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Jlupine Posted 16 years ago
Grammar
Pronunciation of 'the'
When emphasis is not involved, I learned that 'the' is pronounced in IPA [ð?] or [ð?] before a consonant sound and [ði] before a vowel sound. On long-overdue reflection, I realized that using the [ði] pronunciation before a word starting with the /i/ phoneme sounds ridiculous. In excluding this case, is the rule more complicated than I remember ? Alternatively, is this repetition not jarring to anyone but me ?
Top answer
jlupine On long-overdue reflection, I realized that using the [ði] pronunciation before a word starting with the /i/ phoneme sounds ridiculous. Not really. This may just be your personal esthetic judgment.
- jlupine On long-overdue reflection, I realized that using the [ði] pronunciation before a word starting with the /i/ phoneme sounds ridiculous.
- Not really.
- This may just be your personal esthetic judgment.
- In such cases it's not unusual to put a weak [j] between "the" and the following word.
- CJ
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1 Answers
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jlupineOn long-overdue reflection, I realized that using the [ði] pronunciation before a word starting with the /i/ phoneme sounds ridiculous.Not really. This may just be your personal esthetic judgment. In such cases it's not unusual to put a weak [j] between "the" and the following word.
CJ
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