Didn't

Question

I recently noticed marked differences in pronunciation of '"didn't". Monica Goodling says a clear "diddint", and a friend (originally from Utah) says "dint". When I tried to write how I say it (the only correct way , of course!) I realized couldn't see how to phonetically. When I say it, the second 'd' closes the airstream and there is a kind of sounded, plosive gutteral that goes through the nose. How do you say it? How would you transcribe it phonetically?
Richard Yates

Usenet · Accepted Answer

[nq:1]I recently noticed marked differences in pronunciation of '"didn't". Monica Goodling says a clear "diddint", and a friend (originally from ... of sounded, plosive gutteral that goes through the nose. How do you say it? How would you transcribe it phonetically?[/nq]
How would you describe your way of saying the first "d"? Some people say "diddent" or "diddunt" (I double the "d" simply because you did) and some say that "dd" in a very pronounced manner.

Others say "dittent" (unsounded plosive) and even others say the word with a "glottal stop" (di'nt). Most times, I think, I say "dint" with the same sounds as the "dint" (by dint of great effort).

I think "wouldn't" and "couldn't" follow the same pattern for me (woont, coont, though neither has woo or coo sound.) I don't want to say "wunt and ***", though I suspect some do pronounce the words that way. I think "wunt" verges on a dialectal "wasn't".

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]I recently noticed marked differences in pronunciation of '"didn't". Monica Goodling says a clear "diddint", and a friend (originally from ... of sounded, plosive gutteral that goes through the nose. How do you say it? How would you transcribe it phonetically?[/nq]
Having lived in Birmingham (the real one), I daredn't comment.

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]I recently noticed marked differences in pronunciation of '"didn't". Monica Goodling says a clear "diddint", and a friend (originally from ... plosive gutteral that goes through the nose. How do you say it? How would you transcribe it phonetically? Richard Yates[/nq]
/'dId nt/ or /'dId

nt/ No more nasality than is usual with the n, which is, after all, classed as a nasal.
I've been noticing a different pronunciation lately, heard mostly on TV, mostly from younger interviewees and actors, mostly female. /'dI d@t/
Cece

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]I recently noticed marked differences in pronunciation of '"didn't". Monica Goodling says a clear "diddint", and a friend (originally from ... of sounded, plosive gutteral that goes through the nose. How do you say it? How would you transcribe it phonetically?[/nq]
I usually say something like "di unt". I'm hearing "diddunt" or "diddint" a lot on TV now. Either sounds weird.
Bill
Reverse parts of the user name for my e-address

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]I recently noticed marked differences in pronunciation of '"didn't". Monica Goodling says a clear "diddint", and a friend (originally from ... plosive gutteral that goes through the nose. How do you say it? How would you transcribe it phonetically? Richard Yates[/nq]
That gnashed so badly in my mind, I am now feeling grumpy enough to add...
there is a weather forecaster on Brisbane radio 4KQ who has so much difficulty saying "showers" (for example) he lingers a few milliseconds too long on the "ow" so you hear shauw...wizz which sounds really strange.
And is anyone puzzled when Americans say "the fact is is that..."

Or why even the BBC has started to say "reckonize"

Or why NASA loves to use "nominal" when they really mean "normal"

Or why so many otherwise sensible people insist on mispronouncing "dissect". It has a double consonant, for goodness' sake! It does not rhyme with "bisect"
Or why otherwise sensible people also insist on mispronouncing "idyllic"

Or misusing "fulsome"
Or using "alternate" when what is meant is "alternative"

New Zealanders and most Australians have developed a damned annoying (aka lazy) habit of not touching the roof of the mouth with the tip of the tongue when pronouncing the letter "L" in words that lend themselves to the abomination so that, instead of saying "gold" they say "gowd". Instead of saying "Australian wilderness" they say "Uh-strayan wiwderness" or, even worse, "strine wiwdniss"

Or the British hardening the "g" to give us "singgapore" or "Tongga"

It's getting addictive. Time to stop.

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]I recently noticed marked differences in pronunciation of '"didn't". Monica Goodling says a clear "diddint", and a friend (originally from ... airstream and there is a kind of sounded, plosive gutteral that goes through the nose. How do you say it?[/nq]
Many different ways, ranging for "dint" to "did not".

All are "the only correct way, of course!"
[nq:1]How would you transcribe it phonetically?[/nq]
I wouldn't.
GFH

Usenet · Answer

[nq:2]I recently noticed marked differences in pronunciation of '"didn't". Monica ... say it? How would you transcribe it phonetically? Richard Yates[/nq]
[nq:1]That gnashed so badly in my mind, I am now feeling grumpy enough to add... there is a weather forecaster ... (for example) he lingers a few milliseconds too long on the "ow" so you hear shauw...wizz which sounds really strange.[/nq]
But you know what he's saying so what's the beef?
[nq:1]And is anyone puzzled when Americans say "the fact is is that..."[/nq]
Can't say I've ever heard anyone American or otherwise say any such thing.
[nq:1]Or why even the BBC has started to say "reckonize"[/nq]
I wasn't aware that the BBC could speak! As presenters are no longer expected to use RP and encouraged to use their natural accent, I would imagine that the word is pronounced in all manner of ways. Again, as long as you know what the word actually is ...
[nq:1]Or why NASA loves to use "nominal" when they really mean "normal" Or why so many otherwise sensible people insist on mispronouncing "dissect". It has a double consonant, for goodness' sake! It does not rhyme with "bisect"[/nq]
Because not everybody visualises the spelling of every word that comes out of their mouths? Pronunciation is almost entirely acquired by imitation so, presumably, these otherwise sensible people have heard other otherwise sensible people say dissect the 'wrong way' before them. The whole idea that there is a proper way to say words is entirely ludicrous and an insult to the glories of regional accents anyway.
[nq:1]Or why otherwise sensible people also insist on mispronouncing "idyllic" Or misusing "fulsome" Or using "alternate" when what is meant ... say "Uh-strayan wiwderness" or, even worse, "strine wiwdniss" Or the British hardening the "g" to give us "singgapore" or "Tongga"[/nq]
The British includes me and I don't harden the G in either case.
[nq:1]It's getting addictive. Time to stop.[/nq]
It is indeed time to stop. Time to stop the control freakery of a self- appointed elite who imagine that spoken English is not a tool to enable living conversation but a museum piece to be guarded from the rabble or a stick with which to beat them!

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]Or the British hardening the "g" to give us "singgapore" or "Tongga"[/nq]
Peter Duncanson, UK
(in alt.english.usage)

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]Or the British hardening the "g" to give us "singgapore" or "Tongga"[/nq]
Not only the British.
The entry for Tonga at Encarta splits the syllables as "Ton-ga". The audio clip has a hard "g" in "ga", but the "on" sounds very much like "ong".
http://encarta.msn.com/dictionary 1861720806/Tonga.html

Similarly the audio clip for "Sin-ga-pore" sounds like "Sing-ga-pore"
http://encarta.msn.com/dictionary /Singapore.html
Hear the same effect at the entry for Bangalore:
http://encarta.msn.com/dictionary /Bangalore.html
Try also "single", "mingle", "tingle", "bangle", and many others of a similar construction.

Peter Duncanson, UK
(in alt.english.usage)

Usenet · Answer

[nq:2]Or the British hardening the "g" to give us "singgapore" or "Tongga"[/nq]
[nq:1]Not only the British. The entry for Tonga at Encarta splits the syllables as "Ton-ga". The audio clip has a ... /Bangalore.html Try also "single", "mingle", "tingle", "bangle", and many others of a similar construction. Peter Duncanson, UK (in alt.english.usage)[/nq]
Is anybody aware of any place on the globe where single would be routinely pronounced sin-gul or sing-ul and not sing-gul? Possibly deepest darkest West Country in England for sing-ul though that's more likely to tend towards zing-ul.

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