Editing 2819: Pronunciation
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==Explanation== | ==Explanation== | ||
+ | {{incomplete|Created by a {{w|Ghoti|GHOTI}} - Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}} | ||
− | Pronunciation guides are used in many languages to indicate the commonly accepted way to translate a written word into sound. This can be particularly important in the English language, where the pronunciation of individual letters and of combinations of letters can vary broadly, and there are very few rules that can be applied consistently. As a result, the 'correct' pronunciation of any given word is determined by common usage, and therefore can only be learned either by exposure or by memorizing them from guides. Some guides use the {{w|International Phonetic Alphabet}}, but the average person is not familiar with those characters, so most guides written for laypeople instead {{wiktionary|Appendix:English pronunciation|reference familiar words}} that feature the phonemes. | + | Pronunciation guides are used in many languages to indicate the commonly accepted way to translate a written word into sound. This can be particularly important in the English language, where the pronunciation of individual letters and of combinations of letters can vary broadly, and there are very few rules that can be applied consistently. As a result, the 'correct' pronunciation of any given word is determined by common usage, and therefore can only be learned either by exposure or by memorizing them from guides. Some guides use the {{w|International Phonetic Alphabet}}, but the average person is not familiar with those characters, so most guides written for laypeople instead {{wiktionary|Appendix:English pronunciation|reference familiar words}} that feature the phonemes. This, of course, presumes that the reader is familiar with the pronunciation of ''those'' words, but the words should be chosen so that a) they're commonly known b) there is only one common pronunciation and c) the pronunciation doesn't vary much between regional accents. |
− | + | In this strip, though, the selected guide-words are deliberately chosen to be confusing. They are heterophonic homographs – words that, under alternate contexts, are identically spelled but pronounced in very different ways. Moreover for most of them it is the less common homograph which matches the pronunciation in "Tuesday". In other words, how the reader chooses to pronounce each guide-word determines what pronunciation of "Tuesday" they end up with. | |
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− | In this strip, though, the selected guide-words are deliberately chosen to be confusing. They are | ||
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(Note: General American pronunciations are primarily assumed here except when otherwise stated) | (Note: General American pronunciations are primarily assumed here except when otherwise stated) | ||
{| class="wikitable" | {| class="wikitable" | ||
− | ! Guide !! Correct | + | ! Guide !! Correct !! Other !! Notes |
|- | |- | ||
| Buffe'''t''' | | Buffe'''t''' | ||
| /ˈbʌf.ɪ'''t'''/ (verb: strike) | | /ˈbʌf.ɪ'''t'''/ (verb: strike) | ||
− | | /ˈbʌ.feɪ/ (noun: | + | | /ˈbʌ.feɪ/ (noun: self-serve diner) |
| The <t> in the "Other" pronunciation is silent (or arguably /ɪ/ or /j/) | | The <t> in the "Other" pronunciation is silent (or arguably /ɪ/ or /j/) | ||
|- | |- | ||
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| /maɪˈn'''(j)uː'''t/ (adjective: small) | | /maɪˈn'''(j)uː'''t/ (adjective: small) | ||
| /ˈmɪn'''ɪ'''t/ (noun: unit of time) | | /ˈmɪn'''ɪ'''t/ (noun: unit of time) | ||
− | | | + | | |
|- | |- | ||
| R'''e'''cord | | R'''e'''cord | ||
− | | | + | | |
− | | /ɹ'''i'''ˈkɔɹd/ (verb: write down/make permanent) | + | | /ɹ'''i'''ˈkɔɹd/ (verb: write down/make permanent)<br />/ˈɹ'''ɛ'''kərd/ or /ˈɹ'''ɛ'''k.ɚd/ or /ˈɹ'''ɛ'''k.ɔɹd/ (noun: thing containing information) |
− | < | + | | Neither is actually the correct e, the correct e would be silent. |
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|- | |- | ||
| U'''s'''e | | U'''s'''e | ||
| /juː'''z'''/ (verb: to employ a thing for a particular end) | | /juː'''z'''/ (verb: to employ a thing for a particular end) | ||
| /juː'''s'''/ (noun: the purpose for which that thing is employed) | | /juː'''s'''/ (noun: the purpose for which that thing is employed) | ||
− | | | + | | |
|- | |- | ||
| Mope'''d''' | | Mope'''d''' | ||
| /ˈmoʊ.pɛ'''d'''/ (noun: motor scooter with an engine smaller than 50cc) | | /ˈmoʊ.pɛ'''d'''/ (noun: motor scooter with an engine smaller than 50cc) | ||
− | | /moʊp'''t'''/ (verb: | + | | /moʊp'''t'''/ (verb: brooded, felt dejected) |
− | | | + | | |
|- | |- | ||
| B'''a'''ss | | B'''a'''ss | ||
| /b'''eɪ'''s/ (noun: low-pitched notes and the instruments that play them) | | /b'''eɪ'''s/ (noun: low-pitched notes and the instruments that play them) | ||
| /b'''æ'''s/ (noun: fish) | | /b'''æ'''s/ (noun: fish) | ||
− | | | + | | /æ/ is also correct in New Zealand English. |
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− | /æ/ is also correct in New Zealand English. | ||
|- | |- | ||
| G'''y'''ro | | G'''y'''ro | ||
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|} | |} | ||
− | Following this guide, a pronunciation of Tuesday as /iɛstæaɪ/ is possible. You can hear a pronunciation at [http://ipa-reader.xyz/?text=%C9%AA%C9%9Bst%C3%A6a%C9%AA http://ipa-reader.xyz] | + | Following this guide, a pronunciation of Tuesday as /iɛstæaɪ/ is possible. You can hear a pronunciation at [http://ipa-reader.xyz/?text=%C9%AA%C9%9Bst%C3%A6a%C9%AA http://ipa-reader.xyz]. |
The title text references how some people pronounce the word "pron'''u'''nciation" like "pron'''ou'''nce" (with /aʊ/) and others use a different vowel (/ʌ/). Here Randall is saying that he pronounces them with the 'u' from "p'''u'''tting" and the 'ou' from "w'''ou'''nd". If we take putting to mean /ˈp'''ʌ'''tɪŋ/ (golf) and wound as /w'''aʊ'''nd/ (coiled), this could mean he pronounces them using the commonly differing pronunciations. However those two words could also be pronounced /ˈp'''ʊ'''tɪŋ/ (placing) and /w'''u'''nd/ (injury), indicating a non-standard way of saying each word. In accents that lack the {{w|Phonological_history_of_English_close_back_vowels#FOOT–STRUT_split|FOOT–STRUT split}}, such as those in the north of England, both versions of "putting" would be pronounced identically. | The title text references how some people pronounce the word "pron'''u'''nciation" like "pron'''ou'''nce" (with /aʊ/) and others use a different vowel (/ʌ/). Here Randall is saying that he pronounces them with the 'u' from "p'''u'''tting" and the 'ou' from "w'''ou'''nd". If we take putting to mean /ˈp'''ʌ'''tɪŋ/ (golf) and wound as /w'''aʊ'''nd/ (coiled), this could mean he pronounces them using the commonly differing pronunciations. However those two words could also be pronounced /ˈp'''ʊ'''tɪŋ/ (placing) and /w'''u'''nd/ (injury), indicating a non-standard way of saying each word. In accents that lack the {{w|Phonological_history_of_English_close_back_vowels#FOOT–STRUT_split|FOOT–STRUT split}}, such as those in the north of England, both versions of "putting" would be pronounced identically. | ||
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+ | Until reading this explanation, I never noticed how many people say "recorded", 'wrongly': "wreck-OR-dedd" sure seems wrong to me (even though I see ''some'' pronunciation guides that OK it). Shouldn't that be "ree-KOR-dedd"? | ||
==Transcript== | ==Transcript== |