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Ask for help > Indefinite article "a" pronunciation!!!! Please help me!! : )
Indefinite article "a" pronunciation!!!! Please help me!! : )
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Rafinha83
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Indefinite article "a" pronunciation!!!! Please help me!! : )
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Hi everyone!!! I need your help!
Some days ago I was listening to a pronunciation practice Cd and the topic was objects!! They were introducing the objects using the indefinite article (a/an) and depending on the object I notice that the pronunciation of the article changed for example:
1) A book, A notepad, A pen ( the article being pronounced- uh)
2) A pencil, A paper clip, A rubber band ( the article being pronounced- ey)
Is there any reason for that??? So far I couldn �t find any good explanation!!! Could you help me,please???   Thanks a lot!!! |
25 Jan 2010
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lshorton99
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Generally I think �uh � is more common in speech - sentences such as �I �ve got a pencil � would usually be pronounced �uh �. I would imagine �ey � to be more common when it is not part of a sentence. �uh � nwould be one of the features of connected speech. A lot of the pronunciation issues would depend on the context in which the word was used - what sounds came before and after it.
However, there is also the possibility of regional variations!
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26 Jan 2010
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melahel7
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You answered well lshorton99. |
26 Jan 2010
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Jayho
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Hi Rafinah83
Both forms are commonly used in Australian English however I have read that �ey � is the more common form of pronunciation in British English and �uh � (or schwa) is the more common form in American English.
As far as an explanation goes I don �t have one (we mainly use the schwa sound and that �s what Oz teachers generally teach) but these links might shed some light for you:
You can google to find more info - there are heaps of links.
Cheers
Jayho |
26 Jan 2010
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Olindalima ( F )
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Hi rafinha and Hi jayho
I would say it upside down ( smile ).
I was taught, ( British English ) what Rafinha translates as "uh" ( I do understand it , Rafinha, )this is our Portuguese / Brazilian - " a " , like this : " A menina... it is the same sound.
I had a few American teachers and they would always say what Rafinha calls " ey".
And American teachers would make us spell the alphabet to prove that there was no "uh" in the alphabet, the first letter is "ey".
Lol, smile - different pronounce is what makes a language alive.
There are so many different things, I mean pronounce in Portuguese language, and we can not say this one is correct and the other one is wrong.
Long live diversity.
hugs
linda
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26 Jan 2010
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lshorton99
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I agree with Olindalima - the schwa �a � is definitely British English.
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26 Jan 2010
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Zora
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Hey there,
Maybe I have been teaching English for too many years but quite truthfully... I say "ah" not "uh"... and "ey" when I want to emphasize the object I am taking about... or maybe, the "ah" is just a Canadian thing.
When I started re-working as an English teacher. All us natives were asked to slow down and enunciate properly so the students would pick up our words easier. I am not sure if all that is why I prefer "ah" to "uh� or "ey" or if I said "ah" before then.. lol... the "ey" is almost always used when I want to emphasize that it is "a" whatever and not something else or a determiner like "the"... *shrugs* but yeah, not too sure about that... the "uh" sounds slightly more "American" to me and not British.
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26 Jan 2010
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liveu
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I find Zora �s explanation the most suitable. This is what happens in the words with the article �a � - if you pronounce it separately from the word itself, it turns into �ey �. This could be the only explanation, as I have noticed. Sometimes a becomes stressed for emphasis, which also makes it pronounced as �ey �. Live and learn! |
26 Jan 2010
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douglas
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I tend to use "uh" (as in "butter")a lot, but I recommend to my students that they use "ey" (as in "hay"). In most cases "ey" sounds okay, but in many cases "uh" doesn �t. |
26 Jan 2010
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