[pronunciation] here vs. hear

Question

Native speakers - please help me to solve the following question.

If the native speaker says two words: "hear" and "here", one by one, without any context (not in a sentece) would you here any difference? Whould you be able to distinguish between them?
Does it depend on the region?
It is a matter of a bet, so thanks in advance

Peter
(Poland)

Usenet · Accepted Answer

Aren't they homophones in SBE?

Usenet · Answer

In our last episode,
,
the lovely and talented Piotr
broadcast on alt.usage.english:
[nq:1]Native speakers - please help me to solve the following question. If the native speaker says two words: "hear" and ... between them? Does it depend on the region? It is a matter of a bet, so thanks in advance

[/nq]
In my dialect (Texan), which is rhotic - not that I know whether that makes a differece - the two are identical and indistinguishable.

Lars Eighner (Email Removed) http://www.larseighner.com/ "Four be the things I'd been better without: Love, curiosity, freckles and doubt." Dorothy Parker

Usenet · Answer

Abel Teo napisaÅ?(a):
[nq:1]Aren't they homophones in SBE?[/nq]
That's my question!

Peter

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]Native speakers - please help me to solve the following question. If the native speaker says two words: "hear" and "here", one by one, without any context (not in a sentece) would you here any difference?[/nq]
Know.
[nq:1]Whould you be able to distinguish between them?[/nq]
Know.
[nq:1]Does it depend on the region?[/nq]
Know.
[nq:1]It is a matter of a bet, so thanks in advance

[/nq]
Know problem.

Ross Howard

Usenet · Answer

Piotr napisa³(a):
[nq:1]without any context (not in a sentece) would you here any difference?[/nq]^^^^
Great!

I didn't mean to suggest the answer

DDD
P.

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]Native speakers - please help me to solve the following question. If the native speaker says two words: "hear" and ... between them? Does it depend on the region? It is a matter of a bet, so thanks in advance

[/nq]
Whether one could distinguish them depends on the speaker and the hearer. At the level of normal lexicon transcription for US speakers, we have a lot of regional variation:
note: (r is the linking r

[nq:1]hIr> >hIr> General American hI@(r> >hI@(r> common in Eastern & Southern US hjE@(r> >hjE@(r> also found in Southern US hjI@(r> >hjI@(r> hE@(r> >hE@(r> jE@(r>[/nq]
That is, they appear to be almost complete homophones at this level of analysis.
For comparison, here are the choices in DJones16 (2003)

[nq:1]hI@(r> >hI@(r> BBC (UK RP) hIR> >hIr> US (GA)[/nq]
Once again, homophonous at this level of analysis.

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]Native speakers - please help me to solve the following question. If the native speaker says two words: "hear" and "here", one by one, without any context (not in a sentece) would you here any difference?[/nq]
No.
[nq:1]Whould you be able to distinguish between them?[/nq]
No. They're homophones.
[nq:1]Does it depend on the region?[/nq]
Not SFAIK.

Usenet · Answer

Martin Ambuhl napisaÅ?(a):
[nq:1] [/nq]
[nq:2]hI@(r> >hI@(r> BBC (UK RP) hIR> >hIr> US (GA)[/nq]
[nq:1]Once again, homophonous at this level of analysis.[/nq]
Thanks a lot for this comprehensive explanation.
If you do not mind, please tell me - where does you knowledge come from? Is english your profession? My opponent in the dispute asks for veeery strong and doubtless basis

P.

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]Native speakers - please help me to solve the following question. If the native speaker says two words: "hear" and ... Does it depend on the region? It is a matter of a bet, so thanks in advance

Peter (Poland)[/nq]
The most reliable approach to prove a bet is to look up both "hear" and "here" in good dictionaries, like Merriam-Webster Online, where a standard pronunciation in American English is given. The Oxford English Dictionary will give a reliable standard pronunciation in British English. Both dictionaries list identical pronunciations for "hear" and "here." I agree with both of them. The URL for Merriam-Webster Online is /
Regards, WB.

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]Both dictionaries list identical pronunciations for "hear" and "here." I agree with both of them. The URL for Merriam-Webster Online is /[/nq]
I totally agree with you, and I checked this in 3 diferrent dictionaries, but it's not a sufficient proof for my opponent, unfortunately.
We finally agreed that the only way for me to win is finding a real british-english native speaker's support in that matter

P.

[pronunciation] here vs. hear

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