0
Kooyeen Posted 19 years ago
Speech & Pronunciation
ju???
Hi,
how should I pronounce sounds like:
university
unit
unite
Europe
I never know when they should be /j?/ (final part as in "book") and when /ju/ (final part as in "boot"). Merriam-Webster says "university" and "unit" are with /ju/, and "Europe" and "unite" are with /j?/... But other dictionarys show different pronunciations, so I guess it's another of those things I'll have to say at random.
Thanks
how should I pronounce sounds like:
university
unit
unite
Europe
I never know when they should be /j?/ (final part as in "book") and when /ju/ (final part as in "boot"). Merriam-Webster says "university" and "unit" are with /ju/, and "Europe" and "unite" are with /j?/... But other dictionarys show different pronunciations, so I guess it's another of those things I'll have to say at random.
Thanks
Top answer
I think we pronounce the ‘u’ in your word list all as /ju+/ in this neck of the wood. I notice the difference you mentioned in the M-WD. Except the word ‘Europe’, Well’s LPD and Jones’ EPD do list all other words as /ju+/.
- I think we pronounce the ‘u’ in your word list all as /ju+/ in this neck of the wood.
- I notice the difference you mentioned in the M-WD.
- Except the word ‘Europe’, Well’s LPD and Jones’ EPD do list all other words as /ju+/.
Get the Weekly English Kit 📬
New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.
6 Answers
0
I think we pronounce the ‘u’ in your word list all as /ju+/ in this neck of the wood. I notice the difference you mentioned in the M-WD. Except the word ‘Europe’, Well’s LPD and Jones’ EPD do list all other words as /ju+/.
00
0
This is all easily explained. It's certainly not random!
It's a full /ju/ when it takes primary or even secondary stress. (unit, university, uvula, unify).
It can't be a full /ju/ if it's unstressed or colored by a following R sound. Reduce the vowel (almost) to 'oo' in 'book'. (unite, Europe, ubiquitous, urinate, unanimous, Uralic) [You may find that the '
It's a full /ju/ when it takes primary or even secondary stress. (unit, university, uvula, unify).
It can't be a full /ju/ if it's unstressed or colored by a following R sound. Reduce the vowel (almost) to 'oo' in 'book'. (unite, Europe, ubiquitous, urinate, unanimous, Uralic) [You may find that the '
00
Ahhh, yes, I actually thought about that, but I got confused, because the stress in "university" is not at the beginning. But now I realize there's a secondary stress...
Thank you.
But I'd like to know another thing: would it sound odd if I pronounced them all with the reduced vowel, as in "Europe"? I think I tend to reduce the sound regardless of the kind of word.
Thank you.
But I'd like to know another thing: would it sound odd if I pronounced them all with the reduced vowel, as in "Europe"? I think I tend to reduce the sound regardless of the kind of word.
00
would it sound odd if I pronounced them all with the reduced vowel, as in "Europe"?Yes.
You can get away with it only for those with the R. "unify" pronounced with the 'oo' of "book" is not going to sound good at all.
CJ
00
Related Questions