Pronunciation of words starting with "inc", "unk" or "eng"

[hela]

Pronunciation of words starting with "inc", "unk" or "eng"

Dear teachers,

I'd like to know if the prefixes "in", "en", "un" --preceding the letters "c", "k", "q" and "g"-- can always be pronounced with a velar nasal /ŋ/ instead of the alveolar nasal /n/, or does it depend on the type of prefix?

Examples:

a) inconceivable, inconvenient, incorporate, incur, incline, increase; encode; encumber; uncage, uncoated.

b) enkindle; unkindle, unkind, unkept.

c) inquest, inquire; enquire; unquilified.

d) ingoing, ingulf; engulf, engage, englobe; ungainly, unglue.

Thank you in advance for your help.

 

[Roman55]

Re: Pronunciation of words starting with "inc", "unk" or "eng"

I pronounce them all as alveolar nasal /n/.

As to whether they can be velar nasal /ŋ/, the answer is obviously, yes they can. But would it be correct?

I think the most likely prefix to be pronounced as velar nasal /ŋ/ is 'in', and the least likely/natural would be 'un'.