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I know some words like '' finger'' and ''stronger'' have /ŋg/pronunciation, and the rule of pronouncing /ŋg/ may vary. According to Merriam-Webster (https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/long) you could say /ˈlȯŋ-​gər/ also /-​ər/. But on Cambridge dictionary site, it is said that the pronunciation of younger, younger and stronger has /ŋg/ sound. Which pronunciation is more commonly used, or both are accepted?

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  • You're going to need to say which version of English you're using because the answer will vary.
    – KillingTime
    Commented Feb 7, 2021 at 12:14
  • I'd say as long as the version used by native English speakers. You said the answer will vary, this means both /ˈlȯŋ-​gər/ and /ˈlȯŋ ər/ are accepted?
    – Lala
    Commented Feb 7, 2021 at 12:29
  • @Laurel: Thank you! I've read that thread but still find it a bit unclear as I'd really want to know if /ˈlȯŋ-​gər/ and /ˈlȯŋ ər/ are both accepted (equally)?
    – Lala
    Commented Feb 7, 2021 at 12:35
  • A duplicate of the question linked by Laurel, which is itself a duplicate of this question.
    – Rayan Khan
    Commented Feb 7, 2021 at 12:53
  • @KillingTime I do not believe that this aspect varies by "which version of English" you use. The difference between singer and finger is universal to the best of my knowledge.
    – tchrist ♦
    Commented Feb 7, 2021 at 13:51

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Normally when the -ng- is in the middle of a morpheme, it is pronounced /-ŋg-/ as in finger, anger, English, hunger etc. Comparatives and superlatives are also pronounced with /-ŋg-/ (e.g. longer, younger, stronger). Other words such as sing-er, hang-er, ring-er are pronounced with /-ŋ-/ only (but in some dialects, they're pronounced with /-ŋg-/).

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  • Thanks for your answer, I'd like to ask if the version '' /ˈlȯŋ ər/ is also accepted somehow?
    – Lala
    Commented Feb 7, 2021 at 12:31
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    @Lala - /ˈlȯŋ ər/ for the adjective "longer"? No. /ˈlȯŋ ər/ is a noun which means a person who longs. So no, it's not acceptable for the adjective.
    – user410062
    Commented Feb 7, 2021 at 12:34
  • Thank you @BrLn!! I asked this question because on Merriam Webster, it is said that the pronunciation of longer is ''longer\ ˈlȯŋ-​gər also -​ər \'', but on Cambridge dictionary site, there is only one option for the pronunciation of longer which is '' / lȯŋ-​gər/'', so I find it a bit confusing.
    – Lala
    Commented Feb 7, 2021 at 12:39
  • Depends. There are two -er suffixes in English. The agentive 'one who Vs' as in longer 'one who longs', which doesn't use /ɡ/, and the comparative 'more', as in longer 'more long', which does use /ɡ/. This is a fact about these suffixes and the final /ŋɡ/ cluster. It doesn't generalize to final /mb/ clusters, for instance.
    – John Lawler
    Commented May 12, 2021 at 22:43

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