Table of Contents
Why is pronunciation so different in the US versus England?
An important reason why American English and British English sound different is rhotacism, the change of a particular sound in a language. Americans kept their rhotic American accent—for the most part. Port cities on the East Coast, especially in New England, had a lot of contact with the R-less Brits.
What words to British people say differently?
Brits and Americans say and spell some words differently — here’s what you need to know
- Brits use “re” while Americans use “er.”
- Brits add a “u” where Americans don’t.
- The Brits often use an extra “l.”
- Americans use a “c” or “z” where Brits use an “s.”
- Americans drop the “e” before “ment” in words like “judgment.”
Are American and British grammar different?
Aside from spelling and vocabulary, there are certain grammar differences between British and American English. For instance, in American English, collective nouns are considered singular (e.g. The band is playing). ‘Needn’t’, which is commonly used in British English, is rarely, if at all used in American English.
Why do Americans say second?
It sounds like a short “u” sound as in “but”. In unstressed syllables during casual speech, vowels are usually reduced (moved towards a central place of articulation) because these sounds are easier to produce. Websters dictionary even has an audio pronunciation that uses the reduced vowel as used in standard AmE.
What is the correct pronunciation of the word ‘women’?
In the plural form, ‘women’, we use the pronunciation that RedDwight has in his answer, with a sound similar to the word ‘it’ or ‘win’. The IPA is: `wɪ-mən. So, in neither case does a long “e” sound. Yeah, the American pronunciation is /ˈwɪmən/, and the Received Pronunciation is /ˈwɪmɪn/.
What is the difference between British and American pronunciation?
Take a look at this article for reasons why there is a difference in the first place. Generally, “ the British took a French word and re-pronounced it according to English spelling rules, while Americans preferred a pronunciation that sounded more French, even if the word is still heavily Anglicized.”
What are the different pronunciations of English in Singapore?
Most of the words have either a British (BrE) pronunciation or an American (AmE) pronunciation. In Singapore there is quite a mix of pronunciations, even if English is based on the British system (spelling etc.).
How do you pronounce the singular form of ‘Wee’?
The pronunciation of the singular altered in M.E. by the rounding influence of -w-; the plural retains the original vowel. Emphasis added. Well, here in the Midwest of the US, we don’t pronounce it ‘wee’. In the singular form, ‘woman’, we use a sound similar to the word “wool”. The IPA is: `wʊ̈-mən.