Search results for 'tag:Accents tag:Spelling' matching tags 'Accents' and 'Spelling'

Re: How do I pronounce those words in American Accent?

Anonymous — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 23:23:21 GMT

Hi, I'm an American from the northwest part of the country (Washington state). Our accents by American standards are supposed to be the 'blandest.' That is, easiest to understand and closest to speaking phonetically American spelling.

So I'll try to do this as close as possible to the way we pronounce it.

Ray gyoo lair lee = regularly (the 'lar' is pronounced like lair, as in the hideout or haunt)

Par tik kyoo lair lee = particularly (again, this 'larly' sounds like the one in regularly)

O - ur dur = order (ooh, this is a tough one to explain. If you already know how to pronounce the 'er' sound, like the 'der' in Order, then the 'r' before the 'O' makes the same 'er' sound. So it ends up sounding like this: Oherder. A word that makes that 'r' sound in 'order' is the word 'oar' like the one used to row of a boat. So, it's pronounced exactly like 'oarder.') (I hope that isn't too confusing...)

M- er der = murder (like in 'order', the 'r' makes the 'er' sound and the 'u' in Murder is completely ignored, you don't pronounce it at all. So keeping the 'er' sound in mind, Murder is pronounced Merder.)

I'm not an English major or anything, so these obviously aren't true phonetic spellings. But they are exactly how Americans in this part of the country pronounce those words, and actually (because we're West Coast) how much of the American media sounds.

So I hope this helps. I have studied a few other languages and chatted with a lot of non-native speakers and the 'r' sound is something they always talk about being difficult! I suppose all of this just depends on what language/languages we learn to speak first.

-lycanos

Re: Exact spelling of resume

Huevos — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 01:37:08 GMT

Since when does English have accents on imported words? How many people would be able to find them on an English keyboard layout (requires pressing 3 keys at once) or even understand what they are for.

Re: fair-haired

Pter — Mon, 19 May 2008 10:02:06 GMT

Yes, there are regional variations in American English. Do you know which accent is chosen by MW as the reference in the pronunciation keys. Is it General American?

My problem is that, as I have mentioned before, they are indeed denoted differently in British English. The first one is a simple vowel while the second one is a diphthong / e /. The question is whether the diphthong / e / ONLY occurs before an R. If it occurs before some other consonants, such as D, L, T, N ( / -et /, / -el /, / -ed /, / -en / ), using / er / to indicate a different sound from / e / is not a good idea because you'll have problems showing the differences between / -et /, / -el /, / -ed /, / -en / and / -et /, / -el /, / -ed /, / -en / respectively.

Certain combination of sounds just do not exist in English and that's why they don't need to use diacritic to indicate that the P in SP is non-aspirated whereas an initial P is aspirated. The bottom line is that the pronunciation keys have to be non-ambiguous. This is the same reason why they don't need to use diacritic to indicate tapped intervocalic T or final dark L. (Clear L at syllabic final position does not exist.)

I did a search in my pronunciation dictionary and found that the combinations / -et / and / -el / do not exist. / -ed / and / -en / only exist when the spelling has an R between / e / and the following consonant. Since British English is non-rhotic, the corresponding American pronunciation would have an R before that consonant, resulting in / rd / and / rn /. So, / e / ONLY occurs before an R! As a result, using / er / in American English to represent the counterpart of the British English / e / is non-ambiguous after all!

After going through all these discussions, I finally found out the reasons.

Kooyeen, many thanks indeed for discussing this issue with me. Without your insights, I would not have been able to find out the underlying issues that has been troubling me.

EDIT:

It appears that / e / was the result of the influence of the following R sound on the / e / sound. It is therefore actually the equivalent of / er / in American English. However, because British English is non-rhotic, the R influence results in the / e / becoming a diphthong, i.e. a schwa is added after the / e / to become / e /.

EDIT 2:

While adding the above EDITed text, I just found that what I guessed was probably right.

http://www.bl.uk/learning/langlit/sounds/text-only/received-pronunciation/london/

The vowels of youth
Listen first to the vowel sound she uses in the words air, there, their, where, somewhere and parents. In traditional forms of RP, they would be pronounced with a diphthong â that is two vowel sounds. Older RP speakers would start with an <e> sound â as in bed â before drifting into a weak vowel rather like the initial sound in about. This type of pronunciation, also applied to words such as dare, hair and bear, was until relatively recently common in many English accents. The diphthong emerged once speakers began to omit the <r> sound at the end. Speakers throughout the UK once pronounced this <r> sound, but it is increasingly restricted to speakers in the West Country and far South West of England, a small area of Lancashire and most of Scotland and Ireland. It is also present in most US English accents. The <r> sound was initially replaced by the weak vowel at the end of the diphthong, but nowadays most younger RP speakers omit this final part of the diphthong and simply use a long <e> sound â thus shared is pronounced with exactly the same vowel as in shed, only the vowel is noticeably longer. This demonstrates perfectly how successive sound changes can radically alter the pronunciation of a set of words. Most RP speakers, like Michelle, now only distinguish between pairs such as fairs and fez or flared and fled simply by vowel length. Older speakers tend to use a diphthong for the first word in each pair.

It means that the Received Pronunciation that I have been learning (and indicated on all the dictionaries) is only that of the older generation! What a surprising finding from this simple question of fair-haired!

Re: true and correct

Kooyeen — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 19:16:03 GMT

Hoa Thai
What I am trying to figure out is this: before everyone says it, it must be invented by a person or a small group of people; so how does it eventually get accepted by everyone? Is it because it sounds good or it is backed up with some acceptable rule(s) / logical reasoning? I could be wrong - but I tend to think that without conforming to certain standards - for example, a fundamental grammar structure - it would not survive.

Hi Hoa,
I don't know, I think that's something for linguists.
Anyway, I'm sure not all changes happen the same way and for the same reasons. Some things could be logical and expected, like changing the spelling of "colour" to "color", but others might not make much sense... where does the expression "I could care less" come from? LOL, I have no idea. Or why is it "quarter of ten" in the US?
So I think this is rather complicated to explain, and since I am not a linguist, I can't tell you more. Sorry!
But I believe today the media plays an important role in deciding what will be part of modern English and what will not. If someone makes up a new term in high school, if they are popular chances are all the others in the school will start to use that term. But not all the others in the rest of the US. But if that term is put in an important movie, on TV shows, on The Simpsons, on commercials... heh, I bet that term is more likely to be listed in dictionaries in the future... even thought I think only young people are likely to actually pick up "new language."

Hoa Thai
In other words, in any language, words might be born as we search for a new way to express our thoughts, but they must satisfy some basic principle(s). In the end, wouldn't it be true that rules make up the foundation of languages?

Yes, but we all follow implicit rules, that might not be the same for everyone. You could say "It don't matter" is wrong according to your rules, but those who say it consider it a possible sentence, according to their own rules. Because that's what they have always heard from most people around them. They are not breaking any rules or corrupting anything. Maybe they break the rules of "standard English", which is what people call the variety spoken in somewhat formal situations, for example by newscasters, or the variety you find in newspapers. Well, since few people can talk like newscasters or write like journalists, I'm starting to think that maybe most native speakers don't speak "standard English". It seems everyone is allowed to have their own accent but not their own grammar, according to prescriptivists, although native speakers pick up both of them the same way during their lives. That's curious, isn't it? LOL

Re: I WANT A SCOTTISH ACCENT

Anonymous — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 10:10:26 GMT

Oh, dear. I like when someone takes the time to criticise the English or accent of another region, and you see a multitude of spelling mistakes that are quite basic. That, in addition to the blatant prejudice, makes it quite fun to read and neutralises the criticism. Keep on doing this! You're a star from the Highlands!

From a non-nasal Glaswegian and friend of all Scottish accents.

British vs American English in their accent

Belly — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 14:19:42 GMT

In words which have the phonetic sound / ae/ , I hear the real differences between American and British Accent.

If in British they spell that phonetic sound similar to /a/, American would do with a sound like /e/, isn't it?

Some words such as slang, man etc. I wonder why they use the /ae/ sound for this? Do they mean, you can use whatever /a/ or /e/ when spelling the words?

Today I took one of the exam implemented in American English, I spoke the word: slang with an /a/ to the examiner, he didn't understand at all. When I said: "synonym is: vernacular language", he asked me:" Isn't it slang /e/ ?" . So confused!

Re: The proper plural form for status is... stati? statii? statuses? Thanks.

Anonymous — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 14:43:51 GMT

if the word status is used as its original latin form then it takes the fourth declension [or was that the forth amendment] and the plural should therefore be the same spelling as the singular ie status ... [often pronounced with a longer oo sound for the u ... I'm sure that if we actually met a roman walking along the streets of Corinium or Isca ... he'd probably look at us as if we were bonkers ... our accents would be all over the place ... be that as it were] ... stati should be incorrect but statuses or status are valid forms ... although I don't mind being corrected ... I think I got this from my teach yourself book some years ago and memories do lapse as one gets older.

all the best Trev

Re: Should I pay attention to syllables?

Avangi — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 00:31:12 GMT

Hi Kooyeen,

Sounds like a good question for CJ. I haven't been to MW but plan to go. Mr. M got me some information there which I'd been unable to find elsewhere. I gather from your examples they use what I've heard called phonetic spelling, rather than the phonetic symbols I've seen on this site, and in my own American Heritage, which I like.

I usually consult for accent, or stress marks, which sometimes turn out to be regional. The syllable break points are useful when you need to break a word at the end of a typed line. You've pointed out what I'd consider some very fine distinctions. How do they treat double consonants, as in pat-tern? I guess the phonetic spelling doesn't have to resemble the actual spelling.

Your coo-lish example calls to mind choral group singing, in which we struggle to retain the open vowels til the last possible instant, and always stick the consonants and dipthongs on the next [note] syllable. Since we almost always elide the syllables together in speaking, I expect only the most serious students would be interested in whether a letter goes at the end of one syllable or the beginning of the next one. (I guess it's important in understanding where the stress falls.)

I believe you're saying your different treatment of pam and pan is not necessarily echoed by MW. And you wonder if you should pronounce the a in pa-nache' differently than the a in pan'-da. My dictionary says you should, but it gives different symbols.

I'd suggest searching for specific examples to see if MW actually answers your question for you. I don't think the a-meter example is a good one. Obviously you can't say meter in one syllable. There's something curious about that format. I'd certainly say amplify and ammeter the same way, especially since the accent falls on the first syllable.

Best wishes, - A.

Edit. Oh @?#&$ ! I misinterpreted "before M or N differently." Is that logical and, or what? Sorry.

P.S. My dictionary lists only five pam/n's with a syllable break after the a. All stress the second syllable and pronounce the a as in about. One is a biological term and the rest are foreign. All the others pronounce a as in pat. Ammeter breaks between the m's, stresses the first syllable, and pronounces a as in pat. Your MW ammeter seems to be an anomaly.

If you choose to pronounce pat and pam differently, why would you let a change in the syllable break stand in your way? I guess it's like asking a cop for advice on when you should break the law.

Re: How can I learn to talk with a British accent?

Anonymous — Fri, 23 Nov 2007 08:39:02 GMT

To all of you who want a British accent: Although I've mentioned on this website that I've made a website of poems, with my clear English voice recording attached to them, and although since last year almost 24000 people have visited it from across the world, I have never heard from anyone in English Forums that they have found it useful. Poems are fun, the language is varied, they are short enough to do one poem, listening to the words, checking meanings, noting spellings, reading it through copying my voice etc in only half an hour thoroughly. A good idea then is to learn them and recite them. Our children in Britain learn our language through poetry. My three year old daughter, Jessica, knows lots of rhymes. They are fun. When you look at words such as: cough/through/bough/though/enough etc - are you aware that there is no word which has the same vowel sound here? Our spellings are notorious. When you realize that rhyme an time; blue/too/through/few all sound alike, with the same vowel sound, you will then realize how much rhyming poetry can help with English. This is a free website, you don't even have to buy a book, and between my husband and myself it has taken 2 years of hard work to make so that students such as yourself, and our own children in England can get help with spelling and pronunciation. Write Josie' Poems on Google and you'll go straight to it. Please let teachers andothers know of all this material. I think, at the latest count, there are about 350 poems - some of them still waiting to go on. I do hope your accents improve, not to mention your spellings too, and that you write and tell me you have had lots and lots of fun, for many of the poems are fun poems. Josie

Re: Words that are spelled the same but have different meanings

Hoa Thai — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 04:16:50 GMT

Dear all,

All passages below are from âCrazy Englishâ â by Richard Lederer, POCKET BOOKS. (I tried to find an Internet link, but failed. So please pardon me for the length of the text, which I believe would be very informative).

âHETERONYMS â words with same spelling as other words but with different pronunciations and meanings.

Listen, readers, toward me bow.
Be friendly; do not draw the bow.
Please donât try to start a row.
Sit peacefully, all in a row.
Donât squeal like a big, fat sow.
Do not the seeds of discord sow.

Membership in the exclusive club of heteronyms is strict, and tandems such as resume and rÃ©sumÃ© and pate and pÃ¢tÃ© are not admitted because the accent constitutes a change in spelling. Pseudo-heteronymic pairs like insult (noun) and insult (verb), â¦, read (present-tense verb) and read (past-tense verb), and primer (beginnerâs book) and primer (base coat of paint) are fairly common in English language, but they are not true heteronyms because their etymologies are so closely related. True heteronymic pairs that are not closely related in word formation are among the rarest occurrences.â

Richard gives these sentences:

After the slaver had sold his slaves, he could slaver over the money he made.
The unionized stockroom workers stacked bottles of ionized and unionized solutions.
The storm began to buffet the outdoor buffet.
The steam-driven tower pulled the disabled boat to the lighthouse tower.
The sewer threw her sewing into the sewer.
She is now resorting to resorting the mail.
He became resigned to the fact that he had resigned an unfair contract.

And he shares with us this poem:

Please go through the entrance of this little poem.
I guarantee it will entrance you.
The content will certainly make you content.
And the knowledge gained sure will enhance you.

A boy moped around when his parents refused.
For him a new moped to buy.
The incense he burned did incense him to go.
On a tear with a tear in his eye.

He ragged on his parents, felt they ran him ragged.
He just deserts they never gave.
He imagined them out on some deserts so dry.
Where for water theyâd search and theyâd rave.

At present he just wonât present or converse
On the converse of each high-flown theory
Or circles and axes in math class; he has
Many axes to grind, isnât cheery

He tries to play basketball, but often skied out,
So when the snows came, he just skied.
But he then broke a leg putting on his ski boots,
And his putting in golf was in need.

He once held the lead in a cross-country race,
âTil his legs started feeling like lead.
And when the pain peaked, he looked kind of peaked.
His liver felt liver, then dead.

A number of times he felt number, all wound
Up, like one with a wound, not a wand.
His new TV console just couldnât console
Or slough off a slough of despond.

The rugged boy paced âround his shaggy rugged room,
And he spent the whole evening till dawn
Evening out the cross-winds of his hate.
Now my anecdote winds on and on.

He thought: âDoes the prancing of so many does
Explain why down dove the white dove,
Or why a p ussy cat has a p ussy old sore
And bass sing in bass notes of their loves?â

Do they always sing, âDo re miâ and stare, apage,
At eros, apage, each minute?
Their loveâs not minute; thereâs an overage of love.
Even overage fish are quite in it.

These bass fish have never been in short supply
As they supply spawn without waiting.
With their love fluids bubbling, abundant, secretive,
Thereâs many a secretive mating.

Hope you would enjoy,
Hoa Thai