Questions on phonology...

Question

I’ve been looking for a lesson on phonology, but I didn’t find, till now…So I decided to
ask the question directly on this forum, hoping that someone will help me.
I’ve some questions about the pronunciation of the letter “s”, the letter “u”, the letter “e”
the digraph “ea”
Can someone give me some general rules on the pronunciation of these letters?

1-When the letter s is pronounced /s/ like in the words disappointment, promise … and
when it is pronounced /z/ eg: present

2-When the digraph “ea” is pronounced /e/ like in the words heaven or heavy and in what
case it is pronounced /i:/ like in the words ear, eagle …

3-When the letter “e” is pronounced /i/ like in the words enrich, even … and when it is
pronounced /e/ like in the words essence, ever…(especially when it occurs at the
beginning of the words)

4-Some general rules on the pronunciation of the letter “u”??
(It s even better if you have some links to a lesson on phonology or phonetic where I can
have some pronunciation rule about each letter…if it’s not so much ?)
Thank you.

Sumryan · Accepted Answer

Regarding the sounds of 's' refer to my previous posting

I think this will help.

Susan

CalifJim · Answer

Welcome to English Forums!
1.

In general "s" = /z/ when it is intervocalic (between vowels).

So "s" is /z/ in words in "-aise", "-oise", "-ause", and so on. (raise, noise, cause)
But "s" is /s/ in words in "-erse", "-urse", "ense", and so on. (verse, nurse, dense)

Exception 1.

"s" is /s/ after a doubled vowel letter.

In "-eese" and "-oose", intervocalic "s" is /s/.

With /s/: geese, goose, moose, noose, loose, caboose
Exceptions to exception 1: cheese, choose ( /z/ )
Exception 2.

In "-ease" and "-ouse", the "s" can be /z/ or /s/.

With /z/: ease, tease, please, easel, teasel, weasel; rouse, arouse, carouse, house (v)

With /s/: cease, crease, grease, lease, mouse, louse, grouse, house (n), douse (v)

It may be useful to remember that in words with "-rouse" and in words with the "-easel" ending, the "s" is /z/.
And in all the "ouse" words referring to animals (mouse, louse, grouse), the "s" is /s/.
When spelled "ows(e)" , the "s" is always /z/: drowse, drowsy, browse

Miscellaneous exceptions (in blue) and comparison words to practice:

/s/ case, base, chase, vase, erase

/z/ phase, phrase, raise, praise, braise

/s/ dose

/z/ pose, rose, chose, nose, hose

/s/ mouse, louse, grouse, douse, house

/z/ rouse, arouse, carouse; browse

/s/ moose, goose, loose, noose, caboose

/z/ choose; lose, whose

/s/ geese, grease, lease, crease, cease

/z/ cheese; tease, ease, please

I think you can see that there are so many exceptions that each case has to be memorized individually.

CJ

CalifJim · Answer

2.

Words in which "ea" is pronounced /e/.

bear, pear, swear, tear, wear

bread, dead(ly), head, ahead, lead, read, dread, dreadful, spread, stead, tread, thread, instead, steady, ready, already, breadth, meadow

sweat(y), sweater, threat, threaten, death, breath, feather, heather, leather, weather

pleasure, treasure, measure, pleasant, pheasant, peasant
heaven, leaven, health(y), wealth(y), stealth(y), deaf, breast, dealt, meant, leapt, dreamt, zealot, zealous, jealous, realm, heavy, endeavor, treachery, treacherous, weapon
____
I have made the list as complete as possible, but I don't guarantee that every such word is listed above.
CJ

CalifJim · Answer

3.
There is no rule. ever has /e/. even has /i:/ And they only differ by one letter! Learn each as you encounter it.
CJ

CalifJim · Answer

4.
There are several different pronunciations of the letter "u". Here's an overview.
As "oo" in moon: prude, Lucy, rude, Ruth, truth, ...
As "you" in you: music, fuse, cube, ...
As "oo" in look: put, pull, push, butcher, ...
As "u" in but: much, us, fuss, punish, ...
As "i" in bit: busy, business.
Combined with "r", as "er" in her: burn, turn, absurd, ...
Combined with "r", as "err" in berry: bury.
CJ

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