the sound t ̬.

[light87]

Hi at all teachers.
Please the sound t ̬.(IPA) in better is pronounced as d in American English ,but sometime in word attitude it is pronounced t in American English.
I want to know why there are two pronunciation of the sound t ̬..
Thank you

 

[Barb_D]

Why? Because people do it.

Here's my non-linguistics take:

Vowels are voiced. The difference between t and d is the voicing. If you don't stop voicing after the vowel and let it slide right into the next vowel, you change your t to a d along the way. If you have to "unvoice" for the next consonant, then your t remains a t.

The "oo" sound can actually like y+ew, so the second t sounds like a t before that y.

Add-ih-tyewd.

 

[light87]

Hi thank you.
But why in attitude t is pronounced as t but after t there is vowel (i).
Thank you

 

[Barb_D]

I don't say it as T. As I wrote above, I say it as "add-"