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stranger
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stranger
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In english(and other languages) there exist the phenomenon of "silent letters", such as pterodactyl, phlegm, raspberry and asthma (which loses two!). This is known as an aphthong(or so I recently found out, after a bit of research), and I was wondering if there was an opposite to it - like a letter that doesn't exist, but is pronounced! Does this exist? Does it have a name?
al
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Sep 2000
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Welcome applejuice,
I don't know if there is a name for it, but the situation does exist.
Take, for example, the word TUESDAY, in some parts of the U.S. Tuesday is pronounced Chews-day. The CH is definitely not there, but it is pronounced.
Oh, and as an aside, the way I hear it, the P in raspberry is pronounce; lightly, but pronounced nonetheless. Maybe it's a regional thing.
======================
And then there's this whole thing with COLONEL being pronounced KERNAL [shrugging-shoulders e]
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Joined: Dec 2006
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old hand
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old hand
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 956 |
I don't know a name either, however, in Fijiian the 'Q' is pronounced 'ng' as in sing. and the 'C' is pronounced 'th'.
Not english but!
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Joined: Aug 2005
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 3,290 |
There is a phenomenon called epenthesis where a sound, usually vocalic, is inserted between other sounds, usually consonantal, to help out in pronunciation (or phonotactics). You hear it in some pronunciations of realty (reeluhtee) and nuclear (nookooler).
The reason English has so many silent letters is because our orthography (spelling system) went out of whack with how words were being pronounced about 600 years ago but we never released new versions.
Ceci n'est pas un seing.
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Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 7,210
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 7,210 |
Welcome applejuice,
I don't know if there is a name for it, but the situation does exist.
Take, for example, the word TUESDAY, in some parts of the U.S. Tuesday is pronounced Chews-day. The CH is definitely not there, but it is pronounced.
Oh, and as an aside, the way I hear it, the P in raspberry is pronounce; lightly, but pronounced nonetheless. Maybe it's a regional thing.
======================
And then there's this whole thing with COLONEL being pronounced KERNAL [shrugging-shoulders e] CHewsday? I ain't never heard that. and there ain't no p in raspberry. regional, I suppose. nice hefty Z, though.
formerly known as etaoin...
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Joined: Dec 2006
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old hand
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old hand
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 956 |
Is there Two D's in satday'?
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Joined: Jul 2003
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jul 2003
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[quote=belMarduk]Welcome applejuice,
CHewsday? I ain't never heard that.
Come up here (it's chewsday today), and not only will you hear it, we'll even draw you a pitcha.
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Joined: Oct 2000
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Oct 2000
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there are, many, many words (regionally, in NYC/metro area, and esle where) that get r's dropped (like max's example of draw you a pitcha. -(max is far, far from NYC!)
there are just as many words that get R's added.
can i think of an example? no of course not..
well maybe.. there is a road in the bronx, Mosholu Parkway, that is Marsha loo (and alternately, ma Shula Parkway, but never Mosholu!)
there are lots of others, but unless i make an effort, i don't hear the R--it just sounds normal to me!
R's get added to english word here in NYC and elsewhere.
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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Mebbe Max would drawr us a pitcha.
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Pooh-Bah
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Pooh-Bah
Joined: Jan 2001
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"Warsh" for "wash" is the first example that comes to my mind. Then there's the British pronunciation of "lieutenant," which has always boggled my mind. (Although I can't justify the "r" sound in "colonel" myself.)
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