0
Usenet Posted 21 years ago
Usage
Foreign names: why do Americans lengthen short vowels?
Reading this
http://www.janegalt.net/blog/archives/005173.html
I see
'Kudoes to the New York Times...'
I assume that the writer pronounces the word 'kudos' with a long final vowel, and Anglicised the spelling to match the pronunciation!
Similarly, I've heard 'Sri Lanka' pronounced by Americans with both vowels in 'Lanka' lengthened; and 'Costa Rica' with the 'o' lengthened. Spanish place-names in the US - 'Boca Raton', say - often get the same treatment. (But not always - 'Los Angeles' is, I believe pronounced generally with short vowels - even the final vowel, which some in England might pronounce long by false analogy with Latin.)
In each case, I believe, the vowel in the original language is short, and is pronounced as short in England.
I'm wondering whether this a recognised phenomenon.
http://www.janegalt.net/blog/archives/005173.html
I see
'Kudoes to the New York Times...'
I assume that the writer pronounces the word 'kudos' with a long final vowel, and Anglicised the spelling to match the pronunciation!
Similarly, I've heard 'Sri Lanka' pronounced by Americans with both vowels in 'Lanka' lengthened; and 'Costa Rica' with the 'o' lengthened. Spanish place-names in the US - 'Boca Raton', say - often get the same treatment. (But not always - 'Los Angeles' is, I believe pronounced generally with short vowels - even the final vowel, which some in England might pronounce long by false analogy with Latin.)
In each case, I believe, the vowel in the original language is short, and is pronounced as short in England.
I'm wondering whether this a recognised phenomenon.
Top answer
' I assume that the writer pronounces the word 'kudos' ... in the original language is short, and is pronounced as short in England. [/nq] What do you mean by 'long' and 'short' vowels?
- ' I assume that the writer pronounces the word 'kudos' ...
- in the original language is short, and is pronounced as short in England.
- [/nq] What do you mean by 'long' and 'short' vowels?
- "
Get the Weekly English Kit 📬
New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.
57 Answers
0
[nq:1]Reading this http://www.janegalt.net/blog/archives/005173.html I see 'Kudoes to the New York Times...' I assume that the writer pronounces the word 'kudos' ... in the original language is short, and is pronounced as short in England. I'm wondering whether this a recognised phen
00
[nq:1]Reading this http://www.janegalt.net/blog/archives/005173.html I see 'Kudoes to the New York Times...' I assume that the writer pronounces the word 'kudos' with a long final vowel, and Anglicised the spelling to match the pronunciation![/nq]
Perhaps. More likely (if this i
Perhaps. More likely (if this i
00
I give up. You pronounce "loss" with the vowel of "laws" or "pause" or "caught"?
00
[nq:2]You might want to clarify what you mean by "short ... "short vowel" in the phonics sense, though perhaps I should.[/nq]
[nq:1]I give up. You pronounce "loss" with the vowel of "laws" or "pause" or "caught"?[/nq]
Yes, much like True Unreconstructed RP (The Original (Accept No Cheap Imitations)).
Steny '08!
[nq:1]I give up. You pronounce "loss" with the vowel of "laws" or "pause" or "caught"?[/nq]
Yes, much like True Unreconstructed RP (The Original (Accept No Cheap Imitations)).
Steny '08!
00
[nq:1]Reading this http://www.janegalt.net/blog/archives/005173.html I see 'Kudoes to the New York Times...' I assume that the writer pronounces the word 'kudos' ... the spelling to match the pronunciation! Similarly, I've heard 'Sri Lanka' pronounced by Americans with both vowels in
00
[nq:1]AmE doesn't have a native short vowel /o/ not followed by 'r' or 'l'.[/nq]
Here I'm gonna pull a Sparky and say that that should be in square brackets to make sense. No? One cannot speak of a phonemic "short"/"long" vowel, as I understand things.
Also, I think you're wrong anyway. In Minnesotan English (e.g. HardE), doesn't raw short (o) occur all over the place?
Steny '08!
Here I'm gonna pull a Sparky and say that that should be in square brackets to make sense. No? One cannot speak of a phonemic "short"/"long" vowel, as I understand things.
Also, I think you're wrong anyway. In Minnesotan English (e.g. HardE), doesn't raw short (o) occur all over the place?
Steny '08!
00
[nq:2]I give up. You pronounce "loss" with the vowel of "laws" or "pause" or "caught"?[/nq]
[nq:1]Yes, much like True Unreconstructed RP (The Original (Accept No Cheap Imitations)).[/nq]
Well, I still give up. You are perfectly right about the TURP but how on earth did you acquire it? I have never heard an American use that vowel in "loss' (though "laahss" seems common enough (no sn
[nq:1]Yes, much like True Unreconstructed RP (The Original (Accept No Cheap Imitations)).[/nq]
Well, I still give up. You are perfectly right about the TURP but how on earth did you acquire it? I have never heard an American use that vowel in "loss' (though "laahss" seems common enough (no sn
00
[nq:2]AmE doesn't have a native short vowel /o/ not followed by 'r' or 'l'.[/nq]
[nq:1]Here I'm gonna pull a Sparky and say that that should be in square brackets to make sense. No? One cannot speak of a phonemic "short"/"long" vowel, as I understand things.[/nq]
I meant phonemes - the traditional "short" and "long" vowel phonemes in english are as follows (and as i assumed he meant)
[nq:1]Here I'm gonna pull a Sparky and say that that should be in square brackets to make sense. No? One cannot speak of a phonemic "short"/"long" vowel, as I understand things.[/nq]
I meant phonemes - the traditional "short" and "long" vowel phonemes in english are as follows (and as i assumed he meant)
00
[nq:1]Costa Rica' with the 'o' lengthened. Spanish place-names in the US - 'Boca Raton', say - often get the same ... In each case, I believe, the vowel in the original language is short, and is pronounced as short in England.[/nq]
If what you mean by "long" and "short" is what I think you mean that is, long and short as we were taught it in grade school then you are wrong.
The o in C
If what you mean by "long" and "short" is what I think you mean that is, long and short as we were taught it in grade school then you are wrong.
The o in C
00
[nq:2]Here I'm gonna pull a Sparky and say that that ... cannot speak of a phonemic"short"/"long" vowel, as I understand things.[/nq]
[nq:1]I meant phonemes - the traditional "short" and "long" vowel phonemesin english are as follows (and as i assumed he meant) "a" /&/ /eI/ "e" /E/ /i:/ "i" /I/ /aI/ "o" /A/ /oU/ "u" /V/ /ju:/[/nq]
I believe this tradition is now followed only in America. B
[nq:1]I meant phonemes - the traditional "short" and "long" vowel phonemesin english are as follows (and as i assumed he meant) "a" /&/ /eI/ "e" /E/ /i:/ "i" /I/ /aI/ "o" /A/ /oU/ "u" /V/ /ju:/[/nq]
I believe this tradition is now followed only in America. B
0
Related Questions