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CalifJim Posted 11 years ago
The British use the broader A when one-syllable words have certain endings, like -ast and -ance for example. If I spoke British English I might be able to give you a fuller list.
Wait for a speaker of BrE to come by and give you a more thorough list.
CJ
Speech & Pronunciation
Fast / fat
Zaman Ashraf Why pronunciation of letter A is different in these two words ---- Fast / Fat ?That's only in British English. The pronunciation is the same in American English, where both are pronounced as in "fat".
The British use the broader A when one-syllable words have certain endings, like -ast and -ance for example. If I spoke British English I might be able to give you a fuller list.
Wait for a speaker of BrE to come by and give you a more thorough list.
CJ
Top answer
Mostly, since England has hundreds of dialects, Brits tend to be less able to pronounce the letter “r” when it follows a vowel sound and “l” when it precedes an “m”. As though to compensate, many of the British pronunciations of words without “r” in them sound as though they do have. In this small list, I use the AmEng word first, then the British version and my feeling of its sound.
- Mostly, since England has hundreds of dialects, Brits tend to be less able to pronounce the letter “r” when it follows a vowel sound and “l” when it precedes an “m”.
- As though to compensate, many of the British pronunciations of words without “r” in them sound as though they do have.
- In this small list, I use the AmEng word first, then the British version and my feeling of its sound.
- a pricot = apricot (as in “grape”) appar a tus = appa (same) but “ratus” (like “cart us”) c a n’t = can’t (ah as in “aren’t”) a unt = aunt (ah as in “aren’t”) sopr a no = soprano (ah as in “hard”) char a de = cha rade (cha is the same, but rade as in “hard”) b a th = bath (“barth” as in “hard”) ban a na = ba na na (middle only changes, “na” as in “hard”) g a la = ga (as in “guard”) st a tus = (AmEng has two alternatives “ay” and “at” - Brits say “ay” as in “state”) Hope this is of some help.
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11 Answers
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Mostly, since England has hundreds of dialects, Brits tend to be less able to pronounce the letter “r” when it follows a vowel sound and “l” when it precedes an “m”. As though to compensate, many of the British pronunciations of words without “r” in them sound as though they do have.
In this small list, I use the AmEng word first, then the British version and my feeling of its sound.
In this small list, I use the AmEng word first, then the British version and my feeling of its sound.
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wilpeterapparatus = appa (same) but “ratus” (like “cart us”)The underlined, letter a is pronounced like the letters a and y in the words bay and day. That means it is pronounced as appa raytus.
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No, not in my experience. However, there are many dialects in Britain. Mine was south-east of London.
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wilpeterNo, not in my experience. However, there are many dialects in Britain. Mine was south-east of London.That's unusual. It's usually appa raytus.
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wilpeterCan you risk telling me where you hear it that way?It's the way that people from south east England say it.
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Well, then I heartily apologize and will alter it in my memory, mate.
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wilpeterWell, then I heartily apologize and will alter it in my memory, mate.I've also heard people from Cornwall, as well as a science teacher from Scotland, say it that way.
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