The ''ə'' sound

[sondra]

Hello,

When we combine the words ''mother'' and ''daughter'' we must pronounce the ''r'' sound after mother and the ''and'' must be pronounced as ən and not as ''ənd''. I would be grateful for an explanation.

Thank you!

 

[bhaisahab]

Who told you that we must do these things?

 

[GoesStation]

Hello,

When we combine the words ''mother'' and ''daughter'' we must pronounce the ''r'' sound after mother and the ''and'' must be pronounced as ən and not as ''ənd''. I would be grateful for an explanation.

Most Americans and Canadians pronounce the r in mother anyway. In non-rhotic dialects (most BrE and some AmE dialects), trailing r is usually pronounced if the following word begins with a vowel sound as in mother_and. This is called a linking R. The article I linked to also explains the intrusive R which speakers of non-rhotic dialects often add between words ending and beginning with vowel sounds. Linking and intrusive Rs are added for the same reason we say an instead of a before a vowel sound: to avoid the awkward (for Anglophones) joining of two vowel sounds.

We don't pronounce the d in and if the next word begins with a d or, for most speakers, with any consonant sound.

 

[sondra]

I read about it, bhaisahab

​

 

[sondra]

Most Americans and Canadians pronounce the r in mother anyway. In non-rhotic dialects (most BrE and some AmE dialects), trailing r is usually pronounced if the following word begins with a vowel sound as in mother_and. This is called a linking R. The article I linked to also explains the intrusive R which speakers of non-rhotic dialects often add between words ending and beginning with vowel sounds. Linking and intrusive Rs are added for the same reason we say an instead of a before a vowel sound: to avoid the awkward (for Anglophones) joining of two vowel sounds.

We don't pronounce the d in and if the next word begins with a d or, for most speakers, with any consonant sound.

For example, when the word begins with an S, Mother and sister or with G, Mother and Gloria or with B, mother and Betty, native speakers would not pronounce the d, right?


Thank you very much. Are there any other similar exceptions? Your explanation is very helpful.

 

[Tdol]

It is possible in non-rhotic variants to pronounce the words separately and distinctly, though in connected speech we would rarely do this. There is no law saying we must use the linking R, however.

 

[sondra]

It is possible in non-rhotic variants to pronounce the word separately and distinctly, though in connected speech we would rarely do this.There is no law saying we must use the linking R, however.

So in everyday speech native speakers would still say mʌðə ənd. I am glad that there is no law saying that it is impossible
But we cannot say that about the d in ''and'' when the next word begins with any consonant sound including d, the d is not pronounced. Or? Isn't it a strict grammar rule?

 

[Tdol]

So in everyday speech native speakers would still say mʌðə ənd.

I didn't say that- most speech is connected speech, so this is a less likely form than one linked by /r/. I said that it was possible- old school RP speakers, for instance, might not use /r/.

 

[sondra]

I also wanted to ask about the word ''Deity'' in which The 'ə' is not pronounced /ˈdeɪəti/ I was wondering why it is not pronounced.

 

[bhaisahab]

It is pronounced.

 

[sondra]

It is pronounced.

I don't hear it, I am afraid.http://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/deity?q=deity

 

[tzfujimino]

It is pronounced, I think.

 

[GoesStation]

I also wanted to ask about the word ''Deity'' in which The 'ə' is not pronounced /ˈdeɪəti/ I was wondering why it is not pronounced.

As other posters said, the schwa in deity is pronounced.

On the subject of intrusive r​s: this is a case where the intrusive r would never appear, I think because of the position of the vowels. The article I linked to probably explains this stuff, but I think only back vowels lend themselves to intrusive rs. Hence you may hear "draw-r-ing", but not"bay-r-ing."

 

[Tdol]

I don't hear it, I am afraid.http://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/deity?q=deity

How many syllables do you hear?

 

[sondra]

How many syllables do you hear?

I hear ˈdeəti/ and no ''ɪ''.

 

[sondra]

As other posters said, the schwa in deity is pronounced.

On the subject of intrusive r​s: this is a case where the intrusive r would never appear, I think because of the position of the vowels. The article I linked to probably explains this stuff, but I think only back vowels lend themselves to intrusive rs. Hence you may hear "draw-r-ing", but not"bay-r-ing."

Thank you very much!

 

[GoesStation]

I hear ˈdeəti/ and no ''ɪ''.

In ˈdeɪəti, the eɪ is a one-syllable diphthong. The word has three syllables.

 

[emsr2d2]

Click HERE to hear seven different pronunciations, all from native English speakers.

 

[sondra]

Click HERE to hear seven different pronunciations, all from native English speakers.

Now I ccan hear all the three syllables. Great webiste! Thank you

 

[emsr2d2]

Now I [STRIKE]ccan[/STRIKE] can hear all [STRIKE]the[/STRIKE] three syllables. [STRIKE][/STRIKE] Great [STRIKE]webiste[/STRIKE] website! Thank you. [STRIKE][/STRIKE]

Note my corrections above. Please don't try to make your own emoticons. If you really must use one, click on and choose the appropriate one.

Forvo.com is a fantastic website. Occasionally there are some very odd pronunciations, mainly from non-native speakers but occasionally from native speakers, but I urge all learners to use it.