A (letter): Difference between revisions
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'''A, a''' is a letter of the [[Latin alphabet]]. It is the first letter of most variants,<ref>However, there are variants of the Latin alphabet which don't begin with A | '''A, a''' is a letter of the [[Latin alphabet]]. It is the first letter of most variants,<ref>However, there are variants of the Latin alphabet which don't begin with A, for example [http://www.omniglot.com/writing/somali.htm Somali], [http://www.omniglot.com/writing/arapaho.htm Arapaho] and [http://www.omniglot.com/writing/chamorro.htm Chamorro].</ref> being placed before [[B (letter)|B]], as is the case for instance in the [[English alphabet]]. Its English name is pronounced [ˈeɪ], like the [[strong form]] of the indefinite article ''a''. ''Eh?'' has the same sound. | ||
==Use in English== | ==Use in English== | ||
{{:English_spellings/Catalogs/Masterlist}} | {{:English_spellings/Catalogs/Masterlist}} | ||
'''a''' shows various vowel sounds. | '''a''' shows various vowel sounds. The short sound: '''cát, sát, mát, háve, bád, cráss, glád, Hárry, jázz, wháck, báck, pál, drág, cán, márry, mántle, lámb, quáck, záp, át, bárrier'''. It can actually be quite long, especially before a voiced consonant: '''drág, brág, sád, mád, jám, hám, bád''' ''evil'' = '''báde''' ''asked'', '''válve, dámn, háve, glád, crám, jázz'''. | ||
'''á''' is halfway between '''à''' and '''[[E (letter)|é]]''', and is absent from many languages, notably from the Latin ones, so it causes problems for many learners. | |||
{{:English spellings/Accents}} | |||
The | There are two basic long sounds. The first is a diphthong consisting of '''é''' plus '''ê''', or '''éì''': '''gâve, trâin, sây, bâke, mây, slâve, plâte, nâvy, wâil, quâver, wâiter, crâter, plâce''' ''where'' = '''plâice''' ''fish'', '''quâint, hurrây, McCreâ, quâke, nâvel''' ''body'' = '''nâval''' ''sea'', '''sâke, grâze, Spâin, creâte''' (crê-), '''breâk''' ''cut'' = '''brâke''' ''stop'', '''greât''' ''big'' = '''grâte''', ''ash, cheese'', '''shâme''', '''Seâmus''' (*Shâmus), '''relâte, sâve, sâil, Câin, McCâin, plây, hây''' ''farm'' (= '''hèy''' ''shout''). Before two consonants: '''wâste, wâstage, pâste, bâste, âche''' (*âyk), '''âching''' (*âking). | ||
''' | |||
==='''á'''/'''à'''=== | |||
The other long sound, '''à''', is heard in both British and American English before '''r''': '''pàrt, fàrm, yàrd, vàrnish, tàrt, gàrden, màrk''' (though not before double '''r''': '''árrow, nárrow'''). The '''r''' is silent in BrE (*pàat, *gàaden). And '''à''' is also found in both AmE and BrE before silent '''l''' followed by '''m''' in '''càlm, bàlm''' and '''quàlm''' (*kàam, *bàam, *kwàam). (But only in BrE is '''à''' heard before silent '''l''' followed by '''v''' or '''f''' in '''hàlve, hàlf, càlf''': AmE *háav, *háaf, *cáaf). Further, '''à''' is also heard in both AmE and BrE in '''Chicàgo, Coloràdo''' and AmE '''pajàmas''' BrE '''pyjàmas''', and, anomalously, in '''fàther''' - but not in '''ràther''' or '''làther''', both '''á''' in AmE - and of course '''à''' is heard in words which retain their foreign pronunciation (especially names) like '''adàgio, ària, Accrà, Zimbàbwè, Guatemàla''' and '''Màhler'''. | |||
But in the great majority of words standard British English '''à''' is '''á''' in American English and some varieties of British and Commonwealth English (and long in American): | But in the great majority of words standard British English '''à''' is '''á''' in American English and some varieties of British and Commonwealth English (and long in American): | ||
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So in BrE '''Páris, Frànce'''; in AmE '''Páris, Fránce'''. | So in BrE '''Páris, Frànce'''; in AmE '''Páris, Fránce'''. | ||
In fact, '''à''' is showing an increasing tendency to give way to '''á''' in British English: it has long had the '''á''' sound in Scotland and the north of England. '''à''' versus '''á''' can be merely a matter of idiolect, that is, one of personal habit, especially with geographical names. But conversely, in some place names where BrE has '''á''', '''à''' is preferred to '''á''' by many Americans: one hears '''Milàn''', '''Vietnàm''', '''Ugànda''', '''Nicaràgua''', '''Slovàkia''' and '''Ànkara'''. Similarly with personal names, there are contrasts the reverse of what one would expect, as with '''Natásha''' in BrE, '''Natàsha''' in American. | In fact, '''à''' is showing an increasing tendency to give way to '''á''' in British English: it has long had the '''á''' sound in Scotland and the north of England in most such words (though '''māster''' is pronounced differently in different parts of the north). '''à''' versus '''á''' can be merely a matter of idiolect, that is, one of personal habit, especially with geographical names. But conversely, in some place names where BrE has '''á''', '''à''' is preferred to '''á''' by many Americans: one hears '''Milàn''', '''Vietnàm''', '''Ugànda''', '''Nicaràgua''', '''Slovàkia''' and '''Ànkara'''. Similarly with personal names, there are contrasts the reverse of what one would expect, as with '''Natásha''' in BrE, '''Natàsha''' in American. | ||
BrE '''banàl''' does not rhyme with '''canál''', and neither does AmE '''bânal'''. | BrE '''banàl''' does not rhyme with '''canál''', and neither does AmE '''bânal'''. | ||
''' | ==='''ã'''=== | ||
'''ã''' is a gliding sound before '''r'''. The '''r''' follows immediately or there is an '''i''' first (-'''ãir'''): '''stãir''' ''step'' = '''stãre''' ''look'', '''Blãir''' ''name'' = '''blãre''' ''out''. The sound begins with the sound of '''é''' in '''thén''' and then glides into a [[schwa]]—exactly as in '''thére''' (*thãir, *thãre). | |||
''' | Further examples: '''scãrce''', '''scãrcely''', '''scãrcity'''; '''bãre''' ''naked'' = '''béãr''' ''tolerate, animal'', '''pãrent, prepãre, rãre, vãrious, fãir''' ''satisfactory'' = '''fãre''' ''bus'', '''cãring''', '''péãr''' ''fruit'' = '''pãir''' ''two'' = '''pãre''' ''cut'', '''flãir''' ''able'' = '''flãre''' ''fire'', '''lãir''' (some old-fashioned BrE speakers pronounce the normally two-syllabled '''lâyer''' like '''lãir'''; conversely, '''mãyor''', usually pronounced to rhyme with all these words, is sometimes pronounced with two syllables). | ||
The following [[minimal pair|minimal pairs]] differ only in the presence ('''ã''') or absence ('''é''') of the schwa glide: '''vãry''' ''differ'' and '''véry''' ''much'', '''Mãry''' ''name'' and '''mérry''' ''cheerful'', '''fãiry''' ''magic'' and '''férry''' ''water''. | |||
'''ã''' shortens to become exactly like '''é''' in the suffix -'''ãrily''' as in '''necessãrily''' and '''militãrily''', which thus rhyme with '''mérrily''' and '''vérily'''. | |||
''' | '''àù''' sounds like '''òw''' and '''òu''' and is found in '''àùtobàhn, sàùerkràùt, Sàùdi Arâbia''' and '''Guínea Bíssàù'''. But far-eastern monosyllables have '''ào''' for this sound: '''Mào''', '''Làos''' ''country'' = '''lòuse''' ''insect''. The writer '''L. Fránk Bàum''' (= '''bàlm''' *bàhm) is an exception. | ||
'''à''' also combines with '''ì''' to make '''aî''' in the names of some foreign places: '''Thaîland''' Tî-, '''Dubaî, Chénnaî, Mùmbaî, Shanghaî, Caîro''', and also the Welsh boy's name '''Daî'''. | |||
As we have seen with '''Màhler''', '''àh''' usually retains the sound it has in German, and in the exclamation '''àh!''' ('''Bràhms, Kàhn, àutobàhn'''); but '''dâhlia''', though it derives from the German name '''Dàhl''', is an exception and has the '''dây''' sound. | |||
Double '''a''' is rare: '''Afrikàans''' (cf. '''Afrikàner''', '''Áfrican'''), '''àardvark, bàa, bazàar, salàam, Pràa Sánds, Ãaron''' (often, nowadays = '''Árran'''), and as schwa in '''Cânaan'''. | |||
''' | Final '''a''' is usually [[schwa]], and, being a Latin ending for feminine nouns, is used in many girl's and geographical names: '''Joánna, Jûlia, Ángela, Bàrbara, Línda'''; '''Cánada, África, América, Austrâlia, Venezuèla''', and in many other words, such as '''mánna, dilémma, nôva, rhêa''' ''bird'' = '''Rhêa''' ''moon'' (-êə, two syllables, cf. '''sêa''', one syllable). It is optionally schwa, however, in '''cínemà'''/'''cínema''', and it is always unstressed '''à''' in '''Pánamà''' and stressed in '''Accrà'''. | ||
''' | '''a''' or '''ai''' are pronounced '''é''' in some common words: '''any, many, again, against''', though the latter two are for some speakers '''agâin''' and '''agâinst'''. | ||
The pronunciation of '''vāse''' is very variable. The commonest pronunciations are *vâs in the US, *vàz in the UK and *vâz in Canada, but subject to variation, and an old pronunciation *våz is still sometimes heard. | |||
'''å''' is found in '''ål'''('''l'''), '''åw''' and '''åu''': '''tåll, småll, såw, bråwn, dåughter, hålt, scåld, båll, åwful, nåughty, Shåun''' = '''Seån, ålter, sålt, dåwn, jåunty, dråw, fålter, målt, Nepål, låw, Måud, clåw, håul, sålt, fåult, côbålt, mínotåur, céntåur, dînosåur''' and '''cåuse''' (but not '''because''' *bikóz). It also occurs in '''Mågdalen'''('''e''') ''College'' (= '''måudlin''' ''sad'') and '''Àrkansås''' (Àrkənsåw). Sometimes '''Stráchan''' is pronounced *Stråwn (usually *Strákhən) and '''McNåughton''' spelt '''McNåghten''' or similar. (Of course, this sound is also spelt '''ŏ''': '''ŏr''', '''fŏur'''.) | |||
Many foreign learners confuse '''å''' (a long vowel) with the diphthong '''ô''' and so pronounce '''låw''' ''legal'' as if it were '''lôw''' ''down'', whereas in fact '''låw''' rhymes with '''påw''', '''jåw''', '''clåw'''. | |||
==='''a''' after '''w''' and '''qu'''=== | |||
After a '''w''' sound too, '''å''' is common: '''wår''', '''wårble''', '''wård''', '''Wårk''', '''wårm''', '''wårn''', '''wårp''', '''wårt''', '''wåter''', '''Edwårdian''' (also '''à'''), '''quårk''' (but more often '''quàrk'''), '''quårt''', '''quårter''', '''quårto'''. | |||
''' | The initial combinations '''ẁa'''- and '''qùa'''- are also pronounced quó- and wó-: '''ẁas''', '''ẁant''', '''ẁander''', '''ẁarren''', '''ẁasp''', '''Ẁarwick''', '''ẁaddle''', '''ẁaft''', '''Ẁally''', '''ẁash''', '''Ẁat''', '''qùarry''', '''qùantum''', '''qùantity''', '''qùarrel''', '''qùad''', '''qùash''', '''qùandary'''. Similarly: '''ẁhat''' and '''ẁrath''' (= '''Róth'''). But: '''wág''', '''wháck''', '''quáck''', and '''quàlm''' (-àm), and '''au''' is '''ó''' in '''because''' (*bicóz, cf. '''cåuse''' *cåwz). | ||
===Irregular '''a'''’s=== | ===Irregular '''a'''’s=== | ||
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|'''gauche | |'''gauche | ||
|*gôsh | |*gôsh | ||
|- | |||
|'''karaôke''' | |||
|*cárry-ôky | |||
|- | |- | ||
|'''laureate | |'''laureate | ||
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|'''pláteau | |'''pláteau | ||
|*plátô | |*plátô | ||
|- | |||
|'''quaỳ''' ''dock | |||
|'''kêỳ''' ''open | |||
|- | |- | ||
|'''said | |'''said | ||
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Compare -'''ible''', '''i''' also normally pronounced schwa: '''respónsible''' ('responsable' is French), '''sénsible, póssible, édible, convërtible, suscéptible'''. | Compare -'''ible''', '''i''' also normally pronounced schwa: '''respónsible''' ('responsable' is French), '''sénsible, póssible, édible, convërtible, suscéptible'''. | ||
-('''ic''')'''al''', and -('''ic''')'''le''' are identically pronounced. -'''le''' is for nouns and -'''al''' for adjectives. | -('''ic''')'''al''', and -('''ic''')'''le''' are identically pronounced. -'''le''' is for nouns and -'''al''' for adjectives. Adjectives: '''mûsical, clássical, nåutical, quízzical, pênal, feûdal, rûral, nátural, manîacal''' (cf. '''mâniác'''). Nouns: '''pàrticle, fóllicle, îcicle, pébble, míddle, púddle, múddle''' (which is also a verb). | ||
Adjectives: '''mûsical, clássical, nåutical, quízzical, pênal, feûdal, rûral, nátural, | |||
Nouns: '''pàrticle, fóllicle, îcicle, pébble, míddle, púddle, múddle''' (which is also a verb). | |||
There are exceptions: | There are exceptions: '''pédal''' ''bicycle'' = '''péddle''' ''sell'', '''líttle''' (adjective or noun), '''befúddle''' (verb), '''óbstacle, bàrnacle''', which many speakers pronounce -ícle. | ||
'''pédal''' ''bicycle'' = '''péddle''' ''sell'', '''líttle''' (adjective or noun), '''befúddle''' (verb), '''óbstacle, bàrnacle''', which many speakers pronounce -ícle. | |||
-'''ant''' is a common suffix which has the schwa sound. In some words it is French for -'''ing''' and has this meaning, and it is rather less common than -'''ent''': '''relúctant, redúndant, pétulant, mŏrdant, triúmphant''' ('''î'''), '''péndant, érrant, mílitant, élephant, élegant, árrogant, ascéndant, depéndant''' ''noun'' (cf. '''depéndent''' ''adjective''), '''árrant, érrant''', and '''cúrrant''' ''eat'' = '''cúrrent''' ''now''. | -'''ant''' is a common suffix which has the schwa sound. In some words it is French for -'''ing''' and has this meaning, and it is rather less common than -'''ent''': '''relúctant, redúndant, pétulant, mŏrdant, triúmphant''' ('''î'''), '''péndant, érrant, mílitant, élephant, élegant, árrogant, ascéndant, depéndant''' ''noun'' (cf. '''depéndent''' ''adjective''), '''árrant, érrant''', and '''cúrrant''' ''eat'' = '''cúrrent''' ''now''. | ||
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The suffix is -'''ment''', not -'''mant'''; but of course -'''ant''' can be added to -'''m''': '''clâimant, dŏrmant'''. | The suffix is -'''ment''', not -'''mant'''; but of course -'''ant''' can be added to -'''m''': '''clâimant, dŏrmant'''. | ||
The suffix -'''age''' is pronounced -íj by most speakers in most words: '''ímage, víllage, píllage, spíllage, wattage, cóttage, lúggage''' | The suffix -'''age''' is pronounced -íj by most speakers in most words: '''ímage, víllage, píllage, spíllage, wattage, cóttage, lúggage'''; but for '''gáràge''', the BrE pronunciation *gáríj is (especially in southern England) largely deprecated in favour of *gáràj; the AmE is *gəràzh, while *míràzh for '''míràge''' is universal. | ||
Similarly with the '''a''' in '''térrace''' (*térris), '''ménace''' (*ménnis, cf. '''ténnis'''), and '''Hórace''' (*Hórris, cf. '''Nórris, Dóris, Bóris''') – though these can all be schwa. | |||
''' | The suffix -'''ate''' is pronounced -'''âte''' in verbs: '''éstimâte, séparâte, prédicâte, delíberâte, artículâte, célebrâte, dénigrâte, eláborâte, precípitâte, régulâte'''. (This ending is spelt differently in some monosyllables: '''wâit, bâit''' and '''gâit'''.) But schwa in nouns and adjectives: '''célibate, éstimate, séparate, prédicate, delíberate, artículate, eláborate, precípitate, laureate''' (ló-) - all, when not verbs, -ət. However, in some such words, the -'''âte''' pronunciation is common in the north of England, e.g. '''cándidâte'''. | ||
===Redundant, rare, etc.=== | |||
'''a''' is redundant in '''ëarly, ëarth, dëarth, rehëarse, hëard, lëarn, yëarn, pëarl''' (cf. redundant '''e''' in '''heàrt, heàrth, Keàrney''' = '''Càrney''') and in Latin '''aê''': '''nébulaê, nôvaê, fŏrmulaê, currículum vìtaê, Aêschylus''' (*êeskiləss). | |||
Pronounced '''âe''' this combination is rare: '''Gâelic''' ''Ireland'' (but '''Gáelic''' ''Scotland''), '''Ísrâel''' (cf. '''Mîchael''', where it is unstressed: *Mŷcle), '''mâelstrom, phâeton''' (*fâytən), '''Râe''' ''surname'' (= '''Rây''' ''Raymond'', '''rây''' light), | Unstressed in '''aesthétic''', BrE '''aê''' sounds like '''í''' in '''ít''', while in AmE the spelling can be '''esthétic''', and both '''e'''s are pronounced with the '''é''' sound. | ||
Pronounced '''âe''', this combination is rare: '''Gâelic''' ''Ireland'' (but '''Gáelic''' ''Scotland''), '''Ísrâel''' (cf. '''Mîchael''', where it is unstressed: *Mŷcle), '''mâelstrom, phâeton''' (*fâytən), '''Râe''' ''surname'' (= '''Rây''' ''Raymond'', '''rây''' light), '''Petrâeus'''. The British forename '''Grâeme''' is pronounced the same as its more common variant '''Grâham''' (*Grâyəm, though '''Grâham''' sometimes = '''grám''' in AmE). | |||
'''a''' is redundant in some Scottish names: '''Líndsay, Múrray''' ''surname'' = '''Mòray''' ''Firth'' | '''a''' is redundant in some Scottish names: '''Líndsay, Múrray''' ''surname'' = '''Mòray''' ''Firth'' | ||
cf. Welsh '''Ánglesey''', Manx '''Rámsey'''. | cf. Welsh '''Ánglesey''', Manx '''Rámsey'''. | ||
And it is redundant in BrE | And it is optionally redundant in BrE in the suffix -'''ary''': '''díctionary''' (*dícshnry), '''suppleméntary''', '''compliméntary''' ''praise'' = '''compleméntary''' ''together'' (-éntry), '''nécessary''' (*nésəsrêe), '''sécondary''' (-əndry); in AmE the strong form is always used, '''ã''', sounding like '''é''': '''sécretãry''' *sécretérry; BrE *sécretry. | ||
In names beginning with '''Mc'''- and '''Mac'''-, the '''a''', visible or not, is pronounced schwa, except in a few cases, like '''McEnroe''', where, though unwritten, it is the main stressed vowel. | In names beginning with '''Mc'''- and '''Mac'''-, the '''a''', visible or not, is pronounced schwa, except in a few cases, like '''McEnroe''' *Máckənro, '''McIlroy''' *Máckəlroy, where, though unwritten, it is the main stressed vowel, sounding as it does in '''Máck'''. | ||
==Scientific uses== | |||
A is the standard symbol for the ampere, the unit of electric current. | |||
==Notes== | ==Notes== | ||
{{reflist}} | {{reflist}}[[Category:Suggestion Bot Tag]] | ||
Latest revision as of 13:53, 5 July 2024
A, a is a letter of the Latin alphabet. It is the first letter of most variants,[1] being placed before B, as is the case for instance in the English alphabet. Its English name is pronounced [ˈeɪ], like the strong form of the indefinite article a. Eh? has the same sound.
Use in English
| A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Use in English | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Alphabetical word list | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Retroalphabetical list | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Common misspellings |
a shows various vowel sounds. The short sound: cát, sát, mát, háve, bád, cráss, glád, Hárry, jázz, wháck, báck, pál, drág, cán, márry, mántle, lámb, quáck, záp, át, bárrier. It can actually be quite long, especially before a voiced consonant: drág, brág, sád, mád, jám, hám, bád evil = báde asked, válve, dámn, háve, glád, crám, jázz. á is halfway between à and é, and is absent from many languages, notably from the Latin ones, so it causes problems for many learners.
- The accents show stress and pronunciation (see English spellings): A: sát, mâde, pàrk, cāst (cást/càst), åll, ãir; E: ére, êar, vèin, fërn; I: sít, mîne, skì, bïrd; O: sóng, môde, lòve, wörd, ŏr; OO: moôn, foòt; U: sún, mûse, fùll, pürr; W: neŵ, ẁant; Y: gým, mŷ, keỳ, mÿrrh.
There are two basic long sounds. The first is a diphthong consisting of é plus ê, or éì: gâve, trâin, sây, bâke, mây, slâve, plâte, nâvy, wâil, quâver, wâiter, crâter, plâce where = plâice fish, quâint, hurrây, McCreâ, quâke, nâvel body = nâval sea, sâke, grâze, Spâin, creâte (crê-), breâk cut = brâke stop, greât big = grâte, ash, cheese, shâme, Seâmus (*Shâmus), relâte, sâve, sâil, Câin, McCâin, plây, hây farm (= hèy shout). Before two consonants: wâste, wâstage, pâste, bâste, âche (*âyk), âching (*âking).
á/à
The other long sound, à, is heard in both British and American English before r: pàrt, fàrm, yàrd, vàrnish, tàrt, gàrden, màrk (though not before double r: árrow, nárrow). The r is silent in BrE (*pàat, *gàaden). And à is also found in both AmE and BrE before silent l followed by m in càlm, bàlm and quàlm (*kàam, *bàam, *kwàam). (But only in BrE is à heard before silent l followed by v or f in hàlve, hàlf, càlf: AmE *háav, *háaf, *cáaf). Further, à is also heard in both AmE and BrE in Chicàgo, Coloràdo and AmE pajàmas BrE pyjàmas, and, anomalously, in fàther - but not in ràther or làther, both á in AmE - and of course à is heard in words which retain their foreign pronunciation (especially names) like adàgio, ària, Accrà, Zimbàbwè, Guatemàla and Màhler.
But in the great majority of words standard British English à is á in American English and some varieties of British and Commonwealth English (and long in American): BrE hàlve, hàlf, càlf, ràther, làther, Iràn, càst, làst, pàst, gràss, càn’t, grànt, pàss, àfter, làugh, gràph, àunt, càstle, dànce, àsk, tàsk, blàst, nàsty, cràft. AmE: hálve, hálf, cálf, ráther, láther, Irán, cást, lást, pást, gráss, cán’t, gránt, páss, áfter, láugh, gráph, áunt, cástle, dánce, ásk, tásk, blást, násty, cráft. So in BrE Páris, Frànce; in AmE Páris, Fránce.
In fact, à is showing an increasing tendency to give way to á in British English: it has long had the á sound in Scotland and the north of England in most such words (though māster is pronounced differently in different parts of the north). à versus á can be merely a matter of idiolect, that is, one of personal habit, especially with geographical names. But conversely, in some place names where BrE has á, à is preferred to á by many Americans: one hears Milàn, Vietnàm, Ugànda, Nicaràgua, Slovàkia and Ànkara. Similarly with personal names, there are contrasts the reverse of what one would expect, as with Natásha in BrE, Natàsha in American.
BrE banàl does not rhyme with canál, and neither does AmE bânal.
ã
ã is a gliding sound before r. The r follows immediately or there is an i first (-ãir): stãir step = stãre look, Blãir name = blãre out. The sound begins with the sound of é in thén and then glides into a schwa—exactly as in thére (*thãir, *thãre).
Further examples: scãrce, scãrcely, scãrcity; bãre naked = béãr tolerate, animal, pãrent, prepãre, rãre, vãrious, fãir satisfactory = fãre bus, cãring, péãr fruit = pãir two = pãre cut, flãir able = flãre fire, lãir (some old-fashioned BrE speakers pronounce the normally two-syllabled lâyer like lãir; conversely, mãyor, usually pronounced to rhyme with all these words, is sometimes pronounced with two syllables).
The following minimal pairs differ only in the presence (ã) or absence (é) of the schwa glide: vãry differ and véry much, Mãry name and mérry cheerful, fãiry magic and férry water.
ã shortens to become exactly like é in the suffix -ãrily as in necessãrily and militãrily, which thus rhyme with mérrily and vérily.
àù sounds like òw and òu and is found in àùtobàhn, sàùerkràùt, Sàùdi Arâbia and Guínea Bíssàù. But far-eastern monosyllables have ào for this sound: Mào, Làos country = lòuse insect. The writer L. Fránk Bàum (= bàlm *bàhm) is an exception.
à also combines with ì to make aî in the names of some foreign places: Thaîland Tî-, Dubaî, Chénnaî, Mùmbaî, Shanghaî, Caîro, and also the Welsh boy's name Daî.
As we have seen with Màhler, àh usually retains the sound it has in German, and in the exclamation àh! (Bràhms, Kàhn, àutobàhn); but dâhlia, though it derives from the German name Dàhl, is an exception and has the dây sound.
Double a is rare: Afrikàans (cf. Afrikàner, Áfrican), àardvark, bàa, bazàar, salàam, Pràa Sánds, Ãaron (often, nowadays = Árran), and as schwa in Cânaan.
Final a is usually schwa, and, being a Latin ending for feminine nouns, is used in many girl's and geographical names: Joánna, Jûlia, Ángela, Bàrbara, Línda; Cánada, África, América, Austrâlia, Venezuèla, and in many other words, such as mánna, dilémma, nôva, rhêa bird = Rhêa moon (-êə, two syllables, cf. sêa, one syllable). It is optionally schwa, however, in cínemà/cínema, and it is always unstressed à in Pánamà and stressed in Accrà.
a or ai are pronounced é in some common words: any, many, again, against, though the latter two are for some speakers agâin and agâinst.
The pronunciation of vāse is very variable. The commonest pronunciations are *vâs in the US, *vàz in the UK and *vâz in Canada, but subject to variation, and an old pronunciation *våz is still sometimes heard.
å is found in ål(l), åw and åu: tåll, småll, såw, bråwn, dåughter, hålt, scåld, båll, åwful, nåughty, Shåun = Seån, ålter, sålt, dåwn, jåunty, dråw, fålter, målt, Nepål, låw, Måud, clåw, håul, sålt, fåult, côbålt, mínotåur, céntåur, dînosåur and cåuse (but not because *bikóz). It also occurs in Mågdalen(e) College (= måudlin sad) and Àrkansås (Àrkənsåw). Sometimes Stráchan is pronounced *Stråwn (usually *Strákhən) and McNåughton spelt McNåghten or similar. (Of course, this sound is also spelt ŏ: ŏr, fŏur.)
Many foreign learners confuse å (a long vowel) with the diphthong ô and so pronounce låw legal as if it were lôw down, whereas in fact låw rhymes with påw, jåw, clåw.
a after w and qu
After a w sound too, å is common: wår, wårble, wård, Wårk, wårm, wårn, wårp, wårt, wåter, Edwårdian (also à), quårk (but more often quàrk), quårt, quårter, quårto.
The initial combinations ẁa- and qùa- are also pronounced quó- and wó-: ẁas, ẁant, ẁander, ẁarren, ẁasp, Ẁarwick, ẁaddle, ẁaft, Ẁally, ẁash, Ẁat, qùarry, qùantum, qùantity, qùarrel, qùad, qùash, qùandary. Similarly: ẁhat and ẁrath (= Róth). But: wág, wháck, quáck, and quàlm (-àm), and au is ó in because (*bicóz, cf. cåuse *cåwz).
Irregular a’s
| spelling | pronunciation |
|---|---|
| again | *əgén |
| against | *əgénst |
| any | *énny |
| au pãir | *ô-pãir |
| Austrâlia | *Ostrâlia |
| Austria | *Óstria |
| bûreau | *byûrô |
| bureaucracy | *byurócrəcy |
| because | *bicóz |
| blancmange | *bləmónzh |
| faux-pàs | *fô-pà |
| gauche | *gôsh |
| karaôke | *cárry-ôky |
| laureate | *lóriət |
| laurel | *lórrəl |
| Laurie name | lórry vehicle |
| Lawrence or Laurence | *Lórrənce |
| many | *ménny |
| Maurice (BrE) given name | Mórris surname |
| mauve | *môav (move is pronounced *moôve) |
| pláteau | *plátô |
| quaỳ dock | kêỳ open |
| said | *séd |
| says | *séz |
| tábleau | *táblô |
| Thames | *Témz |
| Vauxhåll | *Vóxåll |
| yacht | *yót |
Suffixes
In -able, a is schwa: êatable (cf. édible), pálatable, breâkable, repêatable, thínkable, dispénsable, màrketable, remàrkable, nôtable, unrelîable, pálpable, vîable.
A final silent -e is retained before -able if it aids pronunciation: mánageable (*mánajable, not *mánaggable), sâleable (*sâlable, not *sállable).
Compare -ible, i also normally pronounced schwa: respónsible ('responsable' is French), sénsible, póssible, édible, convërtible, suscéptible.
-(ic)al, and -(ic)le are identically pronounced. -le is for nouns and -al for adjectives. Adjectives: mûsical, clássical, nåutical, quízzical, pênal, feûdal, rûral, nátural, manîacal (cf. mâniác). Nouns: pàrticle, fóllicle, îcicle, pébble, míddle, púddle, múddle (which is also a verb).
There are exceptions: pédal bicycle = péddle sell, líttle (adjective or noun), befúddle (verb), óbstacle, bàrnacle, which many speakers pronounce -ícle.
-ant is a common suffix which has the schwa sound. In some words it is French for -ing and has this meaning, and it is rather less common than -ent: relúctant, redúndant, pétulant, mŏrdant, triúmphant (î), péndant, érrant, mílitant, élephant, élegant, árrogant, ascéndant, depéndant noun (cf. depéndent adjective), árrant, érrant, and cúrrant eat = cúrrent now.
-ance/-ancy or -ence: as with -ant, and -ent: pétulance, redúndancy, élegance, mŏrdancy; éssence, depéndence, correspóndence, ínsolence, rédolence.
The suffix is -ment, not -mant; but of course -ant can be added to -m: clâimant, dŏrmant.
The suffix -age is pronounced -íj by most speakers in most words: ímage, víllage, píllage, spíllage, wattage, cóttage, lúggage; but for gáràge, the BrE pronunciation *gáríj is (especially in southern England) largely deprecated in favour of *gáràj; the AmE is *gəràzh, while *míràzh for míràge is universal.
Similarly with the a in térrace (*térris), ménace (*ménnis, cf. ténnis), and Hórace (*Hórris, cf. Nórris, Dóris, Bóris) – though these can all be schwa.
The suffix -ate is pronounced -âte in verbs: éstimâte, séparâte, prédicâte, delíberâte, artículâte, célebrâte, dénigrâte, eláborâte, precípitâte, régulâte. (This ending is spelt differently in some monosyllables: wâit, bâit and gâit.) But schwa in nouns and adjectives: célibate, éstimate, séparate, prédicate, delíberate, artículate, eláborate, precípitate, laureate (ló-) - all, when not verbs, -ət. However, in some such words, the -âte pronunciation is common in the north of England, e.g. cándidâte.
Redundant, rare, etc.
a is redundant in ëarly, ëarth, dëarth, rehëarse, hëard, lëarn, yëarn, pëarl (cf. redundant e in heàrt, heàrth, Keàrney = Càrney) and in Latin aê: nébulaê, nôvaê, fŏrmulaê, currículum vìtaê, Aêschylus (*êeskiləss).
Unstressed in aesthétic, BrE aê sounds like í in ít, while in AmE the spelling can be esthétic, and both es are pronounced with the é sound.
Pronounced âe, this combination is rare: Gâelic Ireland (but Gáelic Scotland), Ísrâel (cf. Mîchael, where it is unstressed: *Mŷcle), mâelstrom, phâeton (*fâytən), Râe surname (= Rây Raymond, rây light), Petrâeus. The British forename Grâeme is pronounced the same as its more common variant Grâham (*Grâyəm, though Grâham sometimes = grám in AmE).
a is redundant in some Scottish names: Líndsay, Múrray surname = Mòray Firth cf. Welsh Ánglesey, Manx Rámsey.
And it is optionally redundant in BrE in the suffix -ary: díctionary (*dícshnry), suppleméntary, compliméntary praise = compleméntary together (-éntry), nécessary (*nésəsrêe), sécondary (-əndry); in AmE the strong form is always used, ã, sounding like é: sécretãry *sécretérry; BrE *sécretry.
In names beginning with Mc- and Mac-, the a, visible or not, is pronounced schwa, except in a few cases, like McEnroe *Máckənro, McIlroy *Máckəlroy, where, though unwritten, it is the main stressed vowel, sounding as it does in Máck.
Scientific uses
A is the standard symbol for the ampere, the unit of electric current.