Guide to Pronunciation
Pronunciation is not an intrinsic component of the dic- tions in Canada, such as decal and khaki, have those pro- tionary. For some languages, such as Spanish, Swahili, and nunciations duly noted. Pronunciations peculiar to certain Finnish, the correspondence between orthography and spheres of activity are also represented, as for example the pronunciation is so close that a dictionary need only spell variants of athwart and tackle heard in nautical use. Final- a word correctly to indicate its pronunciation. Modern ly, a wide range of unpredictable variations are included, English, however, displays no such consistency in sound such as the pronunication of economic with either \e\ or and spelling, and so a dictionary of English must devote \\. Unpredictable variations frequently cut across the considerable attention to the pronunciation of the lan- boundaries of geographical dialects, sometimes running guage. The English lexicon contains numerous eye rhymes along the lines of social class, ethnicity, or gender instead. such as love, move, and rove, words which do not sound In fine, this dictionary attempts to includeeither explic- alike despite their similar spellings. On the other hand, it itly or by implicationall pronunciation variants of a also contains rhyming words such as breeze, cheese, ease, word that are used by educated speakers of the English frieze, and sleaze whose rhymes are all spelled differently. language. This grand mismatch between words that look alike and The pronunciations in this dictionary are informed words that sound alike does at least serve to record some- chiefly by the Merriam-Webster pronunciation file. This thing of the history of the English-speaking peoples and file contains citations that are transcriptions of words used their language. Spelling often indicates whether a word by native speakers of English in the course of utterances comes down from the native Anglo-Saxon word stock or heard in speeches, interviews, and conversations. In this was adopted in successive ages from the speech of a mis- extensive collection of 3 × 5 slips of paper, one finds the sionary monk chanting Latin, a seafaring Viking dickering pronunciations of a host of people: politicians, professors, in Old Norse, a Norman nobleman giving orders in curators, artists, musicians, doctors, engineers, preachers, French, or a young immigrant to turn-of-the-century activists, journalists, and many others. The Merriamª America. For example, the sound \sh\ is spelled as sh in Webster pronunciation editors have been collecting these native English shore, as ch in the French loan champagne, citations from live speech and from radio, television, and as sk in one pronunciation of the Norwegian loan ski, as si shortwave broadcasts since the 1930s. It is primarily on the in the Renaissance Latin loan emulsion, and as sch in the basis of this large and growing file that questions of usage recent Yiddish loan schlep. English vowels present differ- and acceptability in pronunciation are answered. All of ent complexities of sound and spelling, due in large part to the pronunciations recorded in this book can be docu- the fact that William Caxton introduced printing to En- mented as falling within the range of generally acceptable gland in A.D. 1476, many decades before the sound change variation, unless they are accompanied by a restricting us- known as the Great Vowel Shift had run its course. With age note or symbol or a regional label. the rise of printing came an increasingly fixed set of spell- ing conventions, but the conventionalized spellings soon No system of indicating pronunciation is selfª lost their connection to pronunciation as the vowel shift explanatory. The following discussion sets out the signifi- continued. The stressed vowels of sane and sanity are cation and use of the pronunciation symbols in this book, therefore identical in spelling though now quite different with special attention to those areas where experience has in quality. For the trained observer the vagaries of English shown that dictionary users may have questions. More de- orthography contain a wealth of linguistic history; for tailed information can be found in the Guide to Pronunci- most others, however, this disparity between sound and ation in Websters Third New International Dictionary. The order of symbols discussed below is the same as the spelling is just a continual nuisance at school or work. order on the page of Pronunciation Symbols, with the ex- Readers often turn to the dictionary wanting to learn ception that the symbols which are not letter characters the exact pronunciation of a word, only to discover that are here listed first. Those characters which have corre- the word may have several pronunciations, as is the case sponding symbols in the International Phonetic Alphabet for deity, economic, envelope, and greasy, among many oth- (IPA) are shown with their IPA equivalents. ers. The inclusion of variant pronunciations disappoints those who want their dictionary to list one »correct¼ pro- nunciation. In truth, though, there can be no objective All pronunciation information is printed between standard for correct pronunciation other than the usage of \\reversed virgules. Pronunciation symbols are thoughtful and, in particular, educated speakers of En- printed in roman type and all other information, such as glish. Among such speakers one hears much variation in labels and notes, is printed in italics. pronunciation. Dictionaries of English before the modern era usually A high-set stress mark precedes a syllable with ignored pronunciation variants, instead indicating a single \\ primary (strongest) stress; a low-set mark pre- pronunciation by marking the entry word with diacritics cedes a syllable with secondary (medium) stress; a third to indicate stress and letter values. These systems were level of weak stress requires no mark at all: \pen-mən- cumbersome, however, and reflected the dialectal biases ship\. of the editors more than the facts about how a word was Since the nineteenth century the International Phonet- actually spoken. Lexicographers came eventually to recog- ics Association has recommended that stress marks pre- nize the need for separate respellings which could record cede the stressed syllable, and linguists worldwide have the entire range of accepted variants along with appropri- adopted this practice on the basic principle that before a ate notes about dialectal distribution or usage. syllable can be uttered the speaker must know what de- This dictionary records many types of variation in pro- gree of stress to give it. nunciation. Distinctions between British and American speech are frequently noted, as are differences among the Hyphens are used to separate syllables in pro- three major dialect areas of the U.S.Northern, South- \-\nunciation transcriptions. In actual speech, of ern, and Midland. Words that have distinctive pronuncia- course, there is no pause between the syllables of a word. The placement of hyphens is based on phonetic principles, in stressed syllables as in humdrum, abut. such as vowel length, nasalization, variation due to the po- \ə, ə\ (IPA [$]). sition of a consonant in a syllable, and other nuances of Some speakers pronounce \ə\ and \\ identically before the spoken word. The syllable breaks shown in this book \l\, with the result that word pairs like gull and goal are ho- reflect the careful pronunciation of a single word out of mophones. The sound produced in such cases is usually context. Syllabication tends to change in rapid or running the same sound that other speakers use for \\. speech: a consonant at the end of a syllable may shift into a following syllable, and unstressed vowels may be elided. immediately preceding \l\, \n\, \m\, \ŋ\, as in bat- The numerous variations in pronunciation that a word \ « \ tle,cotton, and one pronunciation of open \- may have in running speech are of interest to phoneticians p«m\ and of and \«ŋ\ as in one pronunciation of the phrase but are well outside the scope of a dictionary of general lock and key \läk-«ŋ-k\. The symbol \«\ preceding these English. consonants does not itself represent a sound. It signifies in- The centered dots in boldface entry words indicate po- stead that the following consonant is syllabic; that is, the tential end-of-line division points and not syllabication. consonant itself forms the nucleus of a syllable that does These division points are determined by considerations of not contain a vowel. both morphology and pronunciation, among others. Fur- In the pronunciation of some French or French-derived ther discussion of end-of-line division is contained in the words \«\ is placed immediately after \l\, \m\, \r\ to indi- section of that name within the Explanatory Notes. In this cate one nonsyllabic pronunciation of these consonants, as book a consistent approach has been pursued, both to- in the French words table »table,¼ prisme »prism,¼ and ti- tre »title,¼ each of which in isolation and in some contexts ward word division based on traditional formulas and to- is a one-syllable word. ward syllabication based on phonetic principles. As a re- sult, the hyphens indicating syllable breaks and the centered dots indicating end-of-line division often do not as in further, merger, bird (IPA [*, V]). (See the fall in the same places. \ər\ section on \r\.) Actually, this is usually a single sound, not a sequence of \ə\ followed by \r\. Speakers of r-dropping dialects will pronounce \ər\ without r-color Parentheses are used in pronunciations to indi- (IPA [5I,əI] when stressed, [ə] when unstressed) when it \()\ cate that whatever is symbolized between them precedes a consonant or pause, but will insert a following is present in some utterances but not in others; thus facto- \r\ when \ər\ precedes another vowel. ry \fak-t(ə-)r\ is pronounced both \fak-tə-r\ and \fak- tr\, industry \in-()dəs-tr\ is pronounced both \in-dəs- tr\ and \in-dəs-tr\. In some phonetic environments, as as in two different pronunciations \ər-, ə-r\ of hurry. Most U.S. speakers pro- in fence \fen(t)s\ and boil \bi(-ə)l\, it may be difficult to nounce \hər-\ with the \ər\ representing the same sounds determine whether the sound shown in parentheses is or is as in bird \bərd\. Usually in metropolitan New York and not present in a given utterance; even the usage of a single southern England and frequently in New England and the speaker may vary considerably. southeastern U.S. the vowel is much the same as the vowel of hum followed by a syllable-initial variety of \r\. This Variant pronunciations are separated by com- pronunciation of hurry is represented as \hə-r\ in this \,;\mas; groups of variants are separated by semi- book. Both types of pronunciation are shown for words colons. The order of variants does not mean that the first composed of a single meaningful unit (or morpheme)asin is in any way preferable to or more acceptable than the current, hurry, and worry. In words such as furry, stirring, others. All of the variants in this book, except those re- and purring in which a vowel or vowel-initial suffix is add- stricted by a regional or usage label, are widely used in ac- ed to a word ending in r or rr (as fur, stir, and purr), the sec- ceptable educated speech. If evidence reveals that a partic- ond type of pronunciation outlined above is heard only oc- ular variant is used more frequently than another, the casionally and is not shown in this dictionary. former will be given first. This should not, however, preju- dice anyone against the second or subsequent variants. In as in mat, map, mad, gag, snap, patch (IPA [æ]). many cases the numerical distribution of variants is equal, \a\Some variation in this vowel is occasioned by the but one of them, of course, must be printed first. consonant that follows it; thus, for some speakers map, mad, and gag have noticeably different vowel sounds. The obelus, or division sign, is placed before a There is a very small number of words otherwise identical \Ϭ\ pronunciation variant that occurs in educated in pronunciation that these speakers may distinguish sole- speech but that is considered by some to be questionable ly by variation of this vowel, as in the two words can (put or unacceptable. This symbol is used sparingly and prima- into cans; be able) in the sentence »Lets can what we can.¼ rily for variants that have been objected to over a period However, this distinction is sufficiently infrequent that the of time in print by commentators on usage, in schools by traditional practice of using a single symbol is followed in this book. teachers, or in correspondence that has come to the Many varieties of English do not allow \a\ to be fol- Merriam-Webster editorial department. In most cases the lowed by an \r\ which begins the following syllable. In objection is based on orthographic or etymological argu- such a case, the sequence of \a-r\ is replaced by \er\, and ments. For instance, the second variant of cupola \kyü- word pairs like arrow and aero are homophones. This is pə-lə, ÷-l\, though used frequently in speech, is objected not always indicated in transcription. The reader should to because a is very rarely pronounced \\ in English. The assume that any sequences of \a-r\ will be \er\ for such pronunciation \l-ber-\ is similarly marked at the entry speakers. for library because some people insist that both rs should When it precedes \ŋ\, \a\ is often followed by a \y\ be pronounced. sound. The resulting vowel sounds much like \\ for many speakers. in unstressed syllables as in banana, collide, abut \ə\ (IPA [ə]). This neutral vowel, called schwa,may as in day, fade, date, aorta, drape, cape (IPA [e, be represented orthographically by any of the letters a, e, i, \a• \ ei, ei]). In most English speech this is actually a o, u, y, and by many combinations of letters. In running diphthong. In lowland South Carolina, in coastal Georgia speech unstressed vowels are regularly pronounced as \ə\ and Florida, and occasionally elsewhere \\ is pronounced in American and British speech. as a monophthong. As a diphthong \\ has a first element Speakers of r-dropping dialects will often insert an \r\ \e\ or monophthongal \\ and a second element \i\. after \ə\ when \ə\ precedes another vowel. (See the section Before \l\, speakers may lose the second element \i\ and on \r\.) insert \ə\. Thus, a word like ale would be IPA [eəl]. Alter- nately, many speakers will keep the second element \i\ and \d\.) Many speakers pronounce \d\ like \j\ when it occurs add a following \ə\ which creates a new syllable. Thus, the before \r\ in the same syllable. word trail will be \tr-əl\, rhyming with betrayal. as in bet, bed, peck (IPA [)]). In Southern and as in bother, cot (IPA ["]). The symbol \ä\ repre- \e\Midland dialects this vowel before nasal conso- \ä\sents the vowel of cot, cod, and the stressed vow- nants often has a raised articulation that approximates \i\, el of collar in the speech of those who pronounce this vow- so that pen has nearly the pronunciation \pin\. el differently from the vowel in caught, cawed, and caller, Many varieties of English do not allow \e\ to be fol- represented by \\. In U.S. speech \ä\ is pronounced with lowed by an \r\ which begins the following syllable. In little or no rounding of the lips, and it is fairly long in du- such a case, the sequence of \e-r\ is replaced by \er\, and ration, especially before voiced consonants. In southern word pairs like very and vary are homophones. This is not England \ä\ is usually accompanied by some lip rounding always indicated in transcription. The reader should as- and is relatively short in duration. The vowel \\ generally sume that any sequences of \e-r\ will be \er\ for such has appreciable lip rounding. Many U.S. speakers do not speakers. distinguish between cotcaught, codcawed, and collarcaller, usually because they lack or have less lip as in bare,fair,wear,derriere, millionaire rounding in the words transcribed with \\. Though the \er\ (IPA [eV, )V]). The initial element of this diph- symbols \ä\ and \\ are used throughout this book to dis- thong may vary from \e\ to \\. Speakers of r-dropping di- tinguish the members of the above pairs and similar alects will pronounce \er\ without any r-color on the sec- words, the speakers who rhyme these pairs will automati- ond element (IPA [eə, )ə]) when it precedes a consonant or cally reproduce a sound that is consistent with their own pause, but will usually insert an \r\ after \er\ when it pre- speech. cedes a vowel. (See the section on \r\.) In transcription of foreign words, the symbol \ä\ is also used to represent IPA [a], a vowel which is generally pro- in stressed syllables as in beat, nose- nounced farther forward in the mouth than \ä\ but not as \e•,e• \ bleed, evenly, easy (IPA [i]). far forward as \a\. Some speakers may also have such a Many speakers will insert \ə\ after \\ when it precedes vowel in words like balm which contrasts with the vowel \l\. Additionally, some speakers pronounce \\ and \i\ in words like bomb. Such a contrast is rare, however, and identically before \l\, with the result that word pairs like it is not represented in this dictionary. heel and hill are homophones. The sound pronounced in Speakers of r-dropping dialects will usually insert an \r\ such cases may be either \\ or \i\ as pronounced by those after \ä\ when \ä\ precedes another vowel. (See the section who distinguish the two. on \r\.) in unstressed syllables, as in easy, mealy (IPA [i, as in car,heart, aardvark, bazaar,bizarre (IPA \e• \ i, 2]). Though the fact is not shown in this book, \är\ ["V,aV, #V]). The initial element of this diph- some dialects such as southern British and southern U.S. thong may vary from \ä\ to a vowel pronounced farther often, if not usually, pronounce \i\ instead of unstressed forward in the mouth than \ä\, or it may be a vowel with \\. some lip rounding resembling \\. Speakers of r-dropping dialects will pronounce \är\ as a long vowel (IPA ["I,aI]) when it precedes a consonant or pause, and may distin- \f\as in fifty, cuff (IPA [f]). guish \är\ in cart from \ä\ in cot by the length and quality of the vowel, not by the presence of \r\. However, speakers of r-dropping dialects will usually insert an \r\ after \är\ \g\as in go, big, gift (IPA [g]). when it precedes a vowel. (See the section on \r\.)
as in now, loud, out (IPA [aC, au]). The initial \h\as in hat, ahead (IPA [h]). \au \ element of this diphthong may vary from \a\ to \ä\, the first being more common in Southern and south as in whale as pronounced by those who do not Midland speech than elsewhere. In coastal areas of the \hw\ have the same pronunciation for both whale southern U.S. and in parts of Canada this diphthong is of- and wail. Some U.S. speakers distinguish these two words ten realized as \ə\ when immediately preceding a voice- as \hwl\ and \wl\ respectively, though frequently in the less consonant, as in the noun house and in out. U.S. and usually in southern England \wl\ is used for Many varieties of English do not allow \a\ to be fol- both. Some linguists consider \hw\ to be a single sound, a lowed by \l\ in the same syllable. Speakers of such varie- voiceless \w\ (IPA [{]). ties will insert a following \ə\ which creates a new syllable. This is indicated by the transcription \a(-ə)l\. For such as in tip, banish, active (IPA [i]). speakers, owl will rhyme with avowal. Also, many varieties \i\ Some speakers pronounce \\ and \i\ identical- of English do not allow \a\ to be followed by \r\ in the ly before \l\, with the result that word pairs like heel and same syllable. Speakers of such varieties will transform the hill are homophones. The sound pronounced in such cases following \r\ into \ər\, thus creating a new syllable. This is may be either \\ or \i\ as pronounced by those who distin- indicated by the transcription \a(-ə)r\. For such speakers, guish the two. scour will rhyme with plower. When it precedes \ŋ\, \i\ is often followed by a \y\ sound. The resulting sound often greatly resembles \\.
\b\as in baby, rib (IPA [b]). as in near,deer,mere,pier, souvenir (IPA [iV, \ir\iV]). The initial element of this diphthong may as in chin, nature \n-chər\ (IPA [A]). Actual- vary from \ to \i\. Speakers of r-dropping dialects will \ch\ ly, this sound is \t\ + \sh\. The distinction be- pronounce \ir\ without any r-color on the second element tween the phrases why choose and white shoes is main- (IPA [iə, iə]) when it precedes a consonant or pause, but tained by a difference in the syllabication of the \t\ and the will usually insert an \r\ after \ir\ when it precedes a vow- \sh\ in each case and the consequent use of different vari- el. (See the section on \r\.) eties (or allophones) of \t\. as in site, side, buy,tripe (IPA [ai, ai, "i, "i]). Ac- as in did,adder (IPA [d]). (See the section on \t\ \ •: \ tually, this sound is a diphthong, usually com- \d\ below for a discussion of the flap allophone of posed of \ä\ + \i\. In Southern speech, especially before a pause or voiced consonant, as in shy and five, the second wiŋ\. This reduced variant is not usually shown at individ- element \i\ may not be pronounced (IPA [aI]). Chiefly in ual entries. eastern Virginia, coastal South Carolina, and parts of Can- ada the diphthong is approximately \ə\ + \i\ before voice- as in saw, all, gnaw,caught (IPA [<]). (See the less consonants, as in nice and write (IPA [$i]). \o \ section on \ä\.) Many varieties of English do not allow \\ to be followed Speakers of r-dropping dialects will usually insert an \r\ by \l\ in the same syllable. Speakers of such varieties will after \\ when \\ precedes another vowel. (See the sec- insert a following \ə\ which creates a new syllable. This is tion on \r\.) indicated by the transcription \(-ə)l\. For such speakers, file will rhyme with denial. Also, many varieties of English as in French boeuf »beef,¼ German Hölle »hell¼ do not allow \\ to be followed by \r\ in the same syllable. \¤\ (IPA [¤]). This vowel, which occurs only in Speakers of such varieties will transform the following \r\ foreign-derived terms and names, can be approximated by into \ər\, thus creating a new syllable. This is indicated by attempting to pronounce the vowel \e\ with the lips mod- the transcription \(-ə)r\. For such speakers, fire will erately rounded as for the vowel \\. This vowel is often rhyme with higher. anglicized as the \ər\ of bird by those who do not »drop their rs¼ or as the corresponding vowel of bird used by as in job, gem, edge, join, judge. Actually, this those who do (see the section on \r\). \j\sound is \d\ + \zh\ (IPA [&]). Assuming the angli- This symbol is also used to represent the vowel in cization of Jeanne dArc as \zhän-därk\, the distinction be- French feu »fire,¼ German Höhle »hole¼ (IPA [ø]). This tween the sentences They betray John Dark and They be- vowel, which occurs primarily in foreign-derived terms trayed Jeanne dArc is maintained by a difference in the and names, can be approximated by attempting to pro- syllabication of the \d\ and the \zh\ in each case and the nounce a monophthongal vowel \\ with the lips fully consequent use of different varieties (or allophones)of\d\. rounded as for the vowel \ü\. This vowel also occurs in Scots and thus is used in the pronunciation of guidwillie, mainly restricted to Scotland. \k\ as in kin, cook,ache (IPA [k]). : as in coin, destroy (IPA [
as in German füllen »to fill,¼ hübsch »hand- \s\as in source,less (IPA [s]). \\ some¼ (IPA [E]). This vowel, which occurs only in foreign-derived terms and names, can be approximated as in shy, mission, machine, special (IPA [@]). by attempting to pronounce the vowel \i\ with the lips \sh\ Actually, this is a single sound, not two. When moderately rounded as for the vowel \\. the two sounds \s\ and \h\ occur in sequence, they are sep- This symbol is also used to represent the vowel in arated by a hyphen in this book, as in grasshopper \gras- French rue »street,¼ German fühlen »to feel¼ (IPA [y]). hä-pər\. This vowel, which occurs only in foreign-derived terms and names, can be approximated by attempting to pro- as in tie, attack, late,later, latter (IPA [t]). In nounce the vowel \\ with the lips fully rounded as for the \t\some contexts, as when a stressed or unstressed vowel \ü\. vowel precedes and an unstressed vowel or \«l\ follows, the sound represented by t or tt is pronounced in most Ameri- as in poor,tour,insure (IPA [uV, CV]). The ini- can speech as a voiced flap produced by the tongue tip \r\ tial element of this diphthong may vary from tapping the teethridge (IPA [=]). In similar contexts the \\ to \ü\. Speakers of r-dropping dialects will pronounce sound represented by d or dd has the same pronunciation. \r\ without any r-color on the second element (IPA [uə, Thus, the pairs ladder and latter, leader and liter, parody Cə]) when it precedes a consonant or pause, but will usual- and parity are often homophones. At the end of a syllable ly insert an \r\ after \r\ when it precedes a vowel. (See the \t\ often has an incomplete articulation with no release, or section on \r\.) Many speakers do not have the dipththong it is accompanied or replaced by a glottal closure. When \r\ and have merged it with either \ər\ (when it follows \t\ occurs before the syllabic consonant \«n\ as in button palatal consonants such as \sh\, \ch\, or \y\ in words like \bə-t«n\, the glottal allophone is often heard. This may re- sure, mature, or obscure) or \r\ (in other environments). flect a syllabication of \t\ with the preceding stressed sylla- Similarly, many speakers of r-dropping dialects have ble (i.e., \bət-«n\). merged \r\ with \ər\ and \\ in the same respective envi- Many speakers pronounce \t\ like \ch\ when it occurs ronments. before \r\ in the same syllable.
as in thin, ether (IPA [B]). Actually, this is a sin- \v\as in vivid, invite (IPA [v]). \th\ gle sound, not two. When the two sounds \t\ and \h\ occur in sequence they are separated by a hyphen in this book, as in knighthood \nt-hd\. In some dialects of American English, \th\ is regularly replaced by \f\. \w\as in we, away (IPA [w]).
as in then, either, this (IPA [ð]). Actually, this is as in yard, young, cue \kyü\, curable \kyr-ə- \\ a single sound, not two. The difference between \y\ bəl\, few \fyü\, fury \fyr-\, union \yün-yən\ \th\ and \\ is that the former is pronounced without and (IPA [j]). The sequences \lyü\, \syü\, and \zyü\ in the same the latter with vibration of the vocal cords. syllable, as in lewd, suit, and presume, are common in southern British speech but are rare in American speech and only \lü\, \sü\, and \zü\ are shown in this dictionary. ˜ as in rule, youth, union \yün-yən\, few \fyü\ A sequence of \h\ and \y\ as in hue and huge is pro- \u\ (IPA [u]). As an unstressed vowel before another nounced by some speakers as a \\ articulated toward the vowel, \ü\ is often pronounced as a schwa with slight lip front of the mouth (IPA [ç]). rounding that is separated from the following vowel by the glide\w\,asinvaluing \val-yə-wiŋ\. This reduced variant is not usually shown at individual entries. Younger speak- y indicates that during the articulation of the pre- ers of American English often use a more centralized and \ \ ceding consonant the tongue has substantially less rounded pronunciation of \ü\ in certain words (as the position it has for the articulation of the \y\ of yard, as news and musician), both in stressed and especially in un- in French digne \dn\ »worthy.¼ Thus \\ does not itself stressed syllables. represent a sound but rather modifies the preceding sym- Some speakers pronounce \ü\ and \\ identically before bol. \l\, with the result that word pairs like pool and pull are homophones. The sound pronounced in such cases may be either \ü\ or \\ as pronounced by those who distinguish \z\ as in zone, raise (IPA [z]). the two. as in vision, azure \a-zhər\ (IPA [F]). Actually, as in pull, wood, book (IPA [C]). Some speakers \zh\ this is a single sound, not two. When the two \u \ pronounce \ü\ and \\ identically before \l\, sounds \z\ and \h\ occur in sequence, they are separated with the result that word pairs like pool and pull are homo- by a hyphen in this book, as in hogshead \hgz-hed, phones. The sound pronounced in such cases may be ei- hägz-\. PronunciationSymbols FormoreinformationseetheGuidetoPronunciation.
ə....banana,collide,abut ....bone,know,beau ə,ə....humdrum,abut ....saw,all,gnaw,caught «....immediatelypreceding\l\,\n\,\m\,\ŋ\,as ¤....Frenchboeuf,feu,GermanHölle,Höhle inbattle,mitten,eaten,andsometimesopen coin,destroy \-p«m\,lockandkey\-«ŋ-\;immediately i.... following\l\,\m\,\r\,asofteninFrenchta- r....boar,port,door,shore ble,prisme,titre p....pepper,lip ər....further,merger,bird r....red,rarity ər- ....asintwodifferentpronunciationsofhurry s....source,less ə-r \hər-,hə-r\ } sh....asinshy,mission,machine,special(actual- a....mat,map,mad,gag,snap,patch ly,thisisasinglesound,nottwo);withahy- phenbetween,twosoundsasingrasshopper ....day,fade,date,aorta,drape,cape \gras-hä-pər\ ä....bother,cot t....tie,attack,late,later,latter är....car,heart,bazaar,bizarre th....asinthin,ether(actually,thisisasingle now,loud,out sound,nottwo);withahyphenbetween, a.... twosoundsasinknighthood\nt-hd\ b....baby,rib ....then,either,this(actually,thisisasingle ch....chin,nature\n-chər\ sound,nottwo) d....did,adder ü....rule,youth,union\yün-yən\,few\fyü\ pull,wood,book e....bet,bed,peck .... ....Germanfüllen,hübsch,fühlen,Frenchrue er....bare,fair,wear,millionaire r....boor,tour,insure ,....beat,nosebleed,evenly,easy v....vivid,give ....easy,mealy w....we,away f....fifty,cuff y....yard,young,cue\kyü\,mute\myüt\, g....go,big,gift union\yün-yən\ h....hat,ahead ....indicatesthatduringthearticulationofthe soundrepresentedbytheprecedingcharac- hw....whaleaspronouncedbythosewhodonot ter,thefrontofthetonguehassubstantially havethesamepronunciationforbothwhale thepositionithasforthearticulationofthe andwail firstsoundofyard,asinFrenchdigne \dn\ i....tip,banish,active z....zone,raise ir....near,deer,mere,pier zh....asinvision,azure\a-zhər\(actually,thisis ....site,side,buy,tripe asinglesound,nottwo);withhyphenbe- tween,twosoundsasinhogshead\hgz- j....job,gem,edge,join,judge hed,hägz-\ k....kin,cook,ache \....reversedvirguleusedinpairstomarkthe ....Germanich,Buch;onepronunciationof beginningandendofatranscription:\pen\ loch ....markprecedingasyllablewithprimary (strongest)stress:\pen-mən-ship\ l....lily,pool ....markprecedingasyllablewithsecondary m....murmur,dim,nymph (medium)stress:\pen-mən-ship\ n....no,own -....markofsyllabledivision ....indicatesthataprecedingvowelordiph- ()....indicatethatwhatissymbolizedbetweenis thongispronouncedwiththenasalpassages presentinsomeutterancesbutnotinoth- open,asinFrenchunbonvinblanc\¤-b- ers:factory\fak-t(ə-)r\ va-blä\ ÷....indicatesthatmanyregardasunacceptable ŋ....sing\siŋ\,singer\siŋ-ər\,finger\fiŋ-gər\, thepronunciationvariantimmediatelyfol- ink\iŋk\ lowing:nuclear\nü-kl-ər,nyü-,÷-kyə-lər\