Hi there!
I need to clasify plural words (ending in -s) into three categories, depending on the way the final -s is pronounced:
/s/
/z/
/iz/
I can make the difference (very clearly) when it is pronounced /iz/ as in "chances", but I´m completely unable to identify the difference between /s/ and /z/ so... is there any rule?? How can I differenciate them without hearing them?
Thanks for your help in advance.
Reme
I need to clasify plural words (ending in -s) into three categories, depending on the way the final -s is pronounced:
/s/
/z/
/iz/
I can make the difference (very clearly) when it is pronounced /iz/ as in "chances", but I´m completely unable to identify the difference between /s/ and /z/ so... is there any rule?? How can I differenciate them without hearing them?
Thanks for your help in advance.
Reme
Comments
1. If the noun ends in an unvoiced consonant sound: /f/, /k/, /p/, /t/, /th/-(thin), pronounce "s" as /s/.
2. When it ends in a voiced consonant sound, /b/, /d/, /g/, /l/, /m/, /n/, /ng/, /r/ or with a vowel sound, /a/, /e/, /i/, /o/, /u/, pronounce "s" as /z/.
3. If it ends with /s/, /z/, /sh/, /ch/-chair, /zh/-the second "g" in garage, /dz/-(j), pronounce "s" or "-es" as /iz/.
In other words, if the noun ends with a sound other than the 5 unvoiced consonants, pronounce "s" with a /z/ (or with an /iz/ as the case may be).
Thanks for your precious help! I think that´s what I was looking for... Just one thing: when you say in American English, do you mean that in RP English may be different?
I'm not really sure if that's the case with the English spoken in other English-speaking countries like the UK, Australia, and South Africa. Perhaps someone else can lend a hand?
One safe, two safes
One giraffe, two giraffes
One gaffe, two gaffes
One knife, two knives
One wife, two wives
One fife, two fifes
One life, two lives
Are there any more you can think of?
leaf - leaves
loaf - loaves
elf - elves
dwarf - dwarves (I could've sworn this was spelled "dwarfs" when Disney first came out with "Snow White and the seven...")
reef - reefs
oaf - oafs
cactus - cacti (kaktai)
focus - foci (fokai)
(That last one is a math term)
I can't think of any others at the moment, but usually if it ends in "us", you get rid of that and make it "i" (pronounced like I as in me.)