English Audio: Speech and Pronunciation

Re: can't;can

Carson21 — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 05:55:39 GMT

Listen for a glottal stop at the end of "can't". It'll basically sound like the <n> got cut off, rather than completed as a sound.

In most American dialects, "can't" is pronounced with the stop when in it's followed by more information: "You can't do that."

It's pronounced with an enunciated /t/ at the end of a sentence: "You can't."

Both of these are assuming normal-speed speech. Faster speech tends to lose the /t/ and you get the glottal stop again, while slower speech tends to emphasize the /t/ .

As for negation: We often use double-negatives to emphasize something. You can say: "You have to go" and be implying an obligation, or you could say "You can't NOT go" (yes, emphasis on "not") and be implying that there is no "not going", no getting out of going. You literally have to, where the first one is just saying that you're expected to.

Double negation is very handy for speeches and essays. And a great way to mess with people who don't expect grammatical twists. An (slightly inappropriate) example: "Aren't you not a virgin?" A trap! Think about how you were asked before you answer that, lest you tell an untruth.

Re: can't;can

CalifJim — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 05:58:28 GMT

I suppose you might put it that way, but it doesn't take more context than the recognition that the word can is final.

CJ

Re: can't;can

Pter — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 04:32:54 GMT

Then we can only tell the meaning from the context instead of from the stress or pronunciation in this case, right?

Re: can't;can

CalifJim — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 04:19:38 GMT

Yes, I would stress the final can. (KAN)
This is the way to do it for a final can that represents can and another verb.

In this case, can represents can run.

(Run as fast as you can run would have unstressed kin/kun -- kinRUN.)

CJ

Re: can't;can

Pter — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 12:01:56 GMT

Hi CJ,

Then how would you say this:

Run, run as fast as you can!

Would you stress the "can" in this sentence?

Re: can't;can

CalifJim — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 00:55:03 GMT

can (followed by another word) can sound almost like kin, or partway between kin and kun, with a full n on the end.
can't (followed by another word) can sound almost like kan with the final n clipped short by placing the tongue in position to say t, but not really saying the t, at least not completely. Detecting the comparatively clipped sound of can't is how you know it's can't, and not can. (The same clipped sound occurs at the end of don't and won't and similar words, by the way.)

Further, can is normally relatively unstressed, and can't is normally relatively stressed. The vertical bar shows the clipping of the nt.

I can see it. = ikinSEE'it.
I can't see it. = iKAN'| (t)SEE'it.

(In this case the t somewhat attaches to see, as if there were two words, thus: kan tsee.)
______________

I can't not go is a different situation. This is more of a semantics problem than a pronunciation problem. Strictly speaking, this is not a double negative, because the two negatives negate two different verbs. One negative applies to the ability or possibility of can; the other negative applies to the action of going.

The meaning is, "It's not possible for me not to go", or more simply, "I have to go". That is, "People are expecting me to go. I must live up to their expectations." Here it's likely you'll hear three stressed syllables in succession, perhaps with not a little less stressed:

iKAN|(t)'NO|(t)'GO'.

CJ

Re: can't;can

Christanford — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 22:59:13 GMT

Thanks so much. I think I've got it now.

Re: can't;can

Kooyeen — Sun, 20 Jan 2008 19:03:56 GMT

Hi,

I can go. = I cun go - can is not stressed and is pronunced with a schwa
I can't go. = I can go
I can. = I can
I can't. = I can(t) - it depends how much that final t is pronounced.

In the last case, I usually pronounce the final T a little, to make a distinction. Otherwise, when it's not pronounced (by some people in some cases), the difference between I can! and I can't! is basically... no difference.

Re: can't;can

Anonymous — Sun, 20 Jan 2008 18:17:16 GMT

Hi,

according the British rules it isn't correct to use can't, there is only cannot.

This is not accurate. Most Britons use the contracted form "can't" in rapid and informal speech. The British pronunciation differs somewhat between different British accents, the RP norm is /kÉË nt/.

there is no double negation in English grammar.

I would agree that double negation in English is non-standard in all its native-speaker varieties, but it would be wrong to claim that it does not exist in English grammar as it is certainly used by a number of native and non-native speakers.

Re: can't;can

Anonymous — Sun, 20 Jan 2008 18:12:18 GMT

Hi Christanford,

The problem here is that General American uses the same vowel sound for "can" and "can't". Word-final English /t/ is sometimes not audibly released, which sometimes makes the two words sound virtually identical.

Re: can't;can

Fandorin — Sun, 20 Jan 2008 18:02:21 GMT

Christanford wrote:
When watching American dramas, I have trouble distinguishing between "can't" and "can".
How are they different in terms of pronunciation?
I sometimes can guess from the context, but when people say something like " I can't not go", I will be very confused and have to look at the subtitle.

Thanks so answering

Hi. So, according the British rules it isn't correct to use can't, there is only cannot. And pronunciation of it is "cAn", i guess you understand me. it is incomprehensible phrase which is in bold. there is no double negation in English grammar. The pronunciation is concerning - listen to conversations more attentive, I suppose there is no way to understand. And there is no need to catch every word when you're watching the film, try to understand sense in generally. It's my own opinion. Good luck

can't;can

Christanford — Sun, 20 Jan 2008 16:57:00 GMT

When watching American dramas, I have trouble distinguishing between "can't" and "can".
How are they different in terms of pronunciation?
I sometimes can guess from the context, but when people say something like " I can't not go", I will be very confused and have to look at the subtitle.

Thanks so answering