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Kooyeen Posted 17 years ago
Speech & Pronunciation
Would vs Will
I've always had this big problem. I don't think I can distinguish would from will in some cases.
I'm considering the cases/dialects where /l/ is very dark and the tip of the tongue doesn't touch the roof of the mouth, and it might even become a kind of vowel or semivowel (feel is almost fee-oh, milk is almost mee-oak, etc.)
Now, as far as I know, "will" becomes "wull" in normal connected speech.
The result is, when I try to say these I can't make a distinction:
I will do it.
I would do it.
How is the distinction made? [:^)]
I'm considering the cases/dialects where /l/ is very dark and the tip of the tongue doesn't touch the roof of the mouth, and it might even become a kind of vowel or semivowel (feel is almost fee-oh, milk is almost mee-oak, etc.)
Now, as far as I know, "will" becomes "wull" in normal connected speech.
The result is, when I try to say these I can't make a distinction:
I will do it.
I would do it.
How is the distinction made? [:^)]
Top answer
Hi Kooyeen, I know that 'l' sound is a tough one for some non-native speakers. If your friends speak more slowly and pronounce the words correctly, you can tell the difference between 'will' and 'would', but people have their own speech habits that developed when they were young and arehard to change. Sometimes you can tell by the context which word is meant, but often not.
- Hi Kooyeen, I know that 'l' sound is a tough one for some non-native speakers.
- If your friends speak more slowly and pronounce the words correctly, you can tell the difference between 'will' and 'would', but people have their own speech habits that developed when they were young and arehard to change.
- Sometimes you can tell by the context which word is meant, but often not.
- Maybe someone else can tell you a better way to distinguish the words, but I think the only solution is practise and careful listening.
- All the best, TrysB
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10 Answers
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Hi Kooyeen,
I know that 'l' sound is a tough one for some non-native speakers. If your friends speak more slowly and pronounce the words correctly, you can tell the difference between 'will' and 'would', but people have their own speech habits that developed when they were young and arehard to change. Sometimes you can tell by the context which word is meant, but often not.
Maybe som
I know that 'l' sound is a tough one for some non-native speakers. If your friends speak more slowly and pronounce the words correctly, you can tell the difference between 'will' and 'would', but people have their own speech habits that developed when they were young and arehard to change. Sometimes you can tell by the context which word is meant, but often not.
Maybe som
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raindoctorI will = aisle = a?lI just realized that I would be able to distinguish I'll from I'd.
I would do = I'd do = I do
I'll, more or less like ah-oh.
I'd, more or less like eyed or ah-d.
But I will do and I would do just sound too close...
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ah-oh = when you vocalize /l/. Otherwise, one can make a clear distinction between those two.
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raindoctorah-oh = when you vocalize /l/. Otherwise, one can make a clear distinction between those two.Yes... that's why I have trouble with "would do" and "will do", it's because I am considering those dialects where dark /l/ tends to be vocalized or partially vocalized (and this feature seems to be very common to me nowadays).
I might need to find a go
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Well, you need to look at the context as well. In "I'll do", you hear "schwa" for "I"; in that case, you dont hear "aisle", instead ya hear something like " ?ldu w?t"
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raindoctorWell, you need to look at the context as well. In "I'll do", you hear "schwa" for "I"; in that case, you dont hear "aisle", instead ya hear something like " ?ldu w?t"Yes, but those are the contracted forms, and as you say, a difference can be heard. I only have a problem when they are not contracted...
would do
will do
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vocalization of /l/ is possible after "I". How about 'deleting the subject', which is another common phonemenon.
'preciate it = I appreciate it
sure do = will sure do = I will sure do
will do = I will do
would do = I would do
'preciate it = I appreciate it
sure do = will sure do = I will sure do
will do = I will do
would do = I would do
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I don't understand what you mean, it's just that "would do it" and "will do it" both sound somewhere around /w?d???t/ to me, in connected speech. Maybe the difference lies in the vowel... I susped the vowel in "will do" might be a diphthong, and that might be the only way to distinguish it from "would do". But I'll keep investigating... lol.
By the way, do you happen to know any good bo
By the way, do you happen to know any good bo
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KooyeenBy the way, do you happen to know any good books on English phonology you can recommend? What I'm looking for is something more than an accent reduction course, something comprehensive, where important phonological features are not omitted or overly simplified. I'm particularly interested in the features of connected speech in the major dialects (no matter whether
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