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Anonymous Posted 11 years ago
Speech & Pronunciation

Two Vowel letters

When two vowel letters are together, the first vowel letter has a long sound and the second vowel letter is silent as in the word 'rain' /re?n/. But this rule does not seem to apply in case of the words 'hear' /h??(r)/ and 'air' /e?(r)/.
  

Top answer

n/. That's a very shaky generalization, a very rough guideline, not a rule. (r)/.

— CalifJim

  • n/.
  • That's a very shaky generalization, a very rough guideline, not a rule.
  • (r)/.
  • Nor in quite a few other cases.
  • 'grief', 'feud', 'friend', 'height', ...
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7 Answers
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AnonymousWhen two vowel letters are together, the first vowel letter has a long sound and the second vowel letter is silent as in the word 'rain' /re?n/.
That's a very shaky generalization, a very rough guideline, not a rule.
AnonymousBut this rule does not seem to apply in case of the words 'hear' /h??(r)/ and 'air' /e?(r)/.
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AnonymousWhen two vowel letters are together, the first vowel letter has a long sound and the second vowel letter is silent as in the word 'rain' /re?n/.
You will notice from the phonemic transcription that there is a glide incolving two vowel sounds. The second sound is not silent. This glide may be represented in written English in several ways:
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fivejedjonYou will notice from the phonemic transcription that there is a glide incolving two vowel sounds.
That doesn't matter from the viewpoint of the "rule" the OP is referencing, which goes like this: The first letter says its name, and the second letter is silent. This is used mostly for children in American schools, where not a hint of IPA is e
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CalifJimThat doesn't matter from the viewpoint of the "rule" the OP is referencing, which goes like this: The first letter says its name, and the second letter is silent. This is used mostly for children in American schools, where not a hint of IPA is ever breathed
As you said earlier, that's a very shaky generalization. Just off the top of my head I have come
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CalifJimThat doesn't matter from the viewpoint of the "rule" the OP is referencing, which goes like this: The first letter says its name, and the second letter is silent.
This is exactly the rule i was referencing to but it seems there are exceptions to the rule.
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Anonymousit seems there are exceptions to the rule.
As CJ said, and I repeated: That's a very shaky generalization, a very rough guideline, not a rule.
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AnonymousThis is exactly the rule i was referencing to but it seems there are exceptions to the rule.
Very many exceptions, unfortunately for the learner.

CJ
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