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the T between vowels change to t͡s in some english speakers?

Usually when I heard "What's, that's" or similar constructions, where the T come with S, I always consider like a t͡s, so I really don't know if my ears need more train or if it is really a t͡s and a natural variation.

But there is other case, when I listen to some speakers, usually they produce the same sound, but when a T occurs between vowels.

So, better represented by /ˈbetə(r)/ sounds more like /ˈbet͡sə(r)/.

This variation often happen with speakers who use a soft T (more air flow out mouth) instead of a hard T.

Thank you.

Apprentice
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    I have never heard this. Maybe there's a mismatch between English consonants and the consonants in your language, so that a consonant some people use for some /t/'s between vowels (and there is a lot of variation of this in English dialects) sounds like a /ts/ to you. – Peter Shor Dec 10 '14 at 16:41
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    'better' is standard to have a dental flap for the 't' in AmE, so there's no affrication. Is this for BrE or some other variety? Are you sure you're hearing affrication or just a lot of aspiration after the 't'? – Mitch Dec 10 '14 at 16:44
  • I see, this is a variation I hear in BrE, because in American T e D sounds like a alveolar flap (this exists in my language).

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:En-us-better.ogg

    Yeah, I'm not sure about the /ts/, my foreign ear can kid with me.

     – Apprentice Dec 10 '14 at 16:59
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    If the vowel following the 't' is a 'u', then there can be an affricate in British English. For example, in words like attune and for the last 't' in attitude, I believe that /tju/ can turn into in affricate (I don't think it's usually /tsu/ but I don't think it's always /tʃu/, either). – Peter Shor Dec 10 '14 at 19:27
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    Certainly, where I live in Merseyside, initial /t/ often approaches /ts/, so that 'two' sounds very similar to German 'zu'. And I have heard British speakers turn /tj/ followed by /u:/ into something approaching an affricate, so that 'tune' almost sounds like 'choon'. – David Garner Dec 18 '14 at 16:28
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    This affrication before /juː/ is well know. Tune is represented by /tjuːn/ but sometimes sounds like /tʃjuːn/ and words finished with /t/ or /d/ and begining with juː become affricated in the same manner. But sometimes I heard a different affricate variation, similar with a S and Z "stop". Often when T happens between vowels. – Apprentice Dec 18 '14 at 16:59
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    The British pronunciation of better surely isn't a [t], (neither the north american pronunciation is). [t] is actually much harder than the British pronunciation. In my native language (Brazilian Portuguese) we have a hard [t] in most places, such as in the word "rato", "teste" or "tranquilo". I believe the British t letter (as in better) ranges between [t] and [t͡s], being closer to [t͡s] – bzim Feb 04 '19 at 04:40
  • @Apprentice Do you have a recording with an example of what you're trying to transcribe? – alphabet May 07 '23 at 22:59

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