever I pronounce them I cant' get rid of a feeling that they sound the same, ...
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1answer
64 views
The word IELTS pronunciation
Why does IELTS read [ˈaɪelts] when the I starts the word "International" so IELTS should read [jelts] instead.
Is it an exception?
0
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2answers
50 views
American pronunciation of (tall, taught, law, bought) vs (father, pasta, drop)
I have two tutorials by Cook and by Cameron. Cameron suggests that these two groups are pronounced differently: e.g. in "drop" the tongue is perfectly flat, but in "jaw" it goes up by 1/8 of an inch. ...
0
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1answer
53 views
Pronunciation of final sound -ge [closed]
Can we ignore the final sound -ge as speaking the following sentence?
"Having true consciousness can change someone's life."
2
votes
1answer
65 views
How to pronounce Celtics?
In ESPN videos (1, 2), Boston Celtics was pronounced as /sel-tik/, but the dictionary says both /kel-tik/ and /sel-tik/ are acceptable pronunciations and clicking the sound icon on the dictionary ...
0
votes
1answer
57 views
Pronunciation of “eccentric”
I know the pronunciation of the word in its traditional sense. Lately I’ve been researching fitness largely via online videos, and whenever someone refers to motion transforming rotation into back-and-...
1
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1answer
30 views
Are acronyms pronounced as a one word or separately?
In English language there are innumerable Acronyms, but what I don’t know is that when do we pronounce an acronym as one word and when as separate Letters?
For Instance, UNICEF is pronounced /...
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2answers
60 views
how to pronounce “in that”
I am wondering how to pronounce "in that", where in that is a synonym for because. I have little understanding of reduction. Is it right to pronounce it /inə/?
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2answers
58 views
How can one tell apart the words queen and quean in a conversation?
I tried online voice synthesis and it sounds indistinguishable to my Russian ear: https://translate.google.com/#en/ru/quean%20vs%20queen
How am I supposed to pick up the difference if the context in ...
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1answer
61 views
Why do the pronunciations of “ion” given in the Longman Dictionary and the Cambridge Dictionary differ?
Ion
/ˈaɪən $ ˈaɪən, ˈaɪɑːn/
(LDOCE Online)
OR
Ion
UK /ˈaɪ.ɒn/ US /ˈaɪ.ɑːn/
(Cambridge Dictionary)
Why does the pronunciation of these two words differ in these two sites?
1
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2answers
64 views
Is there (and what if there is) a difference in saying nozzle and nuzzle? [closed]
To my Russian ear, it appears that both nozzle and nuzzle sound the same. Is it true? If no, what is the difference?
1
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1answer
52 views
Do native speakers pronounce 's' for the word 'corps'?
My dictionary lists the pronunciation of corps as [kɔːʳ], [kɔrz]. So, I am wondering if native speakers really pronounce the s sound?
6
votes
1answer
111 views
Anyone succeeded to teach/recognize the difference in L and R listening wise?
I'm Japanese clueless about the difference in between the sound of L and R in the most case.
I thought I should just give up, but it's too much obstacle to just ignore. (It's painful to remember ...
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1answer
43 views
“need to” pronounced something like /neit/ here, Why?
Watch this video, 00:16 .
How do you pronounce "need to"? /niːd tə/ or /neɪt/ I think the professor said something like /neɪt/ in that video.
The sentence:
You need to be aware of its difference ...
3
votes
1answer
85 views
How to differentiate the pronunciation of it, eat, eight and ate?
I'm trying to refine my spoken English from scratch, and one of the biggest issue for me are the pairs of vowels: tense /i/ and lax /I/. I really can't tell the difference between them. I know that /i/...
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2answers
38 views
We “wanted” to ask you …? /wɒn.tɪd/ , but sometimes I heard /ˈwɒnɪd/ or something like /ˈwɒnidt/ Are there any differences between them?
I "wanted" to ask you ...? /wɒn.tɪd/ , but sometimes I heard /ˈwɒnɪd/ or something like /ˈwɒnidt/
Are there any differences between them?
For example, you can also see and hear these two sentences ...
3
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4answers
113 views
How should I pronounce “th” well?
I had a hard time trying this. I have known that I should bite my tounge when I pronounce "th". This sometimes goes well with words like "thick". However, every time I try to say "those", Siri will ...
0
votes
1answer
72 views
Pronunciation of Height Weight [closed]
Why is height pronounced as hi, but weight is pronounced as wei?
Someone suggest me a good book to learn such pronunciation rules in English so fast, not a huge book please.
1
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2answers
103 views
Do they notice me if I use /d/ instead of /th/ sound?
I can’t hear the difference between /d/ and /th/ very well, though I know how to pronounce them. And it’s always hard for my tongue to use /th/, especially in the word “the”. Naturally I switch to /d/ ...
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1answer
36 views
How do I distinguish linking of two or more individual words?
How do I distinguish linking of two or more individual words ?
For example : "Thank you", does not make sense to me as two words by English sound.
My first language is Chinese.
My purpose is find a ...
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1answer
60 views
Why don't you flap the T in (Rate)? Isn't it between two vowels?
In linked words, flapped T is pronounced such as (what if).
Flapped T is pronounced when the T comes between two vowels.
According to the previous rules, I expect to pronounce the flapped T in the ...
0
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1answer
37 views
How do native speakers read “of the”? [closed]
Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
I always can't hear clearly about "of", especially in "of the".
0
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1answer
53 views
Why do native speakers read “he was” like “use”?
The chromite petered out in a month and a half, and he was lucky to
break even.
sound track
That makes me very hard to hear clear.
0
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2answers
93 views
Do I have to pronounce the letter “l” as light or dark when there is a double “l” followed by a vowel in a word?
It is known that when the letter l is followed by a vowel then it is pronounced as light, and when it is at the end of a word or is followed by a consonant then it is pronounced as dark. But it is ...
3
votes
2answers
123 views
In American English, can we flap the /d/ in the phrases “Where did”, “Where do”, “Where don't” and “Where does”?
I am 99% sure Americans quite often flap the /d/ sound which comes right after /r/ in the phrases "Where did", "Where do", "Where don't" and "Where does" (I am talking about the initial /d/'s), and I ...
0
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1answer
51 views
Do native speakers read “seemed to” omit the “ed”?
sound example
I have heard many times of the omitting of the "ed".
But someone suggested that it should never omit the ed.
