English Words Pronunciation
-
Both are right and both are wrong, depending on your accent.
Z; Zee in the US and Zed in the UK
-
a lot of words it depends on region.
-
So which pronunciation is the American?
-
@Kekkaishi said in English Words Pronunciation:
So which pronunciation is the American?
It's not that simple, since both are used in the US and UK depending on where you live.
-
@Kekkaishi said in English Words Pronunciation:
I have some words that I hear sometimes that are pronounced differently. Therefore I'm not sure what is the correct way to pronounce these words.
I will write the word and then the 2 variations phonetically for better understandingIdeology: E-diology or I-dioloty
Either: E-ther or I-ther
Devisive: di-VI-sive or di-VAI-sive
Beyond: be-Yo-nd or be-O-nd
Resource -> re-So-rce or re-Zo-urce
So which is it?
thanks.You have discovered why English is such a difficult language to learn...
In some examples, the different pronunciations have different meanings:
- read (verb, pronounced: red) is the past tense of read (verb, pronounced reed), which is to "look at and comprehend the meaning of written material"
For example: He had read (red) "To Kill a Mockingbird" earlier that year, so he had no difficulty when he was asked to read (reed) it out loud in class. - Plus, there is read (noun, pronounced reed) that is "someone's understanding of a topic or event"
For example: The General's read (reed) on the battle was eventually proven correct" - Then there's read (adjective, pronounced red) denoting a high level of understanding
For example: He is well read (red) in the Greek Classical Poetry - making him a total bore at parties! - And finally, there is the location on the board game Monopoly: Reading Railroad - (pronounced correctly as red-ding)
Then, there's the famous song from Gershwins' "Shall We Dance" called "Let's Call the Whole Thing Off" where the on-screen couple argues about English word pronunciations:
Things have come to a pretty pass
Our romance is growing flat,
For you like this and the other
While I go for this and that,
Goodness knows what the end will be
Oh I don't know where I'm at
It looks as if we two will never be one
Something must be done:
You say either and I say either,
You say neither and I say neither
Either, either neither, neither
Let's call the whole thing off.
You like potato and I like potahto
You like tomato and I like tomahto
Potato, potahto, tomato, tomahto.
Let's call the whole thing off
But oh, if we call the whole thing off
Then we must part
And oh, if we ever part, then that might break my heart
So if you like pyjamas and I like pyjahmas,
I'll wear pyjamas and give up pyajahmas
For we know we need each other so we
Better call the whole thing off
Let's call the whole thing off.
You say laughter and I say larfter
You say after and I say arfter
Laughter, larfter after arfter
Let's call the whole thing off,
You like vanilla and I like vanella
You saspiralla, and I saspirella
Vanilla vanella chocolate strawberry
Let's call the whole thing off
But oh if we call the whole thing of then we must part
And oh, if we ever part, then that might break my heart
So if you go for oysters and I go for ersters
I'll order oysters and cancel the ersters
For we know we need each other so we
Better call the calling off off,
Let's call the whole thing off.
I say father, and you say pater,
I saw mother and you say mater
Pater, mater uncle, auntie let's call the whole thing off.
I like bananas and you like banahnahs
I say havana and I get havahnah
Bananas, banahnahs havana, havahnah
Go your way, I'll go mine
So if I go for scallops and you go for lobsters,
So all right no contest we'll order lobseter
For we know we need each other so we
Better call the calling off off,
Let's call the whole thing off. - read (verb, pronounced: red) is the past tense of read (verb, pronounced reed), which is to "look at and comprehend the meaning of written material"
-
what everybody has already said but i wanted to link this website i really like. i'm a big language geek and it's fun to hear how different regions speak https://www.dialectsarchive.com/
-
@Kekkaishi said in English Words Pronunciation:
I have some words that I hear sometimes that are pronounced differently. Therefore I'm not sure what is the correct way to pronounce these words.
I will write the word and then the 2 variations phonetically for better understandingIdeology: E-diology or I-dioloty
Either: E-ther or I-ther
Devisive: di-VI-sive or di-VAI-sive
Beyond: be-Yo-nd or be-O-nd
Resource -> re-So-rce or re-Zo-urce
So which is it?
thanks.Born and raised in the USA and having lived for a long time in a region of the USA where there is little or no accent, I can offer what I feel is the "common" pronunciation from my experience:
I-dee-ology although I have heard Id-eology (like the psychology word id) spoken frequently, but that may be just a more posh pronunciation.
E-ther and I-ther are both spoken nearly equally. E-ther is probably more commonly used, and I-ther may be a bit more posh.
de-VI-sive
be-Yond
Re-source
-
@Dracula975 Thanks!
-
E-ther vs I-ther pronunciation for me is use-case:
"You can E-ther have cake or ice cream, but not both"
vs.
"No, I didn't like that move all that much I-ther"
There I go - screwing up the English language again! My middle-school English teacher (who almost failed me!) would be so proud! LOL
-
@bi4smooth I remember an encounter many years ago where I worked as cashier at a drug store.
A customer enters who speaks English natively. I don't remember the details but he asked me a question (in English of course) and I answered using the word "either" (pronounced I-ther) in regards to comparing two products or something. The weird thing is that he seemed to not understand my meaning of the word, not until I used E-ther to "correct" mysellf.
But most likely I misused the word altogether in a sentence -
@Kekkaishi said in English Words Pronunciation:
@bi4smooth I remember an encounter many years ago where I worked as cashier at a drug store.
A customer enters who speaks English natively. I don't remember the details but he asked me a question (in English of course) and I answered using the word "either" (pronounced I-ther) in regards to comparing two products or something. The weird thing is that he seemed to not understand my meaning of the word, not until I used E-ther to "correct" mysellf.
But most likely I misused the word altogether in a sentenceI would fault the customer there - E-ther and I-ther pronunciations are generally considered interchangeable in English... I don't think there are "rules" about when one gets used vs. the other.
My example above wasn't intended to say one was correct and the other not, rather that I personally use both pronunciations!
Hello! It looks like you're interested in this conversation, but you don't have an account yet.
Getting fed up of having to scroll through the same posts each visit? When you register for an account, you'll always come back to exactly where you were before, and choose to be notified of new replies (either via email, or push notification). You'll also be able to save bookmarks and upvote posts to show your appreciation to other community members.
With your input, this post could be even better 💗
Register Login