Silent Letters

[RoJoHen]

No, I think we add the r sound even if it isn't in the word.

I've noticed.

 

[Deckerd]

I can's see how it can be pronounced any differently either. I have always thought that saw, sore and soar were homophones.

Not if you're Scottish. Saw is pronounced entirely differently from sore and sore, which are homophones.

 

[Deckerd]

pause, paws, pores, pours - are homophones.

Here is a list of British-English homophone. On the whole Australians pronounce these the same as the British.

I know, out of that list, I have notice that Americans seem to pronounce aren't and aunt quite differently. To me their "aunt' sound more like 'ant'.

"... are homophones to me" is what you should have said. And British is the wrong term. There is no such thing as British when it comes to the way the language is spoken. In fact, considering the size of the British Isles, we have more dialectal variation than the rest of the world put together.

Some Americans pronounce the word 'aunt' sounding the 'u', which is the opposite from what you're saying Miss Chicken. In the UK it is not sounded but the vowel is long, except in Scotland where the difference between long and short vowels was lost centuries ago, and it does, indeed, sound like 'ant'.

Also sounding the same are more, moor, and maw.

Again "the same to me" is the delimiter. These three words are completely different in Scottish English and there would be no problem differentiating between then.

 

[scotpens]

Americans pronounce the word 'aunt' sounding the 'u', which is the opposite from what you're saying Miss Chicken. In the UK it is not sounded but the vowel is long, except in Scotland where the difference between long and short vowels was lost centuries ago, and it does, indeed, sound like 'ant'.

In fact, most Americans pronounce “aunt” the same as “ant,” which makes for a lot of jokes.

Like, “Never step on an ant -- it might be somebody's uncle.”

Well, I didn't say they were GOOD jokes.

The Scots and speakers of many Northern English dialects “stop” their vowels; i.e., there's no diphthongal glide at the end of vowel sounds like a as in baby, o as in ocean, and u as in Bruce.

 

[Miss Chicken]

I can assure plenty of Americans pronounce aunt like "ant" as some people on this page testify to.

In Australia it sounds like aren't.

 

[Deckerd]

I didn't say all Americans. My point is you're making sweeping statements on a national scale that are just not true.

 

[Trilliam]

It's all a question of familiarity, of course. I'll bet dollars to doughnuts that your average Aussie or Brit can't tell a Texas accent from a Deep South accent.

Don't bet on it...we've grown up on a steady diet of US tv

 

[Miss Chicken]

I said

out of that list, I have notice that Americans seem to pronounce aren't and aunt quite differently. To me their "aunt' sound more like 'ant'.

I said to me their aunt sound more like ant, not that it would to everyone. Scotpens - an American - also said most Americans said it that way. Maybe it is the only way I have ever heard an American say it.

But there is one more word I would like to discuss - castle. Most commonly pronounced at 'carsel' in Australia but sometimes it is pronounce cassle (especially the surname). I have heard both placename Castlemaine pronounced both ways but I would say Carselmaine.

Other words I have heard pronounced quite differently are oregano (pronounced ori-gar-no in Australia) and migraine (pronounced my-grain in Australia).

 

[Deckerd]

It's all a question of familiarity, of course. I'll bet dollars to doughnuts that your average Aussie or Brit can't tell a Texas accent from a Deep South accent.

Don't bet on it...we've grown up on a steady diet of US tv

Too right. My formative years were spent listening to the Ewings.

 

[Trilliam]

I said

out of that list, I have notice that Americans seem to pronounce aren't and aunt quite differently. To me their "aunt' sound more like 'ant'.

I said to me their aunt sound more like ant, not that it would to everyone. Scotpens - an American - also said most Americans said it that way. Maybe it is the only way I have ever heard an American say it.

But there is one more word I would like to discuss - castle. Most commonly pronounced at 'carsel' in Australia but sometimes it is pronounce cassle (especially the surname). I have heard both placename Castlemaine pronounced both ways but I would say Carselmaine.

Other words I have heard pronounced quite differently are oregano (pronounced ori-gar-no in Australia) and migraine (pronounced my-grain in Australia).

In Victoria it's cassel, in NSW it's carsl. Also in NSw you can but pas-tee, to eat, but in Victoria it's a pars-tee. the word is spelled pastie

 

[Deckerd]

Let's face it, if we're talking Strine most of the rules for English go out the window. Geddada heah.

 

[Miss Chicken]

I said

out of that list, I have notice that Americans seem to pronounce aren't and aunt quite differently. To me their "aunt' sound more like 'ant'.

I said to me their aunt sound more like ant, not that it would to everyone. Scotpens - an American - also said most Americans said it that way. Maybe it is the only way I have ever heard an American say it.

But there is one more word I would like to discuss - castle. Most commonly pronounced at 'carsel' in Australia but sometimes it is pronounce cassle (especially the surname). I have heard both placename Castlemaine pronounced both ways but I would say Carselmaine.

Other words I have heard pronounced quite differently are oregano (pronounced ori-gar-no in Australia) and migraine (pronounced my-grain in Australia).

In Victoria it's cassel, in NSW it's carsl. Also in NSw you can but pas-tee, to eat, but in Victoria it's a pars-tee. the word is spelled pastie

In Tasmania, it is parstie and usually carsl.

Tasmanians pronounce Sorell, Glenorchy, and Launceston differently to Mainland Australians.

 

[Trilliam]

I said

I said to me their aunt sound more like ant, not that it would to everyone. Scotpens - an American - also said most Americans said it that way. Maybe it is the only way I have ever heard an American say it.

But there is one more word I would like to discuss - castle. Most commonly pronounced at 'carsel' in Australia but sometimes it is pronounce cassle (especially the surname). I have heard both placename Castlemaine pronounced both ways but I would say Carselmaine.

Other words I have heard pronounced quite differently are oregano (pronounced ori-gar-no in Australia) and migraine (pronounced my-grain in Australia).

In Victoria it's cassel, in NSW it's carsl. Also in NSw you can but pas-tee, to eat, but in Victoria it's a pars-tee. the word is spelled pastie

In Tasmania, it is parstie and usually carsl.

Tasmanians pronounce Sorell, Glenorchy, and Launceston differently to Mainland Australians.

Sor-ell, Glen Orkie & Lonseston?

 

[Miss Chicken]

That is correct.

Most other Australians pronounced Sorell like the plant sorel, say Glenorchy with the chi sound, and Lawnceston.

 

[Deckerd]

Whereas everyone knows Glenorchy is pronounced with a palatal fricative, like Loch Lochy.

 

[Trilliam]

That is correct.

Most other Australians pronounced Sorell like the plant sorel, say Glenorchy with the chi sound, and Lawnceston.

Well, Ive been to Tassie, & DH has relatives there

 

[Roshi]

Whereas everyone knows Glenorchy is pronounced with a palatal fricative, like Loch Lochy.

same fricative as 'bottle' in some part of your weird country, my dear!

 

[Trilliam]

Let's face it, if we're talking Strine most of the rules for English go out the window. Geddada heah.

Ge douda hea

 

[scotpens]

. . . In Victoria it's cassel, in NSW it's carsl. Also in NSw you can but pas-tee, to eat, but in Victoria it's a pars-tee. the word is spelled pastie

In America a pastie (rhymes with tasty) is what strippers wear over their nipples.

About that broad “A” -- when Aussies say the word rather, does it rhyme with father or gather?

Let's face it, if we're talking Strine most of the rules for English go out the window. Geddada heah.

Same goes for New Yorkese. Ah, fuggedaboutit!

 

[Trilliam]

. . . In Victoria it's cassel, in NSW it's carsl. Also in NSw you can but pas-tee, to eat, but in Victoria it's a pars-tee. the word is spelled pastie

In America a pastie (rhymes with tasty) is what strippers wear over their nipples.

The pastie I'm talking about is a savoury filled pastry originating from Cornwall.

About that broad “A” -- when Aussies say the word rather, does it rhyme with father or gather?

Rather rahther to rhyme with Father
Gather has a short "a" same as the "a" in bat, however we say bath as bahth/barth