Separated by a common language

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petergriffin replied

17 March 2013, 10:47
English is a dead language. If you don't speak Chinese you're a pleb.
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Paddy replied

15 March 2013, 11:53
Originally posted by TheFaQQer View Post

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

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

15 March 2013, 11:46
Originally posted by Ignis Fatuus View Post

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.
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Ignis Fatuus replied

15 March 2013, 11:42
Originally posted by TheFaQQer View Post

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

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

15 March 2013, 11:33
Americans also have no word for "please" or "thank you".
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Ignis Fatuus replied

15 March 2013, 11:26
Originally posted by formant View Post

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.
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formant replied

15 March 2013, 11:05
Originally posted by Ignis Fatuus View Post

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 )
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Ketchup replied

15 March 2013, 10:00
Originally posted by Ignis Fatuus View Post

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
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Ignis Fatuus replied

15 March 2013, 09:58
Originally posted by Ketchup View Post

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.
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Ketchup replied

15 March 2013, 09:34
Originally posted by Ignis Fatuus View Post

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
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Ignis Fatuus started a topic Separated by a common language

15 March 2013, 09:28
Separated by a common language

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.
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