An(K)cient

[Glizdka]

This comes form a YouTube video.

At 3:53, the narrator pronounces ancient as if a /k/ was in it; at least that's what I hear. It's not the first time I've heard it from a native speaker.

Could you confirm he includes the /k/ sound in his pronunciation? If I'm right, and he does include a /k/, is that an alternative pronunciation or just a straight-up mistake?

 

[emsr2d2]

You're absolutely right. It's very bizarre and I've never heard anyone do that before. He clearly says "aink-shuhnt". For me, it's a mistake. I know of no "alternative pronunciation" of the word. It should be "ain-shuhnt".

Apologies, I don't do phonetic symbols.

 

[tzfujimino]

https://ja.forvo.com/user/KValthaliondil/

I don't know if the link above works for you, but the user (KValthaliondil) seems to pronounce the word similarly.

 

[Glizdka]

https://ja.forvo.com/user/KValthaliondil/

I don't know if the link above works for you, but the user (KValthaliondil) seems to pronounce the word similarly.

I does work for me, but it gives me flashbacks from learning kanji a few years ago. :-D

I can clearly hear a /k/ in it.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

It just sounds like a slight slip of the tongue. I wouldn't lose sleep over it.

 

[Tdol]

I don't hear the /k/. There's a slight pause between the syllables, which could give rise to the idea. But I don't hear a clear k sound.

 

[jadeJ]

I heard ˈæŋ.ʃənt which in interpreted spelling sounds like 'ANG-shunt'
I agree with one of the above commenters; it's not worth focusing on tiny irregularities like this. Sometimes people misread or mispronounce words.