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This question is Not Answered
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Believer
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210356
Tue, 28 Mar 06 01:45 PM
I know that the word "the" is being pronounced differently based on the initial sounds of words. I know that some words take on different articles because 1) the sound "h" is not pronounced and 2) the letter "u" is being pronounced like "you."
Is it safe to say that we can pronounce the word "the" in front of any words with initial vowel sounds besides the ones mentioned above with the "Di" sound and not with the "Thu" of the "Thus" sound"?
Are all these being pronounced with the "Di" sound?
1) the umbrella 2) the ink 3) the hour 4) the apple
5) the end 6) the above-mentioned document
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CalifJim
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211878
Sun, 02 Apr 06 09:13 AM
The th of the is always pronounced the same, so I don't know what you mean by D vs. TH.
All six of your examples would require the same pronunciation of "the"
-- the pronunciation in which the "e" is pronounced as in "we" or "he".
CJ
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"There are no facts, only interpretations" - Nietzsche
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Nathananise
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211902
Sun, 02 Apr 06 12:01 PM
i would like to point out that the th is always pronounced as TH, it's about placing ur tougue between your teeth ( like biting ur tongue without really biting it, lol), and blowing air out .
if u say THe is Pronounced like De or DI, then i think ur probablly talking about the African American pronounication or othewise the mispronunication that ESL speakers always commit.
however, it's interesting to note that in some words, the rule doesnt apply,esp name. eg. Anthony. it can be anthony or antony
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The art of losing is not hard to master
Even losing you, the joking voice, the gesture that i love
I shan't have lied, the art of losing isn't hard to master
though...
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Tanit
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543435
Sat, 19 Jul 08 08:57 AM
 Anonymous
Hi, I've just watched the video you posted and couldn't find anything that contradicts what CJ wrote in his post.  Could you please say what was wrong, in your opinion? Thanks.
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Kooyeen
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544123
Sun, 20 Jul 08 08:53 PM
I agree with Jim, and that's the way I pronounce "the". Thuh car, Thee eagle. However, I read somewhere that it's not always so, and something is changing. Do some people always say "thuh", even before vowel sounds? I have never heard something like that. I don't know if it's just because I never noticed it, but if that actually happens, it would sound odd to me. Anyone know anything about that?
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sumryan
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544787
Tue, 22 Jul 08 02:57 AM
The word 'the' has the voiced /th/ sound. Before consonants the vowel has a schwa sound so 'the' sounds like thə, Before vowel sounds the vowel has an /iy/ sound like thē.
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Susan Ryan, English Pronunciation Instructor
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Anonymous,
1 yr 38 days ago
Where do you live? Here in Oregon it seems to be very common to use "thuh" before vowel sounds. Teevision news readers, who in most areas are expected to be exemplars of correct, or at least locally accepted, pronunciation, here routinely say "thuh officers of thuh organization held thuh election." Brrr!!! I was not raised here and it strikes my ear as discordant and backwoodsy. I presume it is a regional phenomenon and I would like to know more about its distribution and history. Does anyone have any observations to make about this?
Anonymous,
364 days ago
Actually you are all correct. It depends on what part of the country you are from as to what dialect you speak. This is how it works in any language and not just English. "The" can be pronounced as "thE" with the E making the sound of the letter itself as if you were saying the alphabet. "The" has a tendency to also be pronounced as "thuh" where the "e" is pronounced as "uh." You will sometimes also here individuals pronounce "th" as "d." Therefore, the word will either sound like "de" where the "d" is pronounced like the first d in "dad" and the "e" is pronounced as "E" as in the alphabet. I have also heard "the" pronounced as "duh." In this case the "d" replaces the "th" and the "uh" replaces the "e." The individual was not trying to make a racist remark. It is common to hear blacks and other minorities pronounce "th" as "d." Also, do not show your ignorance and start making remarks about Obama. The use of the race card gets old. Also, read up on your facts. Obama is half white and half black. He was raised by the white side of his family so naturally he talks different. You cannot compare him to a full black/African American because he's mixed. Also, Obama is half African and that is culturally different from African American. The standards are different and the appreciation for simple things in life such as education are different as well. The individual above never said African Americans are not human so don't twist their words. Also, I have heard the word "Anthony" pronounced both as "Anthony" and "Antony." Names are derived from other languages so it depends on where the name originated from. Whether you like it or not there are people different from you outside of your bubble. Learn something about other cultures, languages, and backgrounds so you do not sound ignorant when you try to convince others that things are only your way. This goes for everybody.
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