Pronunciation

Question

I am always confused about how to pronounce words that end with dz , such as words,hands, or winds. My questions is do you pronounce the last sound d or d is silent? I usually pronounce words  as wars  hands as henz? Am i wrong?

Philip · Accepted Answer

Words, hands, winds = dz in pronunciation

wars = z in pronunciation

CalifJim · Answer

sun 94I usually pronounce words as wars hands as henz? Am i wrong?

Yes and no. The t or d is not silent between r and z.

wars, warts, and wards are three different words, and they sound like three different words.

/worz/, /worts/, /wordz/
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In the case of a t or d between n and z, there is not much difference between nts and ns, nor between ndz and nz. A brief t or d will automatically sound between these combinations whether it's written or not.

prints and prince are two different words, but they sound like the same word.

/prin(t)s/

lens and lends are two different words, but they sound like the same word. In careful speech, you might emphasize the d more in lends.

/len(d)z/

CJ

Philip · Answer

CalifJimlens and lends are two different words, but they sound like the same word. In careful speech, you might emphasize the d more in lends.

/len(d)z/

CalifJimprints and prince are two different words, but they sound like the same word.

/prin(t)s/

These are examples of what linguists refer to as "insertions". They are much more noticeable in the unvoiced combinations [/n(t)s/] than in the voiced [/n(d)z/]

I notice that American dictionaries do not reflect this nearly universal phenomenon in their pronunciation codes.

CalifJim · Answer

Philipwhat linguists refer to as "insertions"

I've also seen the term "sycophantic t" (or d).

CJ

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