Syllable Reduction in British English

Syllable reduction occurs in all varieties of English. The word interesting is often pronounced with two syllables rather than three. However, syllable reduction is more extensive in British English than in American English.

Many speakers of British English pronounce medicine with two syllables. In American English, however, it is always pronounced with three syllables. Another example is the word extraordinary. In American English, it has six syllables. In British English, however, it can be pronounced with five syllables, or in casual speech, with only four. To pronounce extraordinary with only four syllables, one must omit the a in extra as well as the a in ordinary.

Other words which are often pronounced with syllable reduction in British English include dictionary, military and secretary. In American English they always have four syllables. However, in British English they are often pronounced with only three.

Though syllable reduction occurs in all varieties of English, it is especially common in British English. The result is that British English has a greater distinction between stressed and unstressed syllables. Syllable reduction is even more common in casual speech.

Common English Family Names

Family names are often very descriptive. They are often the names of occupations. The following are common English family names:

Smith

Jones

Taylor

Brown

Williams

Wilson

Johnson

Davies

Robinson

Wright

The family names Smith and Taylor refer to occupations. Names such as Johnson mean John's son.  The family name Brown is a colour. Other common family names which are colours are Green and White.

Family names are often connected to occupations. The family name Taylor reflects an earlier spelling of the word tailor. The family name Jones is connected to the name John.

Difference Between Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro Accents

Brazilian Portuguese has many different accents. Two very well-known accents are those of Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. Though the two cities are not so far from one another, the two accents are quite different from one another.

In the accent of Rio de Janeiro, the /s/ is pronounced /ʃ/ when it occurs word-finally and when it occurs before a consonant. This is the cases with words such as seis (six) and biscoito (biscuit). In Sao Paulo, these words only have the sound /s/.

The orthographic r is also pronounced differently when it occurs in the syllable coda. In Sao Paulo, it is realized as an alveolar trill or in the case of infinitives such as cantar (to sing), the r may even be deleted. In Rio de Janeiro, however, the r is realized as a guttural sound in words such as mar (sea) and porta (door). The fricative can be a glottal fricative, velar fricative or uvular fricative.

Another difference is that in words such as arroz (rice), luz (light) and paz (peace), speakers from Rio de Janeiro diphthongize the stressed vowel. The result is that the words mas (but) and mais (more) are pronounced the same. In Sao Paulo, this diphthongization does not occur, and the words mas (but) and (mais) are pronounced distinctly.

The diphthongization only occurs with stressed vowels followed by the alveopalatal fricative. In the word casas (houses),  the stress is on the first syllable and the intervocalic s is pronounced /z/. Though the word-final s is realized as an alveopalatal fricative in Rio de Janeiro, no diphthongization occurs because the vowel is unstressed.

The accents of Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro are different from one another. Notable differences include the pronunciation of s word-finally and before consonants, the pronunciation of r in the syllable-coda and the diphthongization of vowels that occurs in Rio de Janeiro. The pronunciation of s in Rio de Janeiro is the same as that of Standard European Portuguese.

Irregularities With English Numbers

To form English numbers from thirteen to nineteen, we add the word teen to the number. For multiples of ten such as sixty, we add -ty to the base. However, the pattern is not completely regular.

The numbers eleven and twelve are quite different from one and two. From thirteen to nineteen, however, we see that the numbers end with teen. The pattern is the number followed by teen. This is true for the numbers fourteen, sixteen, seventeen and nineteen. With the numbers thirteen, fifteen and eighteen, we notice that they are irregular. The number eighteen is written with only one t.

For the numbers from twenty to ninety, the ending is -ty. The numbers sixty, seventy and ninety are completely regular. However, this is not the case for twenty, thirty, forty, fifty or eighty.

English numbers follow certain patterns. From thirteen to nineteen, the ending is -teen and for twenty to ninety, the ending is -ty. A number of numbers, though, are irregular. This is common in not only English but also in other languages.

English Flapping In Syllable Coda

Many English dialects have an alveolar flap. It is especially common in the environment between a stressed vowel and unstressed vowel. Examples include city. medal and wedding. The flap can also occur between two unstressed vowels such as in reality. However, in certain instances, the flap also occurs word-finally.

The flap often occurs with words such as at, but, it and that. Consider the following examples:

He was not at all surprised.

I can't visit today, but I can visit tomorrow.

She baked it an hour ago.

I know that everyone had a good time.

In the sentences the flap occurs between two vowels. The sentences exemplify that flapping can occur across word boundaries. The words at, but, it and that do not have the flap when they are pronounced in isolation. In sentences, however, the flap can occur.

What Are Heavy?

The English poet Christina Rossetti wrote What Are Heavy? For each question of the poem, the poet gives two answers, one concrete and one metaphorical. It is a philosophical poem that is both beautiful and simple. 

What Are Heavy?

What are heavy? Sea-sand and sorrow;

What are brief? Today and tomorrow;

What are frail? Spring blossoms and youth;

What are deep? The ocean and truth.