The "How do You Pronounce X" Thread

[Travis B.]

Interesting. So far, no one seems to preserve the historical pattern here, but rather everyone has some kind of leveling going on.

What does levelling mean? That the different phones are sort of "sliding" towards each other?

What I mean is that existing distinctions have been covered up by new patterns that have generalized parts of the existing pattern such that the original distinction is lost, e.g. favoring diphthongization or disyllabification with certain (or all) vowels or favoring monosyllabification and the equivalents of historical /iː uː eɪ̯ oʊ̯/ with certain (or all) vowels.

[TaylorS]

Okay, I have a rather boring pattern; all of them are monosyllabic in everyday speech, but all of them with high vowels can break into disyllables when enunciated carefully:

real: /ˈril/ > [ˈɰˤi(ː)ɯ̞̯] or, carefully, [ˈɰˤiː(j)ɯ̞(ː)]
deal: /ˈdil/ > [ˈd̥i(ː)ɯ̞̯] or, carefully, [ˈd̥iː(j)ɯ̞(ː)]
cruel: /ˈkrul/ > [ˈkʰʁˤu(ː)ʊ̯] or, carefully, [ˈkʰʁˤuː(w)ʊ(ː)]
duel: /ˈdul/ > [ˈd̻̥ʉ̯̆ŭʊ̯]~[ˈd̻̥ʉ̯uʊ̯] or, carefully, [ˈd̻̥ʉ̯u(w)ʊ(ː)]
steal: /ˈstil/ > [ˈs̻t̻i(ː)ɯ̞̯] or, carefully, [ˈs̻t̻iː(j)ɯ̞(ː)]
peal: /ˈpil/ > [ˈpʰi(ː)ɯ̞̯] or, carefully, [ˈpʰiː(j)ɯ̞(ː)]
stool: /ˈstul/ > [ˈs̻t̻ʉ̯̆ŭʊ̯]~[ˈs̻t̻ʉ̯uʊ̯] or, carefully, [ˈs̻t̻ʉ̯u(w)ʊ(ː)]
pool: /ˈpul/ > [ˈpʰu(ː)ʊ̯] or, carefully, [ˈpʰuː(w)ʊ(ː)]
stale: /ˈstel/ > [ˈs̻t̻e(ː)ɯ̞̯]
dale: /ˈdel/ > [ˈd̥e(ː)ɯ̞̯]
stole: /ˈstol/ > [ˈs̻t̻o(ː)ʊ̯]
dole: /ˈdol/ > [ˈd̥o(ː)ʊ̯]

For me the ones with /o:/, /e:/,. /u:/, amd /i:/ become disyllabic, the rest are monophthongs.

[Travis B.]

real [ɹʷˠɪəɫ]
deal [dɪəɫ]
cruel [kʰɹʷˠəʊɫ]
duel [ʤjəʊɫ]
steal [stɪəɫ]
peal [pʰɪəɫ]
stool [stəʊɫ]
pool [pʰəʊɫ]
stale [stɛɪəɫ]
dale [dɛɪəɫ]
stole [stəʊɫ]
dole [dəʊɫ]

Found a new dipthong. [ɫ] really changes the dipthong for me I think. [ɫ] can also be changed to [w] or something similar, in relaxed speech.

From reading this, you merge historical /uːl/, /uːəl/, and /oʊ̯l/ into what might be expected for /oʊ̯l/, namely [əʊɫ]?

[ol bofosh]

From reading this, you merge historical /uːl/, /uːəl/, and /oʊ̯l/ into what might be expected for /oʊ̯l/, namely [əʊɫ]?

I think you're right. Like I said before, [ɫ] seems to change the preceding dipthong.

[Viktor77]

Ok, I'm watching the DNC role call. How do you pronounce Oregon? I say /O.r\I.gan/. But Oregonians are saying /O.r\I.gIn/ and Wiki says /O.r\I.g@n/.

[vampireshark]

Ok, I'm watching the DNC role call. How do you pronounce Oregon? I say /O.r\I.gan/. But Oregonians are saying /O.r\I.gIn/ and Wiki says /O.r\I.g@n/.

I normally have [ˈɔ˞.ɪ.gɪn]~[ˈɔ˞.ɪ.gɔn], depending on what I'm feeling like, with the former in more careful speech. I lived near Oregon for four years and went there often on vacation with my family, so that may be why.

As for a pronunciation thing, I have a weird one to ask about: "Honaker". Yes, it's my surname, but people seem to pronounce it in very strange ways.

[Pinetree]

Ok, I'm watching the DNC role call. How do you pronounce Oregon? I say /O.r\I.gan/. But Oregonians are saying /O.r\I.gIn/ and Wiki says /O.r\I.g@n/.

I normally have [ˈɔ˞.ɪ.gɪn]~[ˈɔ˞.ɪ.gɔn], depending on what I'm feeling like, with the former in more careful speech. I lived near Oregon for four years and went there often on vacation with my family, so that may be why.

As for a pronunciation thing, I have a weird one to ask about: "Honaker". Yes, it's my surname, but people seem to pronounce it in very strange ways.

['hɔn.ɐ.kɚ]

[Viktor77]

Ok, I'm watching the DNC role call. How do you pronounce Oregon? I say /O.r\I.gan/. But Oregonians are saying /O.r\I.gIn/ and Wiki says /O.r\I.g@n/.

I normally have [ˈɔ˞.ɪ.gɪn]~[ˈɔ˞.ɪ.gɔn], depending on what I'm feeling like, with the former in more careful speech. I lived near Oregon for four years and went there often on vacation with my family, so that may be why.

As for a pronunciation thing, I have a weird one to ask about: "Honaker". Yes, it's my surname, but people seem to pronounce it in very strange ways.

['hɔn.ɐ.kɚ]

If you were a student in my classroom I'd probably say [hoU.n@.k3`].

[----]

As for a pronunciation thing, I have a weird one to ask about: "Honaker". Yes, it's my surname, but people seem to pronounce it in very strange ways.

['hanəkɹ̩] for me.

Ok, I'm watching the DNC role call. How do you pronounce Oregon? I say /O.r\I.gan/. But Oregonians are saying /O.r\I.gIn/ and Wiki says /O.r\I.g@n/.

I pronounce it ['ɔɹɨgɨn].

[Travis B.]

Ok, I'm watching the DNC role call. How do you pronounce Oregon? I say /O.r\I.gan/. But Oregonians are saying /O.r\I.gIn/ and Wiki says /O.r\I.g@n/.

I have:

Oregon: /ˈorɪˌɡan/ > [ˈɔːʁˤɨːˌɡ̊ã(ː)(n)]

As for a pronunciation thing, I have a weird one to ask about: "Honaker". Yes, it's my surname, but people seem to pronounce it in very strange ways.[/color]
I would probably pronounce it as:

Honaker: /ˈhonəkər/ > [ˈhõː(n)əɡ̊ʁ̩ˤ(ː)] or /ˈhanəkər/ > [ˈhãːnəɡ̊ʁ̩ˤ(ː)]~[ˈhãːɐ̯̃ɡ̊ʁ̩ˤ(ː)]

Edit: Made a minor correction in one of my pronunciations.

[TaylorS]

[ˈɔʁˤɨ̞ɡn̩]

[TaylorS]

Ok, I'm watching the DNC role call. How do you pronounce Oregon? I say /O.r\I.gan/. But Oregonians are saying /O.r\I.gIn/ and Wiki says /O.r\I.g@n/.

I have:

Oregon: /ˈorɪˌɡan/ > [ˈɔːʁˤɨːˌɡ̊ã(ː)(n)]

As for a pronunciation thing, I have a weird one to ask about: "Honaker". Yes, it's my surname, but people seem to pronounce it in very strange ways.[/color]
I would probably pronounce it as:

Honaker: /ˈhonəkər/ > [ˈhõː(n)əɡ̊ʁ̩ˤ(ː)] or /ˈhanəkər/ > [ˈhãː(n)əɡ̊ʁ̩ˤ(ː)]

[hãːɡ̥ɚ]

[jmcd]

Ok, I'm watching the DNC role call. How do you pronounce Oregon? I say /O.r\I.gan/. But Oregonians are saying /O.r\I.gIn/ and Wiki says /O.r\I.g@n/.

I normally have [ˈɔ˞.ɪ.gɪn]~[ˈɔ˞.ɪ.gɔn], depending on what I'm feeling like, with the former in more careful speech. I lived near Oregon for four years and went there often on vacation with my family, so that may be why.

As for a pronunciation thing, I have a weird one to ask about: "Honaker". Yes, it's my surname, but people seem to pronounce it in very strange ways.

[hOn"ak@4]. Because you're blatantly communist.

How about pronunciation?
Mine is [p40"nVunse'eS@n].

[Travis B.]

pronunciation: /prəˈnʌnsiˌeʃɪn/ > [pʰɰˤə̃ːˈnʌ̃ntsiːˌeʃɨ̃(ː)(n)]~[pʰɰˤə̃ːˈnʌ̃ːnˌtsjěʃɨ̃(ː)(n)]

[Pinetree]

Ok, I'm watching the DNC role call. How do you pronounce Oregon? I say /O.r\I.gan/. But Oregonians are saying /O.r\I.gIn/ and Wiki says /O.r\I.g@n/.

I normally have [ˈɔ˞.ɪ.gɪn]~[ˈɔ˞.ɪ.gɔn], depending on what I'm feeling like, with the former in more careful speech. I lived near Oregon for four years and went there often on vacation with my family, so that may be why.

As for a pronunciation thing, I have a weird one to ask about: "Honaker". Yes, it's my surname, but people seem to pronounce it in very strange ways.

[hɔnˈakəɾ]. Because you're blatantly communist.

How about pronunciation?
Mine is [pɾɔˈnʌunseʲeʃən].

There is no excuse for leaving it as that unreadable mess that is X-Sampa.

[finlay]

Ok, I'm watching the DNC role call. How do you pronounce Oregon? I say /O.r\I.gan/. But Oregonians are saying /O.r\I.gIn/ and Wiki says /O.r\I.g@n/.

I normally have [ˈɔ˞.ɪ.gɪn]~[ˈɔ˞.ɪ.gɔn], depending on what I'm feeling like, with the former in more careful speech. I lived near Oregon for four years and went there often on vacation with my family, so that may be why.

As for a pronunciation thing, I have a weird one to ask about: "Honaker". Yes, it's my surname, but people seem to pronounce it in very strange ways.

[hɔnˈakəɾ]. Because you're blatantly communist.

How about pronunciation?
Mine is [pɾɔˈnʌunseʲeʃən].

There is no excuse for leaving it as that unreadable mess that is X-Sampa.

I know that the transcription may not be accurate (as there's a palatalisation mark there, which I'm tempted to believe is you mixing up the X-SAMPA symbols for palatalisation and stress), but I've heard you speaking, even if the last time we met was around two years ago (I guess?), and I refuse to believe you do such weird things with your phonology as tapping every R, stressing the 'wrong' syllable (mind you, pronouncing 'pronunciation' as 'pronounciation' is fairly widespread, by analogy or something), or not reducing vowels. Because while your accent is stronger than mine, it's not that different. Are you sure you're listening properly?

[GrinningManiac]

I realised recently I do a couple of odd things.

The first one is one I've gotten from my Dad and his Dundonian accent and I've had it all my life - I pronounce Stupid as [ʃ'tʃʲu:pɪd] or "SHCHYOO-pid"

In the last month I've started pronouncing Okay, formally [oʊkeɪ], as [ə'xeɪ:] or "Uh-chae"

I do this a few other times but I can't remember what words I was saying. My accent is warping into some kind of weird x-filled Welsh or Scouse accent. Help!

[----]

pronunciation: [pʰɹəˈnʌntsiˌeʃn̩~pʰɹ̩ˈnʌntsiˌeʃn̩]
i.e. for some words the prefixes pro- and per- merge.

[jmcd]

@finlay:
I know that the transcription may not be accurate (as there's a palatalisation mark there, which I'm tempted to believe is you mixing up the X-SAMPA symbols for palatalisation and stress), but I've heard you speaking, even if the last time we met was around two years ago (I guess?), and I refuse to believe you do such weird things with your phonology as tapping every R, stressing the 'wrong' syllable (mind you, pronouncing 'pronunciation' as 'pronounciation' is fairly widespread, by analogy or something), or not reducing vowels. Because while your accent is stronger than mine, it's not that different. Are you sure you're listening properly?[/quote]Well, the [ɔ] may well actually be [ʌ] or, perhaps most likely, something in between the two. As far as the stress is concerned, having thought about it, it would appear that I had mixed up the primary and secondary stress.As for the r's, I think it depends on the context (formal contexts have more approximants) as well as the position in the word (r's followed by coronal consonants are most likely to be approximants). I used to write my r's as [ɾ] next to a consonant and [ɹ] otherwise. This was based on a book (Phonology by Philip Carr IIRC) I read about six years ago which had a section about Scottish English. Before that, my transcription was more inaccurate and confused. I later changed this particular aspect of my transcription when I realised that this was not actually the way I pronounced it. I was actually thinking of revising the way I transcribe my speech anyway with respect to the r and also the high rounded vowel from [ʉ] to [ø] because, in my case, it appears closer to [ø] than [y]. It's basically in between [ø] and [ʉ] anyway. Thus the revised version would be [pɾʌˌnʌunseˈeʃən].

In any case, I'm not sure whether you're including the surname in this but I don't think it is really relevant considering a) Names are only sort of part of a language and b) I deliberately made it sound somewhat like the German surname Honecker. Although it turns out I misplaced the stress symbol for that as well. In general, it actually varies of course; when you speak to different people you sound more like them.

As for the transcription (+@Hubris Incalculable), you are correct in saying that the palatalisation mark was intended as a stress mark. I have used that page before but I just couldn't be bothered that time tbh, partly because I was on a public computer and thus I would have actually had to search for it rather than just type 'x' at the top, like I do on my laptop. Not that that's good excuse but yeah.

Now that I think about, I do have some form of recording equipment at home so I could try and use that sometime (maybe soon) to see how other people would transcribe it.

[ol bofosh]

Honaker
I'd be tempted to say ['hɒ.nə.kʰə]. I've got a name with <ough>, which is entertaining to hear others struggle with...

Oregon
['ɒ.ɹʷə.gən] or perhaps ['ɒ.ɹʷɪ.gən]. Not sure, it's not a word I've ever had to use before.

What about oregano?

[ɒ.ɹʷɪ.'gɐː.nəʉ]

[Pole, the]

Do you pronounce "a" in "awake" and "alive" differently or alike?

[ol bofosh]

Yes, both [@].

[Travis B.]

oregano: /oˈrɜɡɪˌno/ > [ɔːˈʁˤɜːɡ̊ɨ̃ːˌno(ː)] or /əˈrɜɡɪˌno/ > [ʁ̩ˤːˈʁˤɜːɡ̊ɨ̃ːˌno(ː)]

Both awake and alive have /ə/ > [əː] in them for me.

[----]

oregano: [ʔəˈɹɛgənɐw~ʔəˈɹegənɐw]
The stressed vowel in this word varies between those two, but the first is more common for me, I think.

[Thry]

What about oregano?

[o.'4e.Ga.no]
do it all wrong and you get teh Ingliz