Separated by a common language

[Ignis Fatuus]

A nice symmetry: the word inquiry (enquiry). In British English it has 2 spellings but only 1 pronoiunciation. In American English it has only 1 spelling, but 2 pronounciations.



BrE: enquiry/inquiry ɪŋˈkwaɪ(ə)ri
AmE: inquiry ˈɪnkwəri/ɪŋˈkwaɪri
if you must know.

[Ketchup]

A nice symmetry: the word inquiry (enquiry). In British English it has 2 spellings but only 1 pronoiunciation. In American English it has only 1 spelling, but 2 pronounciations.



BrE: enquiry/inquiry ɪŋˈkwaɪ(ə)ri
AmE: inquiry ˈɪnkwəri/ɪŋˈkwaɪri
if you must know.

I thought it had 2 pronunciations in English

[Ignis Fatuus]

I thought it had 2 pronunciations in English

Well it does depend a bit on your accent.

Trying it out on myself (ScE), I find that I think that I am pronouncing them differently but actually I'm not.

[Ketchup]

Well it does depend a bit on your accent.

Trying it out on myself (ScE), I find that I think that I am pronouncing them differently but actually I'm not.

You are correct. Even with my "Essex" accent

[formant]

A nice symmetry: the word inquiry (enquiry). In British English it has 2 spellings but only 1 pronoiunciation. In American English it has only 1 spelling, but 2 pronounciations.



BrE: enquiry/inquiry ɪŋˈkwaɪ(ə)ri
AmE: inquiry ˈɪnkwəri/ɪŋˈkwaɪri
if you must know.

It's just that the two AmE pronunciations have nothing to do with the e/i vowel - that is indeed usually pronounced the same in Received Pronunciation and Standard American English (though there can be some regional accent variation). The two pronunciations there are referring to the difference between the alveolar nasal /n/, vs the velar nasal /ŋ/. ("in" vs "ing")

(greetings from your friendly neighbourhood phonetician )

[Ignis Fatuus]

It's just that the two AmE pronunciations have nothing to do with the e/i vowel - that is indeed usually pronounced the same in Received Pronunciation and Standard American English (though there can be some regional accent variation). The two pronunciations there are referring to the difference between the alveolar nasal /n/, vs the velar nasal /ŋ/. ("in" vs "ing")

(greetings from your friendly neighbourhood phonetician )

Ah, you spotted that. So did I, eventually.

[TheFaQQer]

Americans also have no word for "please" or "thank you".

[Ignis Fatuus]

Americans also have no word for "please" or "thank you".

And Brits have no phrase for "You're welcome".

[Uncle Albert]

And Brits have no phrase for "You're welcome".

Very true. Luckily we borrowed a phrase from another language "Twoje są mile widziane". It seems to have worked quite well.

[Paddy]

Americans also have no word for "please" or "thank you".

I thought that British 'thank you' was replaced with 'nice one'