American and British English pronunciation differences
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Differences in pronunciation between American English (AmE) and British English (BrE) can be divided into:
- differences in accent (i.e. phoneme inventory and realisation). See differences between General American and Received Pronunciation for the standard accents in the United States and Britain; for information about other accents see regional accents of English speakers.
- differences in the pronunciation of individual words in the lexicon (i.e. phoneme distribution). In this article, transcriptions use Received Pronunciation (RP) to represent BrE and General American (GAm) and to represent AmE.
In the following discussion
- superscript A2 after a word indicates that the BrE pronunciation of the word is a common variant in AmE.
- superscript B2 after a word indicates that the AmE pronunciation of the word is a common variant in BrE.
- superscript A1 after a word indicates that the pronunciation given as BrE is also the most common variant in AmE.
- superscript B1 after a word indicates that the pronunciation given as AmE is also the most common variant in BrE.
Stress
Subscript a or b means that the relevant unstressed vowel is also reduced to /ə/ or /ɨ/ in AmE or BrE, respectively.
French stress
For many loanwords from French where AmE has kept the original French final-syllable stress, BrE stresses an earlier syllable. French loanwords that differs in stress only are listed below.
BrE | AmE | words with relevant syllable stressed in each dialect[1][2] |
---|---|---|
1st | last | balletAB2, barragea,[nb 1] batonab*, bereta[nb 2], bidet, blaséA2, bouffantA2,[nb 3] brasserieb, brassiereab, brevetabA2,[3] brochurebB2*,[nb 4][4] buffeta,[nb 5][5] cachetA2, café*a*b, caffeineA2, canardaB1,[6] chagrina, chaletA2, chiffonAB2,[7] cliché*a, collagea*B2, coupé, croissant*a, debrisaA2,[nb 6] debut, décorA2, detailaA2, figurine, flambé,[nb 7] frappé, frontierAB2, garageaB3,[nb 8] gourmetA2, lamé[nb 9], matinée, mundaneAB2, negligeeA2, nonchalantbA2, nondescript, parquet*b, pastelB2b, pastilleb,[nb 10] pâté,[nb 11] précisA2, sachet, salona, savantabA2, solfège,[8] sorbet,[nb 12] soupçon,[9] vaccine.
Also some French names, including: Degas, Dijon,[10] Dumas,[11] Manet,[12] Monet,[nb 13][13] Renaulta,[nb 14][14] Rimbaud.[nb 15][15] |
2nd | last | attaché, consomméa, décolleté, déclassé, démodé,[16] denouement, distingué, escargot, exposé, fiancé(e)A2,[nb 16] retroussé. |
last | 1st | addressbA1 (noun), assaybAB2 (noun), decadebB1,[nb 17][17] esquireb*A2, magazineA2, mayonnaiseA2 tiradeA2, ((bi)p)artisana.B1/2[nb 18] |
2nd | 1st | artisanalA1, liaisonabA2*[nb 19],[18] macraméab, Renaissanceab,[nb 20] reveille |
Verbs ending in –ate
Most 2-syllable verbs ending -ate have first-syllable stress in AmE and second-syllable stress in BrE. This includes castrate, cremateA2,[19] dictateA2, donateA2, locateA2, migrate, narratebA2, placateb, prostrate, pulsate, rotate, serrateA2, spectate, striate,[20] translateA1, vacateb*A2,[21] vibrateA2. Examples where AmE and BrE match include create, debate, equate, elate, negate; and mandate and probate with first-syllable stress. Derived nouns in -ator retains the distinction, but those in -ation do not. Also, migratoryB1 [22] and vibratoryB1 [23] sometimes retain the distinction.[1]
Most longer -ate verbs are pronounced the same in AmE and BrE, but a few have first-syllable stress in BrE and second-syllable stress in AmE: elongateaA2, infiltrateA2, remonstrateabA2,[24] tergiversateaA1[nb 21].[25] For some derived adjectives ending -atory stress-shifting to -a(tory)- occurs in BrE. Among these cases are celebratorya[26] (BrE: /ˌsɛlɨˈbreɪtəri/), compensatorya,[27] participatorya,[28] regulatoryaB1.[29] AmE stresses the same syllable as the corresponding -ate verb (except compensatory, where AmE stresses the second syllable[30]). A further -atory difference is laboratoryB2: AmE /ˈlæbᵊrəˌtɔːri/ and BrE /ləˈbɒrətᵊri/.[1][31]
Miscellaneous stress
There are a number of cases where same-spelled noun, verb and/or adjective have uniform stress in one dialect but distinct stress in the other (e.g. alternate, prospect): see initial-stress-derived noun.
The following table lists words not brought up in the discussion so far where the main difference between AmE and BrE is in stress. Usually it also follows a reduction of the unstressed vowel. Words marked with subscript A or B are exceptions to this, and thus retains a full vowel in the (relatively) unstressed syllable of AmE or BrE. A subsequent asterisk, *, means that the full vowel is usually retained; a preceding * means that the full vowel is sometimes retained.
Words with other points of difference are listed in a later table.
BrE | AmE | words with relevant syllable stressed in each dialect[1][2] |
---|---|---|
1st | 2nd | adultBAB2, aristocratAB2, BalthazarA, basaltBA2, cerebral/cerebrumA2, communalBA2*,B2, concave/convexABAB2, harassAB2, inculcateAB2, kilometre/kilometerAB2,[nb 22][32] omegaA, paprikaA*AB2, patinaA1, quadrupleABAB2, stalactiteA2, stalagmiteA2, SuezA2*, subalternA2, thanksgivingABB2, transferenceAA2, UlyssesA |
2nd | 1st | ancillaryB, applicableAB2,[33] AugustineBA2, capillary, catenary, controversyB1, corollary, defence/offenseAA2 (sport), fritillary, guffawA1,[34] mama/papaAB2, marshmallowAB,[nb 23] medullaryBAB2,[35] miscellany,[nb 24] patronal,[36] predicative, pretence/pretenseAA1, princess*AA2, saxophonistBB2, spread(-)eagledAB,[37] substratumABA2, tracheaAB2, weekendABAB2 |
1st | 3rd | obsoleteABAB2, opportuneAB, submarineABAB2(noun) |
2nd | 3rd | advertisement, submarinerA2 |
3rd | 1st | cockatooABAB2, hemoglobinAB, margarineB, PyreneesAB |
3rd | 2nd | arytenoidA1, obscurantismABA2,[38] oregano*A |
Affixes
-ary,-ery,-ory,-mony, -ative, -bury,-berry
Where the syllable preceding the suffixes -ary,-ery, -ory, –mony or -ative is unstressed, AmE pronounces the antepenultimate syllable with a full vowel sound: /ˌɛri/ for -ary and -ery, /ˌɔri/ for -ory and /ˌmoʊni/ for -mony. BrE reduces the vowel to a schwa or even elides it completely: /əri/ or /ri/, and /məni/. So military is AmE /ˈmɪləˌtɛri/ and BrE /ˈmɪlɨtəri/ or /ˈmɪlɨtri/,[39] inventory is AmE /ˈɪnvənˌtɔri/ and BrE /ˈɪnvəntᵊri/,[40] and testimony is AmE /ˈtɛstɨˌmoʊni/ and BrE /ˈtɛstɨməni/.[41] (The elision is avoided in carefully enunciated speech, especially with endings -rary,-rery,-rory.)
Where the syllable preceding -ary,-ery, -ory, –mony or -ative is stressed however, AmE also usually reduces the vowel: /əri/, /məni/. Exceptions include library,[42] primaryA2,[43] rosemary.[44] (Pronouncing library as /ˈlaɪˌbɛri/ rather than /ˈlaɪˌbrɛri/ is highly stigmatized in AmE, whereas in BrE, /ˈlaɪbri/ is common in rapid or casual speech.)
The suffix -berry is pronounced by similar rules, except that in BrE it may be full /ˌbɛri/ after an unstressed syllable, while in AmE it is usually full in all cases. Thus we have strawberry: BrE /ˈstrɔːbᵊri/, AmE /ˈstrɔːˌbɛri/, and whortleberry: BrE/AmE /ˈwɔːrtlˌbɛri/.
The placename component -bury (e.g. Canterbury) has a similar difference: AmE has a full vowel: /ˌbɛri/ wher BrE has a reduced or none at all: /bᵊri/.
Note that stress differences between the dialects occur with some words ending in -atory (listed above) and a few others like capillary (included in #Miscellaneous stress above).
Formerly the BrE–AmE distinction for adjectives carried over to corresponding adverbs ending -arily, -erily or -orily. However, nowadays most BrE speakers adopt the AmE practice of shifting the stress to the antepenultimate syllable: militarily is thus generally /ˌmɪlɨˈtɛrɨli/ rather than /ˈmɪlɨtrɨli/, although necessarily is in BrE often /ˈnɛsəsᵊrɪli/.[45]
-ile
Words ending in unstressed -ile derived from Latin adjectives ending -ilis are mostly pronounced with a full vowel in BrE /aɪl/ but a reduced vowel or syllabic L in AmE /ˈˈəˈˈl/ (e.g. fertile rhymes with fur tile in BrE but with furtle in AmE).
AmE will (unlike BrE, except when indicated withB2) have a reduced last vowel:[1]
- generally in docile,[nb 25] facile, (in)fertile, fissile, fragile, missile, stabile (adjective), sterile, tensile, versatile, virile, volatile
- usually in agile, decile, ductile,[46] febrile,[nb 26][47] futile, hostile,[48] juvenile, (im)mobile (adjective & phone),[49] nubile, projectileB2,[50] puerile, reptile, servile, tactile, utile;[51]
- sometimes in domicileB2,[nb 27][50] infantile, pensile, percentile, senile.[nb 28] textile
- never in crocodile, exile, gentile, reconcile; nor to compounds of monosyllables (e.g. turnstile from stile).
In some words the pronunciation /iːl/ also comes into play:
- BrE /iːl/, AmE /ɪl/ or /ˈˈəˈˈl/: imbecile.
- BrE /ɪl/, AmE /iːl/: rutile (BrE, AmE also /aɪl/).[53]
Related endings -ility, -ilize, -iliary are pronounced the same in AmE as BrE.
-ine[54][8]
The suffix -ine, when unstressed, is pronounced sometimes /aɪn/ (e.g. feline), sometimes /iːn/ (e.g. morphine) and sometimes /ɪn/ (e.g. medicine). Some words have variable pronunciation within BrE, or within AmE, or between BrE and AmE. Generally, AmE is more likely to favour /iːn/ or /ɪn/, and BrE to favour /aɪn/.
BrE /aɪn/, AmE (1) /iːn/: carbineA2, FlorentineA2, philistineA2, pristineB1, serpentineA2.
BrE /aɪn/, AmE (1) /iːn/ (2) /ɪn/: adamantineA3.
BrE /aɪn/, AmE /ɪn/: turbineAB2.
BrE /aɪn/, AmE (1) /ɪn/ (2) /aɪn/ (3) /iːn/: crystalline, labyrinthine.[55]
BrE (1) /iːn/, AmE (1) /aɪn/ (2) /ɪn/: iodine A3B23.
Weak forms
The titles Saint and Sir before a person's name have weak forms in BrE but not AmE: before vowels, [snt][56] and [sə].
Miscellaneous pronunciation differences
These tables list words pronounced differently but spelled the same. See also the table of words with different pronunciation reflected in the spelling.
Single differences
Words with multiple points of difference of pronunciation are in the table after this one. Accent-based differences are ignored. For example, Moscow is RP /ˈmɒskəʊ/ and GAm /ˈmɑːskaʊ/, but only the /oʊ/-/aʊ/ difference is highlighted here, since both the /ɒ/-/ɑː/ difference and the RP use of /əʊ/ rather than /oʊ/ are predictable from the accent. Also, tiara is listed with AmE /æ/; the marry–merry–Mary merger changes this vowel for many Americans. Some AmE types are listed as /ɒ/ where GAm merges to /ɑː/.
A2 means that American speakers may use either pronunciation;B2 means British speakers may use either pronunciation.
BrE | AmE | Words |
---|---|---|
/ɑː/ | /æ/ | Excluding words changed by the trap–bath split,[57] (which affects most southern British speakers and almost no American speakers): banana, khakiA2, localeA2, macaqueAB2, morale, NevadaA2,[58] PakistaniA2, panoramaA2, scenarioA2, sopranoA2, tiaraA2[1] |
/æ/ | /ɑː/ | "A" in the anglicised pronunciation of many foreign names and loanwords, e.g.: CaracasB2, chiantiA2, Gulag, kebab,[59] Las (placenames, e.g. Las Vegas), mafiaA2, MombasaA2, pasta, PicassoA2, rallentando, SlovakA2, Sri LankaA2, Vivaldi, wigwam.[1] caveatA2 |
/ɑː/ | /eɪ/ | charade, cicadaA2, galaA3B2, laver (seaweed)AB2,[60] promenadeAB2, pro rataAB2, tomatoA2, stratumB2[nb 29] [54][8] |
/æ/ | /eɪ/ | basilA2 (plant), macronA2, (com)patriotB2, (ex/re)patriateB2, patroniseA2, phalanxA2, plaitA2, Sabine, satrapA2, satyrA2 [54][8] |
/eɪ/ | /æ/ | apparatusA2, apricotA2, comrade, dahliaA3, data,A1 digitalisA2, statusA1 [54][8] |
/æ/ | /ɒ/ | twatB2 |
/ɒ/ | /æ/ | wrath[nb 30] |
/oʊ/ | /ɔː/ | wontA2 [1] |
/ɑː/ | /ɔː/ | quarkAB2 |
/æ/ | /ɔː/ | asphalt [1] |
/ɒ/ | /ɔː/ | alcoholA2 [1] |
/ɔː/ | /aʊ/ | traumaAB2 [1][2] |
/ɔː(l)/ | /æl/ | falconA2[nb 31] [8][60] |
/iː/ | /ɛ/ | aesthete, anaesthetize, breveA2, Daedalus, devolutionAB2, ecumenicalB2, epochA2, epochalB1,[61] evolutionAB2, febrileA2, Hephaestus,hygienicA, KenyaB2, leverA2, methaneB2, OedipusA2, (o)estrogen, (o)estrus, p(a)edophile, penalizeA2, predecessorA2, pyrethrinA2, senileA2 |
/ɛ/ | /iː/ | CecilAB2, crematoriumA2, cretin, depot, leisureA2, medievalAB2, PetrarchAB2, reconnoit(re/er)A2, zebraB2, zenithAB2 |
/iː/ | /eɪ/ | eta, beta, quayA2, theta, zeta, heinousB2 |
/eɪ/ | /iː/ | deityAB2, HeleneA2, IsraelA2, Haggai[62] |
/ɛ/ | /eɪ/ | ateB2, mêléeA2 [54][8] |
/eɪ/ | /ɛ/ | nonpareil [54][8] |
/ɒ/ | /ʌ/ | hovelAB2, hoverA2. Also the strong forms of these function words: (every/some/no/any)bodyA1, becauseAB2 (and clipping 'cos/'cause), ofA2, fromA2, wasA2, whatA2 |
/ʌ/ | /ɒ/ | accomplice, accomplish, colanderB2, constableB2, Lombardy B2, monetaryA2, -mongerA2 |
/ɒ/ | /oʊ/ | Aeroflot, cognac, compost, cosmosA2, ErosA2, ethosA2, homo-AB2, Interpol, logos (singular)A2, Lod, pathosA2, pedagogyA2, pogrom, polkaB2, produce (noun), realpolitik, Rosh HashanahA1, sconeAB2, shone, sojourn, trollB2, yogurt |
/oʊ/ | /ɒ/ | codifyA2, goffer, ogleA2, process (noun), processor, progress (noun), projectB2(noun), slothAB2, wrothB2 |
/ɪ/ | /aɪ/ | dynasty, housewifery,[61] idyll, long-livedA2,[63] privacyB2,[64] simultaneousA2, vicariousAB2, vitaminB2. See also -ine.[1] |
/aɪ/ | /ɪ/ | butylB2, divergeA2, divulgeAB2, minorityAB2, primer (schoolbook), synapseB2. See also -ine.[1][8] |
/aɪ/ | /eɪ/ | Isaiah [1] |
/aɪ/ | /iː/ | eitherAB2, neitherAB2, Pleiades. See also -ine. |
/iː/ | /aɪ/ | albino, migraineB2. Also the prefixes anti-A2, multi-A2, semi-A2 in loose compounds (e.g. in anti-establishment, but not in antibody). See also -ine. |
/iː/ | /ɪ/ | beenB2 [65] |
/ɛ/ | /ɑ/ | envelopeAB2 |
/æ/ | /ɛ/ | femme fataleA2 pall-mallA2[nb 32][54][8] |
/aʊ/ | /uː/ | nousA2 |
/ʊ/ | /ɪ/ | kümmel |
/ʊ/ | /uː/ | BuddhaA2 |
/ʊ/ | /ʌ/ | brusque, hummus |
/uː/ | /aʊ/ | routeA1,[66] |
/oʊ/ | /uː/ | broochA1 |
/uː/ | /oʊ/ | cantaloup(e) |
/ʌ/ | /oʊ/ | covert (adj.)AB2[67] |
/oʊ/ | /aʊ/ | MoscowA2 |
/ɪ/ | /iː/ | pi(t)taB2, Tunisia |
/uː/ | /ʊ/ | boulevard, hoofA2, snooker, woofA2 (weaving) |
/ɑː(r)/ | /ɜr/ | Berkeley, Berkshire, clerk, derby, Hertford. (The only AmE word with ⟨er⟩ = [ɑr] is sergeant.) |
/ɪr/ | /ɜr~ɚ/ | chirrupA2, squirrel, stirrupA2, syrupA2 |
/ɜː(r)/ | /ɛr/ | errA2 |
/ɔː(r)/ | /ər/ | record (noun), stridorAB2 |
/ə/ | /ɒ/ | Amazon, hexagon, melancholy,[68] octagon, paragon, pentagon, phenomenonA2, pythonA2 |
/ɒ/ | /ə/ | Amos, condom, cosmos,[69] Enoch |
/ə/ | /ɛ/ | nonsense |
/ɛ/ | /ə/ | Kentucky |
/ɛ/ | /ɨ/ | parallelepiped[70] |
/ə/ | /æ/ | trapeze |
/ə(r)/ | /ɑr/ | MadagascarA2 |
/ə/ | /eɪ/ | DraconianA2, hurricaneB2 |
/ə/ | /oʊ/ | boroughA2, thoroughA2, also place names such as EdinburghA2 (see also -ory and -mony) |
/eɪ/ | /ə/ | template |
/juː/ | /uː/ | barracuda, pumaA2 (as well as all words with pronunciations based predictably upon the yod-dropping phenomenon, the extent of which is much greater for American speakers than British speakers) |
/juː/ | /w/ | iguanaB1, jaguar, Nicaragua |
/uː/ | /juː/ | couponA2, fuchsine, HoustonB2 |
/ə(r)/ | /jər/ | figureA2 for the verb |
/ʊ/ | /jʊ/ | eruditeA2 [71] |
/jʊ/ | /ʊ/ | duress, résuméA2 [72] |
/ɑː/ | /ət/ | nougat[nb 33] |
/eɪ/ | /ət/ | sorbet,[nb 34] tourniquet.[1] |
/oʊ/ | /ɒt/ | HuguenotA2 |
/ɜː/ | /uː/ | milieu |
/ɜː(r)/ | /ʊr/ | connoisseurA2, entrepreneurA2 |
/ɜːz/ | /uːs/ | Betelgeuse, chanteuse, chartreuseA2, masseuse |
/z/ | /s/ | AussieA2, blouse (noun), complaisantA2, crescentB2, diagnoseA2, erase, fuselageA2, GlasgowA2, parse, trans-AB2 (in some words), valise |
/s/ | /z/ | asthma, meso-AB2 |
/ts/ | /z/ | piazzaA2 |
/ð/ | /θ/ | booth,B2 loath(ly/some)A2, smithyA2, withstand(ing)A2 |
/ʃ/ | /ʒ/ | AsiaB2, dispersionA2, excursionB2, PersiaB2, versionB2 |
/dʒ/ | /tʃ/ | sandwichB2 [73] |
/s/ | /ʃ/ | DionysiusA2 [74] |
/sju:/ | /ʃu:/ | issueB2 , tissueB2 , sexualB2 , sexualityB2 [75][76] |
/z(j)u:/ | /ʒu:/ | JesuitA2 [77][78] |
/sɪ/ | /ʃ/ | cassiaA2, CassiusA2, hessian, omni-/prescience |
/zɪ/ or /sɪ/ | /ʃ/ | transientA2, nauseaA2 |
/zɪ/ | /ʒ/ | Frasier, Parisian, Malaysia, Tunisia |
/tɪ/ | /tʃi/ | bestiary |
/dɪ/ | /dʒi/ | cordiality |
/tɪ/ | /ʃ/ | consortiumB2,[79] sentientB2[80][81] |
/ɪ/ | /ʃ/ | celestial [82] |
/ʃ/ | /s/ | commensurableAB2 [83] |
/s/ | /ʃ/ | licorice/liquoriceAB2 |
/ʃ/ | /sk/ | scheduleB2 |
/iːʃ/ | /ɪtʃ/ | nicheAB2 |
/t/ | /θ/ | AnthonyAB2 |
/t/ | /d/ | TaoismA2 [84] |
/v/ | /f/ | nephewB1 (The old English pronunciation with /v/ has to a large extent been replaced by /f/ due to the spelling latinization of Middle English "neveu". The preference breakdown in BrE is /f/ 79%, /v/ 21%.)[85] |
(sounded) | (silent) | chthonicB2,[61][86] herbA2, KnossosB2,[87] phthisisB2, salveA2,[60] schismAB2, solder, (un)toward(s)A2(prep.),B2.[1] |
(silent) | (sounded) | medicineB2, suggestA2.[54][8] See also -ary -ery -ory -bury, -berry. |
Multiple differences
The slashes normally used to enclose IPA phonemic transcriptions have been omitted from the following table to improve legibility.
Spelling | BrE IPA | AmE IPA | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
boehmite | (1) ˈbɜːmaɪt (2) ˈboʊmaɪt |
(1) ˈbeɪmaɪt (2) ˈboʊmaɪt |
The first pronunciations approximate German [ø] (spelled ⟨ö⟩ or ⟨oe⟩); the second ones are anglicized. |
bouquet | (1) buːˈkeɪ (2) ˈbuːkeɪ |
(1) boʊˈkeɪ (2) buːˈkeɪ |
|
boyar | (1) ˈbɔɪɑː (2) boʊˈjɑː |
(1) boʊˈjɑr (2) ˈbɔɪjər |
|
buoyA2 | ˈbɔɪ | ˈbuːi | The British pronunciation occurs in America more commonly for the verb than the noun; still more in derivatives buoyant, buoyancy. |
canton | kænˈtuːn | (1) kænˈtɑːn (2) kænˈtoʊn |
difference is only in military sense "to quarter soldiers" |
dilettante | dɪləˈtænti | (1) ˈdɪlətɑːnt (2) ˌdɪləˈtɑːnt |
BrE reflects the word's Italian origin; AmE approximates more to French. |
enquiry/inquiry | ɪŋˈkwaɪ(ə)ri | (1) ˈɪnkwəri (2) ɪŋˈkwaɪri |
BrE uses two spellings, pronounced ɛŋˈkwaɪ(ə)ri and ɪŋˈkwaɪ(ə)ri. In AmE the word is usually spelled inquiry. |
febrile | ˈfiːbraɪl | (1) ˈfɛbriːl (2) ˈfɛbrəl |
The BrE pronunciation occurs in AmE |
fracas | ˈfrækɑː | (1) ˈfreɪkəs (2) ˈfrækəs (3) frəˈkɑː |
The BrE plural is French fracas /ˈfrækɑːz/. For AmE examples (1) and (2), the plural is anglicized fracases |
glacier | (1) ˈɡlæsiə (2) ˈɡleɪsiə |
ˈɡleɪʃər | |
jalousie | (1) ʒælʊˈziː (2) ˈʒælʊziː |
ˈdʒæləsi | |
lapsang souchong | ˈlæpsæŋ suːʃɒŋ | ˌlɑːpsɑːŋ ˈsuːʃɑːŋ | |
lassoAB2 | ləˈsuː | ˈlæsoʊ | |
lieutenant | (1) lɛfˈtɛnənt (2) ləˈtɛnənt |
luːˈtɛnənt | The 2nd British pronunciation is restricted to the Royal Navy. Standard Canadian and Australian pronunciation is the same as the British. |
lychee | (1) ˈliːtʃiː (2) laɪˈtʃiː |
ˈliːtʃiː | Spelling litchi has pronunciation /ˈlɪtʃiː/. The BrE pronunciation /laɪˈtʃiː/ also occurs in AmE. |
mama[88] | (1) ˈmamə (2) məˈmɑː |
ˈmɑːmə | |
Molière | ˈmɒliɛə | moʊlˈjɛr | |
moustache[89] | mʊˈstɑːʃ | ˈmʌs.tæʃ | |
oblique | əbˈliːk | əbˈlaɪk | AmE is as BrE except in military sense "advance at an angle" |
PakistanA2 [90] | ˌpɑːkɪˈstɑːn | ˈpæk əˌstæn | |
penchant | pɑ̃ˈʃɑ̃ | ˈpɛntʃənt | The AmE pronunciation is anglicized; the BrE is French. |
penult | pɛˈnʌlt | (1) ˈpiːnʌlt (2) pɪˈnʌlt |
|
phthisic[91] | (1) ˈ(f)θaɪsɪk (2) ˈtaɪsɪk |
(1) ˈtɪzɪk (2) ˈθɪzɪk |
|
premature[92] | (1)ˈpremətʃə (2) ˈprɛmətjʊə |
(1)ˌpriːməˈtʃʊr (2) ˌpriːməˈtʊr |
|
premier | (1) ˈprɛmjə (2) ˈprɛmɪə |
(1) ˈpriːmɪər (2) prɪmˈɪər |
|
première | ˈprɛmɪɛə | (1) prɪˈmɪər (2) prɪmˈjɛr |
|
provostA2 [93] | ˈprɒvəst | (1) ˈproʊvoʊst | |
quinine | ˈkwɪniːn | (1) ˈkwaɪnaɪn (2) ˈkwɪnaɪn |
|
resource | (1) rɨˈzɔːs (2) rɨˈsɔːs |
ˈriːsɔːrs | |
respite | ˈrɛspaɪt | (1) ˈrɛspɪt (2) rɨˈspaɪt |
|
reveille | rɪˈvæliː | ˈrɛvəli | |
slough | slaʊ | slʌf | sense "bog"; in metaphorical sense "gloom", the BrE pronunciation is common in AmE. Homograph "cast off skin" is /slʌf/ everywhere. |
Tunisia | tjuːˈnɪziə | (1) tuˈniʒə (2) tuˈniʃə |
|
vaseA3 [94] | vɑːz | (1) veɪs (2) veɪz |
|
Z (the letter) | zɛd | ziː | The spelling of this letter as a word corresponds to the pronunciation: thus Commonwealth (including, Canada) zed and U.S. zee. |
Notes
- ↑ For "dam (barrier)": AmE /ˈbɑːrɪdʒ/
- ↑ US i/bəˈreɪ/, UK /ˈbɛreɪ/
- ↑ AmE /buːˈfɑːnt/, BrE /ˈbuːfɒ̃/
- ↑ AmE i/broʊˈʃʊr/, BrE (1) /ˈbroʊʃə/ (2) /brɒˈʃʊə/
- ↑ BrE (1) /ˈbʊfeɪ/ (2) /ˈbʌfeɪ/
- ↑ BrE (1) / ˈdeɪbriː/ (2) /ˈdɛbriː/
- ↑ BrE /ˈflɒmbeɪ/
- ↑ BrE also /ˈɡærɪdʒ/, esp. for "petrol garage"/"gas station"
- ↑ AmE /læˈmeɪ/, BrE /ˈlɑːmeɪ/
- ↑ AmE /pæˈstiːl/
- ↑ AmE /pɑːˈteɪ///pæˈteɪ/, BrE /ˈpæteɪ/
- ↑ AmE alsom /ˈsɔrbɪt/
- ↑ BrE /ˈmɒneɪ/, AmE /moʊˈneɪ/, French: [mɔnɛ]
- ↑ French: [reno]
- ↑ French: [ʁɛ̃bo]
- ↑ BrE /fɪˈɒnseɪ/
- ↑ The British variant is sometimes discouraged; see pronunciation note in reference.
- ↑ Only middle vowel reduced in the BrE pronunciations.
- ↑ The last vowel is often reduced in BrE. AmE only reduces the middle one.
- ↑ The British is typically [ɹɪˈneɪs(ə)ns] and the American [ˈɹɛnəsɑns] or even [ɹɛnəˈsɑns]
- ↑ Also / ˌtɜrdʒɪˈvɜrseɪt/
- ↑ The American variant is sometimes discouraged; see pronunciation note in reference.
- ↑ AmE (1) /ˈmɑːrʃˌmɛloʊ/ AmE (2) & BrE /-mæloʊ/
- ↑ AmE /ˈmɪsəˌleɪni/
- ↑ BrE /ˈdoʊsaɪl/AmE /ˈdɑːsl/
- ↑ AmE also /ˈfɛb-/
- ↑ AmE also /ˈdoʊ/
- ↑ AmE also /ˈsɛnaɪl/
- ↑ AmE also /ˈstrætʌm/
- ↑ BrE also /rɔːθ/ Scottish English /ræθ/
- ↑ BrE also /ɒl/
- ↑ AmE also /pɔːlˈmɔːl/
- ↑ BrE also /ˈnʌɡɨt/
- ↑ AmE also /sɔrˈbeɪ/
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 "Unsourced words: Random House (AmE) & Collins (further down, BrE).)". Dictionary.com.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 "Unsourced words: Oxford Dictionary of English (BrE).)". Oxford Dictionaries.
- ↑ (AmE) "brevet (AmE)". Merriam-Webster.
- ↑ "brochure (BrE)". Oxford Dictionaries.
- ↑ "buffet". Oxford Learner's Dictionaries.
- ↑ "canard". Oxford Learner's Dictionaries.
- ↑ "chiffon". Oxford Learner's Dictionaries.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 8.6 8.7 8.8 8.9 8.10 "BrE pronunciation". Oxford Dictionaries.
- ↑ "soupçon". Oxford Learner's Dictionaries.
- ↑ "Dijon (BrE)". Oxford Dictionaries."Dijon (AmE)". Oxford Dictionaries.
- ↑ "Dumas (BrE)". Oxford Dictionaries."Dumas (AmE)". Oxford Dictionaries.
- ↑ "Manet (BrE)". Oxford Dictionaries."Manet (AmE)". Oxford Dictionaries.
- ↑ "Monet (BrE)". Oxford Dictionaries.
- ↑ "Renault (BrE)". Oxford Dictionaries."Renault (AmE)". Oxford Dictionaries.
- ↑ "Rimbaud (BrE)". Oxford Dictionaries."Rimbaud (AmE)". Oxford Dictionaries.
- ↑ "démodé (BrE)". Macmillan Dictionary."démodé (AmE)". Macmillan Dictionary.
- ↑ "decade (BrE)". Oxford Dictionaries.
- ↑ "liaison (AmE)". Oxford Dictionaries.
- ↑ "cremate (AmE)". Merriam-Webster.
- ↑ "striate (BrE)". Oxford Dictionaries.
- ↑ "vacate (BrE)". Oxford Dictionaries.
- ↑ "migratory". Oxford Learner's Dictionaries.
- ↑ "vibratory(AmE)". Oxford Dictionaries.
- ↑ "remonstrate (AmE)". Merriam-Webster.
- ↑ "tergiversate". Oxford Learner's Dictionaries."tergiversate (AmE)". Merriam-Webster.
- ↑ "celebratory". Oxford Learner's Dictionaries.
- ↑ "compensatory (BrE)". Oxford Dictionaries.
- ↑ "participatory". Oxford Learner's Dictionaries.
- ↑ "regulatory (BrE)". Oxford Dictionaries.
- ↑ "compensatory (AmE)". Oxford Dictionaries.
- ↑ "laboratory". Oxford Learner's Dictionaries."laboratory (BrE)". Oxford Dictionaries.
- ↑ "kilometre (BrE)". Oxford Dictionaries.
- ↑ Wells, J.C. "Whatever happened to Received Pronunciation?". Whatever happened to Received Pronunciation?.
- ↑ "guffaw (AmE)". Merriam-Webster.
- ↑ "medullary (BrE)". Cambridge Dictionaries.
- ↑ "patronal (AmE)". Oxford Dictionaries.
- ↑ "spreadeagled (BrE)". Cambridge Dictionaries.
- ↑ "obscurantism". Oxford Learner's Dictionaries.
- ↑ "military (BrE)". Oxford Dictionaries."military (AmE)". Oxford Dictionaries.
- ↑ "inventory (BrE)". Oxford Dictionaries."inventory (AmE)". Oxford Dictionaries.
- ↑ "testimony". Oxford Learner's Dictionaries.
- ↑ "library". Oxford Learner's Dictionaries.
- ↑ "primary". Oxford Learner's Dictionaries."primary (AmE)". Oxford Dictionaries.
- ↑ "rosemary". Oxford Learner's Dictionaries.
- ↑ "necessarily (BrE)". Oxford Dictionaries.
- ↑ "ductile (AmE)". Merriam-Webster.
- ↑ "febrile (AmE)". Merriam-Webster."febrile (AmE)". Macmillan Dictionary.
- ↑ "hostile (AmE)". Oxford Dictionaries.
- ↑ "mobile (AmE)". Oxford Dictionaries.
- ↑ 50.0 50.1 "projectile (BrE)". Oxford Dictionaries.
- ↑ "utile (BrE)". Oxford Dictionaries."utile (AmE)". Oxford Dictionaries.
- ↑ "mobile (AmE)". Oxford Dictionaries.
- ↑ "rutile (BrE)". Oxford Dictionaries.
- ↑ 54.0 54.1 54.2 54.3 54.4 54.5 54.6 54.7 "All (unsourced) words, AmE pronunciation". Dictionary.com.
- ↑ "labyrinthine (AmE)". Merriam-Webster.
- ↑ "Saint (BrE)". Oxford Dictionaries.
- ↑ "Changing Voices: Trap Bath Split". British Library. Retrieved 4 November 2014.
- ↑ "Nevada (main AmE, Collins BrE)". Dictionary.com.
- ↑ "Kebab (BrE)". Oxford Dictionaries."Kebab (AmE)". Oxford Dictionaries.
- ↑ 60.0 60.1 60.2 "AmE". Merriam-Webster.
- ↑ 61.0 61.1 61.2 Brown, Lesley. The New Shorter Oxford English Dictionary. Oxford University Press.
- ↑ "Haggai (BrE)". Oxford Dictionaries."Haggai (AmE)". Oxford Dictionaries.
- ↑ "long-lived (BrE)". Macmillan Dictionary.
- ↑ "privacy (BrE)". Oxford Dictionaries.
- ↑ "been (main AmE, Collins BrE)". Dictionary.com.
- ↑ "route (main AmE, Collins BrE)". Dictionary.com.
- ↑ See pronunciation note at Dictionary.com
- ↑ "melancholy (main AmE, Collins BrE)". Dictionary.com.
- ↑ "cosmos (main AmE, Collins BrE)". Dictionary.com.
- ↑ "parallelepiped (main AmE, Collins BrE)". Dictionary.com.
- ↑ "erudite (main AmE, Collins BrE)". Dictionary.com.
- ↑ "All words. Main AmE, Collins BrE.". Dictionary.com.
- ↑ "sandwich (main AmE, Collins BrE)". Dictionary.com.
- ↑ "Dionysius (main AmE, Collins BrE)". Dictionary.com.
- ↑ "sexuality (main AmE, Collins BrE)". Dictionary.com.
- ↑ "sexuality (BrE)". Oxford Dictionaries.
- ↑ "Jesuit (main AmE, Collins BrE)". Dictionary.com.
- ↑ "Jesuit (BrE)". Oxford Dictionaries.
- ↑ "consortium (main AmE, Collins BrE)". Dictionary.com.
- ↑ "sentient (main AmE, Collins BrE)". Dictionary.com.
- ↑ "Jesuit (BrE)". Oxford Dictionaries.
- ↑ "celestial (main AmE, Collins BrE)". Dictionary.com.
- ↑ "commensurable (BrE)". Oxford Dictionaries."commensurable (AmE)". Oxford Dictionaries.
- ↑ "herb (main AmE, Collins BrE)". Dictionary.com.
- ↑ Wells, John C. (1990). Longman Pronunciation Dictionary. Longman.
- ↑ "chthonic (BrE)". Oxford Dictionaries."chthonic (AmE)". Oxford Dictionaries.
- ↑ "Knossos (BrE)". Oxford Dictionaries.
- ↑ "mama (BrE)". Oxford Dictionaries."mama (AmE)". Oxford Dictionaries.
- ↑ "moustache". Oxford Learner's Dictionaries.
- ↑ "Pakistan (main AmE, Collins BrE)". Dictionary.com.
- ↑ "phthisic (main AmE, Collins BrE)". Dictionary.com.
- ↑ "premature". Oxford Learner's Dictionaries.
- ↑ "provost (main AmE, Collins BrE)". Dictionary.com.
- ↑ "vase (main AmE, Collins BrE)". Dictionary.com.
Further reading
- Wells, John C. (2000). Longman Pronunciation Dictionary. 2nd ed. Longman. ISBN 0-582-36468-X.
- http://www.bl.uk/learning/langlit/sounds/changing-voices/phonological-change/trap-bath-split/