Wikipedia:Pronunciation (simple guide to markup, British)
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Pronunciation refers to the sound of how words are spoken.
Introduction[edit]
Pronunciation can change over time. Dictionaries may list the most commonly used forms of words, but as language changes, dictionaries change as well. At best, any guide to suggested pronunciation can reflect the preponderance of usage. A word like immediately, for example, is variously pronounced by Americans as:
- ihMEEdeeuhtlee
- uhMEEdeeuhtlee
- eeMEEdeeuhtlee
The Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary suggests the first pronunciation.
Similarly, this pronunciation markup guide will choose the most widely used form.
NOTE: This guide is designed to be simple and easy to use. This can only be achieved by giving up scope and freedom from occasional ambiguity. For a more extensive guide to indicating pronunciation, see below.
Guide to simple British pronunciation markup[edit]
Rev. 0.91 Reference: Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary [1]
| Vowels | Used in | Example |
|---|---|---|
| aa | relax, bat | rihLAAKS- relax |
| ay | date, same | DAYT- date |
| ah | father, far | FAHthuhr- father |
| aw | chainsaw, thaw | CHAYNsaw- chainsaw |
| eh | federal, pet | FEHDuhruhl- federal |
| ee | meander, bleed, feed, speed | meeANduhr- meander |
| er | learn, bird, hurt | LERN- learn |
| ih | swish, trip, snip | SWIHSH- swish |
| iy | frightful, side, buy | FRIYTfuhl- frightful |
| o | bonfire, pot, bottom | BONfiyuh- bonfire |
| oh | boneless, know, beau | BOHNlehs- boneless |
| oi | destroy, annoy | dihSTROI- destroy |
| oo | ruler, fool | ROOLuh- ruler |
| ow | flout, noun, sound | FLOWT- flout |
| uh | rumble, ton, fun, abut | RUHMbl- rumble |
| uu | wood, would, book | WUUD- would |
| y | young, cue, yet | YUHNG- young |
| Consonants | Used in | Example |
| b | baby, bone | BAYbee- baby |
| ch | chubby, checker | CHUHbee- chubby |
| d | bidder, do, did, done | BIHduhr- bidder |
| f | stuff, rough, fluff | STUHF- stuff |
| g | got, big, rag | GOT- got |
| h | headwind, hat, hold | HEHDwihnd- headwind |
| j | journey, join, jab, nudge | JERnee- journey |
| k | carrot, cake, kite, ache, book | KAAruht- carrot |
| l | valley, cool, flash | VAAlee- valley |
| m | mammal, dam, move | MAAmuhl- mammal |
| n | never, pan | NEHVuhr- never |
| ng | something, sang, sink | SUHMthihng- something |
| p | plus, lip, trapper | PLUHS- plus |
| r | rambunctious, race, terror | raamBUHNKshus- rambunctious |
| s | citation, salad, less, city | siyTAYshuhn- citation |
| sh | machine, mash, mission, special | muhSHEEN- machine |
| t | later, untie, latter | LAYtuh- later |
| th | thing, ether, thoughtful | THIHNG- thing |
| t~h | neither, then, this | NEEt~hur- neither |
| v | volume, invite | VOLyoom- volume |
| w | away, willing, wander | uhWAY- away |
| wh | while, whale, when | WHIYL- while |
| z | raise, zone, breeze | RAYZ- raise |
| zh | revision, garage | reeVIHzhuhn- revision |
See also[edit]
- Wikipedia:Pronunciation
- Pronunciation
- X-SAMPA exhaustive guide to indicating pronunciation.
- International Phonetic Alphabet for English
- List of heteronyms
- Wikipedia:Pronunciation (simple guide to markup, American)
- IPA chart for English