0
Anonymous Posted 17 years ago
Speech & Pronunciation
How do Americans pronounce Button ?
Hello there,
I'm a new immigrant to the U.S. I have noticed some people from work pronouncing the word Button differently.
They would pronounce Button as buh-Inn. My question is, am I hearing them correctly, do Americans tend to pronounce this word like that ? and if yes, is it right to pronounce Bottom buh-Om and Gotten guh-Inn ? if not, could you please tell me how you would pronounce them.
Thanks
I'm a new immigrant to the U.S. I have noticed some people from work pronouncing the word Button differently.
They would pronounce Button as buh-Inn. My question is, am I hearing them correctly, do Americans tend to pronounce this word like that ? and if yes, is it right to pronounce Bottom buh-Om and Gotten guh-Inn ? if not, could you please tell me how you would pronounce them.
Thanks
Top answer
Ugh, it makes me cringe to hear those words said without the "tt" sound in the middle. Yes, a lot of people do drop them, but it is not correct. It is lazy slang to drop them.
- Ugh, it makes me cringe to hear those words said without the "tt" sound in the middle.
- Yes, a lot of people do drop them, but it is not correct.
- It is lazy slang to drop them.
- Not a good habit to get into.
- I would say "but-en" with the enphasis on the first syllable.
Get the Weekly English Kit 📬
New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.
44 Answers
0
Ugh, it makes me cringe to hear those words said without the "tt" sound in the middle. Yes, a lot of people do drop them, but it is not correct. It is lazy slang to drop them. Not a good habit to get into.
I would say "but-en" with the enphasis on the first syllable. Similarly with the other two you mention.
I would say "but-en" with the enphasis on the first syllable. Similarly with the other two you mention.
00
No! It's not sloppy! It's actually advisable to pronounce BUTTON that way in American English, since it seems to be the most common way to pronounce the pair NT. And the same goes for similar words: sentence, mountain, cotton, etc.
The T and the N are pronounced together, and you don't drop the tip of your tongue after you say T, but you keep it there and pronounce the N right away. To be mo
The T and the N are pronounced together, and you don't drop the tip of your tongue after you say T, but you keep it there and pronounce the N right away. To be mo
00
AnonymousThey would pronounce Button as buh-Inn.That's not a bad description of it.
When you have a stressed vowel followed by syllable-final t followed by any vowel and then n, the t is "unreleased t" -- you place your mouth in position for the t and start but do not complete the sound -- followed by syllabic
00
OK I will concede for American English. All the examples mentioned, our correct English is to sound the t. I know the Americans have changed a lot of English for themselves, but I was not aware of them dropping the t's. Nor is it in my text books.
00
This is an interesting subject. I noticed that some Americans and Britains alike would say it the contracted way.
Language in general, English in particular, is constantly evolving. The British have always said that American English is non-standard, but the Hollywood-dominated media is telling a different story. If enough people are using the contracted way, sooner or later it is goi
Language in general, English in particular, is constantly evolving. The British have always said that American English is non-standard, but the Hollywood-dominated media is telling a different story. If enough people are using the contracted way, sooner or later it is goi
00
If you look up these words in the online webster dictionary and click on the audio button, you will hear the "shortened" pronounciation. In other words, it has become standard American English.
00
0
I have noticed this within the last decade or so also. Mostly with people around 30 and younger. Does it stem fron the hip-hop culture?
00
It's regional, not generational.
I grew up in New York. Way back then, there were places that said button as "buh-un" or wouldn't as "whoo-ent" with that consonant just disappearing entirely. It's not music to my ears, but it's their standard. I don't recommend you mimic is though.
I grew up in New York. Way back then, there were places that said button as "buh-un" or wouldn't as "whoo-ent" with that consonant just disappearing entirely. It's not music to my ears, but it's their standard. I don't recommend you mimic is though.
00
Related Questions