The phonetics tag has no wiki summary.
14
votes
2answers
661 views
What did we gain in return for the loss of phonemic vowel length from Old English?
In Old English, vowel length was phonemic, but stress and certain kinds of consonant voicing were not. In Modern English, that situation is reversed: vowel length is no longer phonemic, but stress ...
13
votes
5answers
355 views
Regarding the “i” in “think” vs “bit”
This is a phonetics question.
I am teaching English as a Second Language. In phonetics, we all know the "i" in "think" is a "short i" sound. Additionally, the "i" in "bit" is a "short i" sound. ...
8
votes
1answer
256 views
What does the phonetic symbol after the comma mean here?
I was checking the Pronunciation of enshrine from ODO which lists:
Pronunciation: /ɪnˈʃrʌɪn, ɛn-/
Does it mean that there are two different accepted pronunciations?
7
votes
2answers
518 views
When does realisation of velar nasal /ŋ/ as alveolar nasal [n] happen along with tensing of the preceding vowel (/ɪ/ to [i])?
I have observed some English speakers in North America who seem to produce this assimilation in words like "running" /ˈrʌnɪŋ/ (as /ˈrʌnin/) or "winning" /ˈwɪnɪŋ/ (as /ˈwɪnin/). I'm specifically ...
6
votes
1answer
386 views
Is the [ʊ] sound pronounced with lip rounding?
This [ʊ] sound is the vowel sound for words like hook, pull, and good. When I began to learn English a bit more seriously two decades ago, I used a book that taught me to pronounce it shorter and ...
5
votes
2answers
314 views
Onomatopoeia Across Languages
Every language has its stock of onomatopoeic expressions, but they vary across nationalities and cultures.
For example, the American “bow wow” (a rapper’s name) has its Japanese equivalent in ...
5
votes
2answers
2k views
phonetics vs. phonology [closed]
I'm reading an article about phonetics and phonology, and it clamis that they are different. But I can't locate where the difference is located. Referring to my dictionary, I can see:
Phonetics:
...
3
votes
3answers
396 views
Retroflex approximants in AE dialects
While looking up the best way to describe the aboriginal pronunciation of Uluru (/uluɻu/), I stumbled across retroflex approximants. The linked Wikipedia page states:
The retroflex approximant ...
2
votes
2answers
1k views
Is there a definitive spelling for the shortened version of “as per usual”?
A shortened version of the phrase “as per usual” is now used as slang when referring to something that is typical or expected, often in an exaggerated or hyperbolic manner. For example:
Bill: ...
2
votes
1answer
91 views
Is there a word that means “over-enunciate the k sound”?
I am trying to say the word week but focus on the k sound at the end and really emphasize it. I tend to do this naturally in my everyday speech. It kinda sounds like an odd throat sound when I do it. ...
2
votes
2answers
130 views
What is the proper way to mark a letter stressed in a name?
I have a friend named Chloe (pronounced Clo-ee). She writes her name using an accent mark over the e. A friend of ours thinks that the accent mark means unstressed, so that her name is pronounced ...
2
votes
1answer
98 views
What's the name of this pronunciation guide
In dictionaries I see two guides for pronunciation. for example, for the word "ambiguity":
[am-bi-gyoo-i-tee]
AND
/ˌæmbɪˈgyuɪti/
I know the second one is named IPA. My question is, is there a ...
1
vote
2answers
2k views
What is the difference between “phonetic” and “phonemic”? [closed]
I've read several descriptions but I still don't understand. From what I can gather, the main (or only) difference is phonemics is not concerned with "nondistinctive elements" but I don't know what ...
1
vote
3answers
3k views
Pronunciation of “i” in the words like “direct”, “organization”, etc
I'm a nonnative speaker of English and I've always been unsure about the pronunciation of "i" inside words like direct, organization, etc. I was thinking that it's a matter of choice between American ...
1
vote
3answers
932 views
Do “here” and “hear” have the same phonetic transcription in the same country?
Is there any accent that makes a distinction when pronuncing “here” and “hear”?
From Wiktionary:
Here
(UK) /hɪə(ɹ)/
(US) /hɪɹ/
Hear
(UK) /hɪə(ɹ)/
(US) IPA: /hiːɹ/
So, according to that, US ...
1
vote
1answer
92 views
Software for transcribing English phonetics
After asking this question and learning a lot of facts from comments I got there, I was wondering about the existence of software that transcribes English text into phonetics. I discovered sites such ...
1
vote
1answer
100 views
Why are we supposed to say the “a” as an “e” in “any” and “many”?
I speak Australian English, but I seem to pronounce the words many and anything differently from how the vast majority of people here do so.
I pronounce it using an a sound rather than an e sound ...
1
vote
1answer
387 views
How do native speakers guess the pronunciation of a word that they've never seen before? [closed]
How do native speakers guess the pronunciation of a word that they've never seen before ? Is there a general rule for that ?
For example, someone said :
Words that end in -ic or -tion will be ...
0
votes
3answers
191 views
When we will use soft and hard sound in 'c'? [closed]
Sometimes we use the soft sound, and sometimes the hard – but why? Is there any rule?
0
votes
0answers
117 views
Reform of English writing?
As is commonly known, English is quite notorious for having a writing system that is far removed from the actual way it is most commonly pronounced. I understand that there are important historical ...
0
votes
0answers
741 views
Pronunciation of o with umlaut/diaeresis (ö ) [closed]
How is the letter ' ö ' pronounced?
In German it is pronounced as a u and in Swedish it is pronounced as a œ
How Is it pronounced in English?
Why does it need a special symbol at all? Why can or ...
-2
votes
1answer
77 views
What does the word “Hakim” sound and feel like? [closed]
I really enjoy the connotations of words, particularly now because I'm looking for a name for something. I'd like to know what this word (hakim) sounds like to native English speakers.
Obs: If ...
