The "How Do You Pronounce X" Thread

[Travis B.]

About wandering and thundering I have* /ˈwɑndərəŋ/ [ˈwɑ̃ːndʁ̩ˤʁˤɘ̃(ː)ŋ] and /ˈwɑndrəŋ/ [ˈwɑ̃ːndɹɘ̃(ː)ŋ] for the former and /ˈθʌndərəŋ/ [ˈθʌ̃ːndʁ̩ˤʁˤɘ̃(ː)ŋ] and /ˈθʌndrəŋ/ [ˈθʌ̃ːndɹɘ̃(ː)ŋ] for the latter but never */ˈwɑndʒrəŋ/ *[ˈwɑ̃ːntʃɹ̠ʁɘ̃(ː)ŋ] or */ˈθʌndʒrəŋ/ *[ˈθʌ̃ːntʃɹ̠ʁɘ̃(ː)ŋ]

* Note that I also have variants with /n/** rather than /ŋ/ for all of these and variants with other allophones of /θ/ such as [t̪θ].
** Note that final /n/ may itself assimilate to following consonants or be elided.

[anteallach]

Introspecting a bit:

- Pronouncing being as the expected [ˈbiːɪŋ(g)] feels a bit artificial to me. I think I often use monosyllabic forms like [bɪəŋ(g)] or [bɪːŋ(g)], with the same sort of smoothing which occurs in theatre or vehicle. I think this is genuinely irregular: it doesn't apply to e.g. seeing, where the bisyllabic form feels natural enough.
- I don't have affrication in centring or wondering (compare central and wondrous, where I definitely do) and in careful speech at least they would be trisyllabic, though I'm sure that bisyllabic forms of both are possible. I've sometimes felt that the spelling centring, though of course the usual one for me, feels a bit odd as it suggests [sɛntʂɹɪŋ(g)] (i.e. with affrication), which isn't what I say.
- On the other hand I absolutely do have bisyllabic forms where the root ends with /(ə)l/: doubling [dɔ̈blɪŋ(g)], heckling [hɛklɪŋ(g)] etc. Perhaps this is an argument that the phonemic forms of the roots here do indeed have a syllabic /l/: /dʌbl/ etc.

[Richard W]

- Pronouncing being as the expected [ˈbiːɪŋ(g)] feels a bit artificial to me. I think I often use monosyllabic forms like [bɪəŋ(g)] or [bɪːŋ(g)], with the same sort of smoothing which occurs in theatre or vehicle. I think this is genuinely irregular: it doesn't apply to e.g. seeing, where the bisyllabic form feels natural enough.

Imralu may claim to have already mentioned this form, but we shouldn't forget human bean, 'human being'.

[Nortaneous]

For me, being has two syllables, centering, wondering, doubling, heckling, wandering, thundering etc. have three, and belittling has four. Sampling could have two.

[Raphael]

and belittling has four.

OK, that's the part that somewhat surprises me. Although, on second thought, it probably shouldn't.

[jal]

OK, that's the part that somewhat surprises me. Although, on second thought, it probably shouldn't.

Just shove in a schwa everywhere :D


JAL

[jcb]

For me, being has two syllables, centering, wondering, doubling, heckling, wandering, thundering etc. have three, and belittling has four. Sampling could have two.

When I was younger, I pronounced your three syllable words with three syllables, but as I've aged, I now pronounce them with two syllables.

As for "belittling", it still sounds a little strange with three syllables, but a little stiff with four syllables.

And "being" has two syllables, of course.

[jcb]

What vowel do people have in the first syllable of "Halloween"? LOT or TRAP?

Strangley, I have LOT in "Halloween", but TRAP in "hallowed" and "hallow".

[Raphael]

What vowel do people have in the first syllable of "Halloween"? LOT or TRAP?

Strangley, I have LOT in "Halloween", but TRAP in "hallowed" and "hallow".

Very much TRAP.

[Lērisama]

What vowel do people have in the first syllable of "Halloween"? LOT or TRAP?

Strangley, I have LOT in "Halloween", but TRAP in "hallowed" and "hallow".

TRAP. I associate a LOT in Halloween with North American English, and specifically with LOTs low and centralised or unrounded enough I can't distinguish them from PALM/FATHER.

[Travis B.]

What vowel do people have in the first syllable of "Halloween"? LOT or TRAP?

Strangley, I have LOT in "Halloween", but TRAP in "hallowed" and "hallow".

I have LOT in Halloween, as does my mother, but my father has TRAP. As for hallowed and hallow, I'd say them with LOT, but frankly I don't use or hear them much at all (I almost never hear the Lord's Prayer IRL, as I only go to church for weddings and funerals).