You can do better than buying books if you're on the net. I know of an american site with loads of (kind of classic) poetry with recordings you can listen to or download. It's called "repeat after us" and could help you with

Ttate: Languages are living; they evolve over time - vocabulary, pronunciation, and even grammar changes. Not only do they change over time, but they change with geography and even social class. Knowing a language well is like is knowing the

Ttate: Welcome to the forums. This is a very interesting subject! Languages do have a formal grammar, but also there are many times when the rules are broken by native speakers in actual practice. Sometimes "formal speech," although

Hi, How to explain the fact that in most dictionaries the word HOTEL is given with the stress on the second syllable though in the famous song it is pronounced as hOtel? Pronunciation can vary, particularly in lyrics and poetry where the writer is

'erbs' I understand taht this was the original pronunciation. "Language colonies" ... as can be seen from rhymes in 18th century poetry. Yes, the root is 'erby' but I can't recall hearing it on TV or radio programmes

De-lurking to ask something that has been worrying me for ages. How long, and why, if anyone knows, have some Americans been saying'erbs' for herbs? I understand taht this was the original pronunciation. "Language colonies" often

De-lurking to ask something that has been worrying me for ages. How long, and why, if anyone knows, have some Americans been saying 'erbs' for herbs? I understand taht this was the original pronunciation. "Language colonies"

In classical Latin pronunciation as understood today, "C" would be ... if that was a long vowel and the otherwise. I didn't think the Romans did stress. I thought (in poetry at least) it was all to do with long and short vowels -

I imagine the way the Romans said "Boadicea" was very ... fact, very close to "Boudicca" apart from the extra vowel. In classical Latin pronunciation as understood today, "C" would be a K sound, not a G sound as

OED1's definition is a nice read, but I won't quote ... adoption of the mod. French spelling, without the Fr. pronunciation." Do they have anything to say about on "roast briscuit"? No, but "Breton bruchet and Welsh