An informal term referring to the verbalized form of words specific to a language. Can also refer to particular individual's pronunciation, as in an accent or a pathology, or a specific speech event, as in a mispronunciation.
Questions tagged [pronunciation]
296 questions
12
votes
4 answers
When we talk about front and back vowels in the vowel chart, does it refer to the position of the tip of the tongue or the whole body of the tongue?
This question came to me when I was trying to distinguish between [a] and [ɑ]. The former exists in my native language and the latter is the one that I'm trying to form. My question is: Since it is a back vowel does it mean that I pull the entire…
user32747
6
votes
5 answers
Is voice really the only difference between [s] and [z]?
I have read some time ago that [z] is the voiced counterpart of [s], as [d]-[t], [g]-[k], [b]-[p] and [v]-[f]. For all pairs except the first, I was able to consciously perceive it by starting to pronounce the unvoiced consonant, adding voice and…
Alan Evangelista
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6
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What do (...) brackets mean in phonetic spelling?
ex·act·ly
iɡˈzak(t)lē/
If the t is in brackets, does it mean that I don't have to pronounce it? I'm asking because I'm a native English speaker and I never pronounce the "t" in "exactly".
James
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3
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How is English stereotyped by non-native speakers?
It's possible to parody other languages by how they sound. Even if you don't know any words of that language you can make pretend speech which others will recognise as being that language.
eg German is full of sch, acht, vie (wie), unt
Italian is…
Mynamite
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3
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2 answers
How Do Native South Americans Pronounce Quinoa?
Question:
Are there any video recordings of Native South Americans, (Andeans), pronouncing "Quinoa"? - to hopefully preserve some of the cultural history behind Quinoa?
According to Wikipedia on Quinoa:
Quinoa was first domesticated by Andean…
elika kohen
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2
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"I" before, during, and after the Great Vowel Shift
The following lines are all from Byron's Don Juan.
But Passion most dissembles, yet betrays
Even by its darkness; as the blackest sky
Foretells the heaviest tempest, it displays
Its workings through the vainly guarded eye,
And in whatever aspect it…
Ricky
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1
vote
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How do I tell apart voiced and unvoiced plosives after a stop with no audible release?
I'm making a conlang and I want it to differentiate voiced, breathy voiced, unvoiced, and unvoiced aspirated plosives, but I'm having trouble telling apart the pronunciation of voiced/unvoiced when it comes after a stop without audible…
Jay Jun
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1
vote
1 answer
It is easier for foreigners to pronounce names in languages with more syllables?
I noticed that many cultures do not pronounce names in other cultures correctly.
For example, Fattahilah in Java, becomes Faletehen in Dutch and it becomes Jenahtopolo in Chinese (don't know which dialect).
Also I look at Vermouth in conan and they…
obfuscated
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1
vote
1 answer
Do men have more trouble than women pronouncing alveolo-palatals (like ɕ)? Or are there other physiological factors involved?
I'm curious based on would-be standard samples such as
provided on Wikipedia;
compare the same [male] speaker there trying to show the difference between (alveolo-palatal) ɕ and (palato-alveolar) ʃ.
provided on a Polish university page; of the…
1
vote
1 answer
Does a surgery on your short tongue give you benefits on gaining the correct pronunciation in L2?
Sometimes I heard that L2 language learners make a surgery on their tongue in order to gain better…
Blaszard
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1
vote
1 answer
Great Vowel Shift and pronunciation of name
In doing genealogical research, I have found that my last name "Barney" used to be spelled "Berney" in England prior to the mid-1400's.
Given the "Great Vowel Shift" that occurred during this period, I'm wondering how the name "Berney" might have…
pbarney
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1
vote
1 answer
Why is 'antipode' not pronounced like 'antipodes' without the final 's'?
After I verified the pronunciation of 'antipode' (/ˈantɪpəʊd/ ), I inexplicably decided to verify separately the pronunciation of 'antipodes ' (/anˈtɪpədiːz/ )
This twofold verification emerged necessary, because it revealed that though a…
user5306
1
vote
1 answer
How do you learn how to pronounce names?
I want to learn to pronounce names without looking like an idiot. This includes having the ability to look at a name and discern its nationality, or looking at the pronunciation of a word (like as shown in the symbols at the beginning of most…
jsmith
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0
votes
2 answers
Why is "convenient" pronounced with a long e?
Why is convenient/ce pronounced with a long e? (Sounds like veen to me)
I would expect the ven in convenient to be pronounced as it is in oven , seven, venn diagram, vendor, venison, convent, ventricle, adventure...
I looked at a list of words…
ThomasRones
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0
votes
2 answers
What is the maltese pronounciation of 'għ' and 'ħ'?
In maltese :
-/ʕ/ and /ɣ/ have merged into 'għ'. How is it pronounced?
-/ḥ/ and /χ/ have merged into 'ħ'. How is it pronounced?
I've tried multiple youtube videos and :
-'għ' sounded nothing like /ʕ/ or /ɣ/ but like an 'a'.
-'ħ' sounded nothing…
Akli
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