English phonemes: Difference between revisions
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===[[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]] /ʌ/ ú oú ò òo === | ===[[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]] /ʌ/ ú oú ò òo === | ||
[[British English|BrE]] only: in [[American English|AmE]], it is replaced by a stressed [[schwa]], /ə/, while in uneducated speech in northern England, it is replaced by '''ù''', /ʊ/. | |||
'''ú''': '''nút cúp slút túck spún fún dúst rúst búst sún múck súck dúck''' BrE '''cúrrent | '''ú''': '''nút cúp slút túck spún fún dúst rúst búst sún múck súck dúck''' BrE '''cúrrent |
Revision as of 09:13, 22 July 2009
The sounds and their spellings
A phoneme is a distinct unit of sound; spellings are ways of writing these sounds. English phonemes have different spellings depending on a word's provenance and history. This is a list of the phonemes, with their International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) symbols, and all their spellings.
The pronunciations are those of the language's two main varieties: American English (AmE), where r is pronounced before a consonant, and British English (BrE), where it is not.
The áccents on bold example words indicate stressed vowels and their pronunciation. An equals sign shows homophones, with words in italics suggesting meaning: sêen saw = scêne scenic, drama, crime. The bullet (●) represents any consonant. An asterisk before a word indicates that it is a respelling to show pronunciation, and thus wrongly (*róngly) spelt.
Vowels and diphthongs
IPA /i:/ ê êa êe ê●e êi ìê aê oê ì ỳ êỳ êo
ê: bê mê récipê catástrophê Penélopê Lêthê hypërbolê mêthane sêrum dêvious mêdia rêtail dêmon Êly mêtre BrE distance, poem
êa: sêa water lêave hêat sêat bêat hit nêat êasy mêal drêam têam hêath
êe: sêe vision frêe trêe fêel whêel grêed fêed spêed bêet sugar êel rêel
ê●e: Pêter scêne êven fêver mêter all AmE, BrE machine only complête compête
êi: after c: percêive recêive recêipt (-êit) concêit concêive cêiling; after w: wêird wêir (but: wìêld); sêize Shêila Nêil Nêill O´Nêill
ìê: before v: belìêve relìêve grìêve
aê: stressed, from Greek (BrE; AmE has ê alone): Aêschylus encyclopaêdia; unstressed in Latin plurals: nébulae nôvae fŏrmulae
oê: BrE (BrE; AmE has ê alone) from Greek: Oêdipus amoêba foêtus oêstrogen oenólogy subpoêna
ì: from French: machìne Christìne magazìne nìche elìte
ỳ: normally unstressed: fúnny sílly crâzy lâzy êasy wítty dextérity Yvétte Yvónne; stressed: Lỳón Lỳse Mervỳna
êỳ: unstressed: nôsey pôsey láckey jóckey balôney álley Hàrvey
êo: pêople
IPA /ɪ/ í ý u o e ’ eí íe
í: sít fít sítter fítter fítting bít líd híd bíd stíll bíll Wílliam Bíll fíll línt tínt wríst pín tílt míddle ínch fíg bíg
ý: týpical sýnthesis sýnagogue sýmptom cýst mýstic mýth trýst Dýlan
u: business busy
o: women
e: unstressed: Jôneses Bíggses Báxes táxes cópses fléxes
’: unstressed: Jônes’s Bíggs’s Báx’s
eí: unstressed -feít: còunterfeít fŏrfeít sürfeít
íe: unstressed: pàrtíes fámilíes lórríes cárríes cárríed márríed pólicíes
IPA /e/ é éa ai u
é: béd Néd wét sét pén hén méss dréss pép séven eléven Dévon Édward Téd bréd breed cléver éver évery néver tén ténth dén crést
éa: déath bréath bréast déad héad bréad food héaven thréat thréaten
ai: said (*séd)
u: bury ground (= bérry fruit)
IPA /æ/ á
fát cát sát mát Ánthony ánt bág dágger fán pán áttic spásm cáttle brásh ásh
redundant i in: pláit
redundant e in Gáelic Scotland = Gállic France (cf. Gâelic Ireland)
This sound is never final.
American English uses a long version of á instead of BrE à, except in fàther Coloràdo Chicàgo pajàmas (BrE pyjàmas) càlm quàlm bàlm àlms or when an r follows.
IPA /ɑ/ à àr àl ó
Words with à in both British and American English are:
à: fàther Chicàgo Coloràdo AmE pajàmas BrE pyjàmas Tuvàlu and Baràck Obàma, where, however, some BrE speakers instead say bárrack army
al: (silent l) càlm bàlm quàlm àlms
and whenever an r (always heard in AmE, silent final or before a consonant in BrE) follows:
àr: màr bàr càr vàrnish pàrk màrvel stàr scàr bizàrre hàrm àrm fàr càrt fàrmer scàr pàrt màrk stàrch pàrch màrch hàrd gàrden làrge
The following are pronounced à in southern BrE (most with á in northern BrE), a long á in AmE:
ā: Irān Irāq cān’t grānt āfter crāft lāugh grāph āunt dānce
before s: pāst fāst cāstle māster clāss ghāstly nāsty grāss lāst plāster cāst pāss tāsk blāst āsk
before th: rāther pāth bāth rāther lāther
āl: with silent l: hālf cālf hālve
ó in AmE is pronounced à, as in the next section:
IPA /ɒ/ ó
BrE only: AmE replaces this sound with à.
(Thus AmE pronounces the first words of Lós Ángeles and Làs Vègas the same: this is confusing for BrE speakers, who are as likely to say Lás Vègas, like láss girl, or, perhaps more commonly, "Lós Vègas", like the BrE lóss lose.)
ó: hót gót spót bóther dóg dóll nót stóp lóst óften slób slóppy cróss nód ódd shóne óff tóffee
ough as -óff: cóugh tróugh
a after ẁ: ẁant ẁas ẁash ẁasp ẁarren ẁander ẁarrant
after ẁh: ẁhat
after sẁ: sẁap sẁan sẁab sẁamp
after qù: qùantity qùantum qùad qùash sqùash sqùad sqùabble
IPA /ɔ/ å åw åu åugh ŏr ŏre ŏrps ŏor ŏa ŏur ŏugh
The r is silent in BrE before a consonant, but sounded in AmE.
å: wåter ålso
before lk: chålk tålk stålk wålk bålk
before ll: åll fåll tåll båll
before lt: ålter fålter Wålter hålt althôugh
åw: såw see, tool åwful bråwl cråwl fåwn colour, deer, grovel bråwn clåw påw animal swårm wårm wårn wård jåw Shåw måw
åu: cåuse påuse fåult exhåust fåun god
åugh: cåught tåught åught nåughty Wåugh
ŏr: ŏr either fŏr nŏr cóndŏr fŏrt pŏrt sŏrt shŏrt whŏrl
ŏre: ŏre metal cŏre centre gŏre pŏre skin scŏre sŏre pain bŏre tedium, hole ignŏre deplŏre restŏre whŏre (h-) mŏre extra
ŏrps: cŏrps army
ŏor: dŏor pŏor broke, unfortunate flŏor bŏor rude mŏor land
ŏa: brŏad abrŏad
ŏar: ŏar boat bŏar animal sŏar fly
ŏur: fŏur pŏur mŏurn tŏurnament
ŏugh: fŏught bŏught sŏught brŏught
IPA /ʊ/ ù oò oùl où o
BrE only: AmE replaces this sound with a stressed schwa, /ə/.
ù: pùt fùll pùsh bùsh bùll pùll cùshion
oò: goòd woòd soòt foòt woòl
oùl: shoùld coùld woùld
où: poùffe
o: woman wolf
IPA /(j)u:/ û ûe û●e ûi oû oûgh oô eŵ ŵ o
The long û grapheme repesents two phonemes, /u:/ and /ju:/, with various distributions on either side of the Atlantic. For a full discussion of this, see the article on the letter U.
û: gnû Stû flû ill gùrû êmû pûny Mûnich jûry Trûdi dûbious rûling mûtiny nûtrient
ûe: flûe chimney trûe blûe colour glûe cûe drama, billiards queûe wait (*kyû)
û•e: Jûne jûte flûte tûne dûpe Drûse trûth Rûth fûneral
ûi: frûit jûice slûice crûise
oû: groûp soûp coûp hit
oûgh: throûgh
oô: shoô soôn foôd broôd foôl schoôl toôl moôn troôp loôp droôp loôse choôse groôvy loôt toô also, much coô bird
eŵ: neŵ neŵs vieŵ cheŵ revieŵ Jeŵ bleŵ blow
ŵ: unstressed in Rŵánda
ŵo: tŵo 2
o: do who (*hû) shoe lose move prove to particle
IPA /ʌ/ ú oú ò òo
BrE only: in AmE, it is replaced by a stressed schwa, /ə/, while in uneducated speech in northern England, it is replaced by ù, /ʊ/.
ú: nút cúp slút túck spún fún dúst rúst búst sún múck súck dúck BrE cúrrent
oú: doúble troúble soúthern; (-úff) toúgh enoúgh roúgh
ò after w: wònder wòn win BrE wòrry
before n: frònt dòne nòne òne 1 (invisible w-: = wòn)
before -ve: lòve shòve glòve dòve
before -ther: òther anòther mòther bròther smòther (cf. bóther)
òo: before d: flòod blòod
IPA /ɜ:/ ër ëar ïr ür ÿr ör öur
As with the preceding, this sound does not exist in American English, being replaced by a stressed schwa, always with -r sounded; the r is silent in BrE and the schwa lengthened to /ɜ:/.
ër: wëre përson vërve vërdant sërvant jërk fërn hërd tërn bird
ëar: hëard lëarn yëarn hëarse rehëarse ëarl pëarl dëarth
ïr: fïrst bïrd dïrt gïrl quïrk ïrk stïr whïrr dïrt shïrt skïrt flïrt cïrcus cïrcle cïrcuit bïrth gïrth fïrm fïr
ür: bürn türn round absürd chürch Türk fürtive blürt spürt hürt nürse AmE cürrent
ÿr: mÿrtle mÿrrh Bÿrd
ör: only after w: wörk wörse wörst wörm wörd AmE wörry
öur: in -jöurn- and cöurt-: jöurney jöurnal adjöurn cöurteous cöurtesy
IPA /ə/, the schwa sound
An example of schwa (*shwà) is the neutral grunt which begins the word abòut (*əbòut). A shorter version of /ɜ/, never stressed, it can be spelt a, e, o or, less often, u, with or without a following r (which is silent in BrE if not followed by another vowel). It also appears as y in Béryl, Síbyl and síbyllîne - and it can be invisible before r and l.
First syllable: agô ahéad abòut again (-é-) abòve upón and in names beginning Mac- such as MacNêill - or McNêill (invisible version)
Second syllable: ígnorance pébble doùble Chîna sêater víctor bürsar quérulous lêmur fêmur vísion nâtion (-sion and -tion always have schwa) Cânaan (double a) dógs’re (informal use of apostrophe)
Third syllable: ígnorance decîder Éxeter Pámela precürsor exémplar ridículous invâsion
Fourth syllable: América Tanzanìa exécutor cálculator álligator unbelìêver abnegâtion
Fifth syllable: preváricator prevaricâtion extërminator
Invisible before liquid sounds r and l: cãre (which rhymes with prâyer) lãir (which is a one-syllable version of lâyer) ŏil (which rhymes with lŏyal) whîle (*wîyəl) fâil (*fâyəl) sêal (*sêeyəl) knêel down = Nêil, Nêill names (*nêeyəl)
IPA /eɪ/ â âi ây â●e âe âigh âu eâ èy èi èigh è●e
In Yorkshire dialect this is pronounced as a pure /e/.
â: grâvy pâcy grâcious nâval navy nâvy ânal zâny stâble crâving bâgel potâto râzor BrE vâpour AmE vâpor
â●e: sâme gâme câme sâve bâse trâce pâce crâve lâser hâver râve nâvel stomach Jâmes hâzel pâge nâme tâme fâme flâme hâte gâte fâte lâte wâde câve brâve stâge grâde phâse time, moon = fâze confuse jâde fâde brâke speed lâne road bâne mâne horse gâte open hâte loathe
âi before l: nâil âil quâil fâil wâil tâil tâilor Tâylor before n: pâin stâin grâin trâin brâin drâin lâin lie detâin retâin remâin Câin mâin chief Mâine
before m: âim clâim mâim clâim âid mâid râid wâif mâize Crâig Hâig Hâigh (= Hâgue) gâit walk trâit trâitor
ây final: dây sây plây jây delây wây trây brây hây prây prayer slây kill
before -er: lâyer slâyer (but not prãyer)
âe: Gâelic Ireland Ísrâel mâelstrom phâeton
âigh: strâight Hâight Ashbury
âu: gâuge
eâ: greât breâk pieces, off
èy: thèy grèy Lèyton whèy fèy prèy on
èi: vèin vèil bèige rèin ride
èigh final: invèigh nèigh slèigh snow
before t: wèight frèight èight
è●e: crèpe
IPA /əʊ/ ô ôa ôe ô•e ôu ôugh ôw ew
In Yorkshire dialect this is pronounced as a pure /o/.
ô with Latin-style suffixes: hôkum fôcus hôcus-pôcus
plus y, etc.: pôny hôly Tôny dôzy rôly-pôly nôsey bôgey phôney (or phony) Jôdie Jôni BrE côsy AmE côzy
final: sô therefore nô not gô frô lô behold cô-
before -ld: ôld côld gôld hôld sôld
also: grôss pôll vote
ôh: ôh dôh sôh music
ôa: before t: gôat côat ôat stôat bôat flôat
before k: clôak ôak
before d: gôad tôad rôad
before f: ôaf lôaf
before m: rôam wander (= Rôme) glôam
ôe final: tôe dôe Côe fôe hôe Jôe Pôe rôe wôe Defôe flôe ice
ô●e: hôme vôte nôte bôde explôde nôde tône lône cône pôle wood jôke dôze Rôme city rôte routine = wrôte write nôse expôse brôke spôke brôken spôken tôken
plus r: ôver Dôver clôver grôcer
oû: sôul
oûgh: dôugh bread althôugh thôugh
ôw: sôw seed knôw knowledge slôw grôw bestôw flôw water Ôwen môw lôw down crôw thrôw glôw
ew: sew needle
IPA /aɪ/ î îe î●e îgh îg ŷ ŷ●e ŷe eî
î: Î me hî greeting crîsis Îsis Chrîst fîery wîry shîny tîny lîme sublîme
unstressed: álibî nûclêî fránchîse mërchandîse
îe final: vîe lîe dîe dead tîe
î●e: îce nîce tîme fîne lîne slîme twîce lîce rîpe swîpe smîle stîle field
îgh: final: hîgh up sîgh nîgh
before t: tîght frîght brîght nîght plîght sîght
îg before n: sîgn resîgn desîgn
aî in place names: Caîro Thaîland Dubaî Sînaî
ŷ: flŷ bŷ whŷ trŷ rhŷme spŷ drŷ sprŷ relŷ denŷ defŷ stŷ pig, eye
from -îe before -íng: vŷing lŷing dŷing tŷing (from vîe lîe dîe tîe, cf. trŷing crŷing)
ŷ●ê: tŷpe stŷle mode
ŷe: stŷe eye eŷe sight aŷe yes dŷe colour
eî: heîght Fáhrenheît seîsmic O’Reîlly feîsty BrE eîther BrE neîther
IPA /aʊ/ òu òugh òw
òu: òut fòul bad blòuse tròusers clòud thòu clòut pròud wòund wind gròund mòunt mòuntain jòust fòund dòubt (*dòut)
òugh final: bòugh tree slòugh swamp = Slòugh town BrE plòugh
òw final: hòw nòw còw vòw wòw bòw down sòw pig AmE plòw
before n: bròwn tòwn dòwn fròwn cròwn dròwn renòwn
before l: fòwl bird òwl tròwel dòwry fròwsty
IPA /ɔɪ/ ŏi ŏy
ŏi before n: jŏin cŏin rejŏin lŏin
before l: fŏil bŏil tŏil
before ce: rejŏice vŏice
before st: clŏister hŏist jŏist
before t: quŏits BrE gŏitre AmE gŏiter
ŏy final: bŏy jŏy tŏy deplŏy Rŏy Trŏy destrŏy
before st: ŏyster lŏyal rŏyal
IPA /ɪə(r)/ êar êer êre ìêr êir
êar: êar hêar ear nêar têar cry fêar Pêarson drêary wêary blêary
êer: bêer quêer vêer lêer venêer êerie
êre: hêre there mêre revêre wê’re we are
ìêr: tìêr seats frontìêr piêrce
êir: wêird wêir water
IPA /eə(r)/ ãre ãir ãyr ãyer éãr ére
ãre: fãre money, food spãre shãre pãre cut bãre nude cãre wãres goods stãre look
ãr: before y: wãry vãry scãry Mãry
before i: vâriable shãring
ãir: final: ãir breathe hãir fãir reasonable, funfair lãir stãir step flãir
before y: fãiry hãiry
ãyr: Ãyrshire
ãyer: prãyer
éãr: béãr animal, tolerate, carry téãr rip wéãr clothes péãr fruit
ére: whére place thére here ére before
IPA /(j)ʊə(r)/ ûre ûr eûr eŵr
This sound could just as well be shown as ùr, but the u is clearly cognate with other final-mute-e words such as Jûne.
ûre: pûre cûre abjûre lûre
ûr: dûring dûrable cûrable pûrest fûry fûrious jûror jûry court Ûrals Arctûrus Epicûrus mûral
eûr: neûron neurótic Eûrope
eŵr: Jeŵry Jew Neŵry
IPA /aɪə(r)/ îr îar îer îre ŷr ŷre
îr: fîry wîry îrony Mîra Hîram choîr
îre: fîre wîre desîre mîre spîre îre irâte
îar: lîar lie brîar
îer: fîery
ŷr before a: gŷrate Mŷra tŷrant
before o: gŷroscope pyromânia pyrotéchnic tŷro
ŷre: lŷre music pŷre
Consonants
IPA /p/ p pp
p: píll pùt pâper hôped cláp píp stóp úp soûp droôp wêep peêp híp
pp: pépper stópped hópped clápping rípper ápple rípple púppy cópper
IPA /b/ b bb
b: bŏy bâke bîcycle bâsin mób bàrber snób snúb húsband róbin bíscuit bénd bāth ablâze âble troúble mâybe ôbôe
bb: rúbber ríbbon ábbey ébb róbber dúbbed rábbit Bóbby búbble
IPA /t/ t tt bt pt ed th
t: tín tén toô trâin tót trîte tríp tâste déft bít hát côat bôat àrt tàrt flïrt átmosphere
tt: bétter létter cáttle bóttle ráttle bétting sétting kéttle néttle cátty bátty tátty Bétty pótty atténtion
ed, inflexion of past tense verbs after unvoiced consonants: āsked slípped hôped áxed hélped chānced kícked stópped lócked cáshed míxed âped grôssed
bt: dòubt débt súbtle
pt: recêipt ptàrmigan Ptómely pterodáctyl
th: Kathmandû Ánthony (= Ántony, a less common variant, as in Mark Antony)
IPA /d/ d dd
d: dím dénse dîce dúll rêad nêed stéady réady héad réd Êden lâden rámmed fílled (ed not 't' after voiced sound, compare above)
dd: rúdder ádder ládder rúdder kídding ríddance Éddie dóddle gíddy
IPA /k/ k ck c cc ch cq q g kk
k: kíll Kenneth boòk loòk dàrk mêek pêak àrk Noah ínk thínk ránk
ck, not initial: báck néck síck déck píck wíck wícked máckintosh féckless réckless gécko décker bus = Décker name tick correct
c before back vowels a, o and u (and also in encephalîtis): cát animal cán còme câter cút cárry cãre crâter crâne curve cómmon cót confûse cóntrary contémporary, and finally: àrc plástic tíc twitch
cc pronounced 'k' alone: sóccer accrûe occür áccolade, and pronounced 'ks': áccident áccess accêde cóccyx
ch: láchrymose chŏrd âche écho páchydërm
cq: acquîre acquâint acquiésce
q: Sádiq Táriq Qátar qát drug
qu sounding like 'kw': quêen requîre quîet quîte quést exquísite líquid
qu as 'k' sound alone: líquor (*líkker) unìque (-êek) Jácqueline (*Jácklêen or = Jácklín)
g (for some speakers): léngth
kk: púkka Dékker name
IPA /g/ g gg
g: dóg gún bíg ángle fínger dângle ôgle pâgan flágon drágon bôgus
gg: égg bígger nóggin dágger dígging flágging nágged bógged flógged
IPA /tʃ/ ch tch c
ch: choôse cheêse beêch tree = bêach sand chóp cheêr lúnch châse
final after r: lürch përch àrch màrch Màrch
tch: ítch ítchy fétch pátch ẁatch dítch wítch scótch kétchup nótch, and from Russian, etc., Pétrovi(t)ch Mikhaîlovi(t)ch, and other patronymics
initial only in a few imported names: Tchaikóvsky Tchicaî
c in -ic ending of names from Serbian, etc.: Ivanísevic Ivánovic Pílic Káradjic Milósevic
IPA /dʒ/ j dj g dg gg
j: Jâne jélly Jáck jôke Jóhn Jônes Jím James jërsey jejeûne jàr ajàr jêep ajàr Jûlie Julŷ môjo cajôle rejéct jíngle jángle jîbe
dj: adjúst adjöurn ádjective ádjúnct Djiboûti Abidján
g before e: géntle âge râge gênius gërm Gërmany pígeon dúngeon stürgeon Nigêria genétic géneral géntle págeant
before i: gîant gínger giráffe gímcrack
before y: gyrâte gŷroscope gým gymnasium gýpsum
dg before e: brídge édge hédge bádger bádge búdge fúdge cúdgel dódge Hódges lódger fídget mídget dúdgeon búdgerigar
before i: cádging lódging búdgie
before y: pódgy dódgy édgy púdgy
gg: exággerate
di: sôldier
du: ŏrdure
IPA /f/ f ff ph gh ft
f: fêel frŷ frêe fróg fâke fâith óften déaf fít íf fŏrce fåll
ff: óff éffort búffer óffal clíff stíff búff púff
ph: Phílip gráph phâse élephant philósopher hîeroglýph
gh: after ou: toúgh enoúgh roúgh cóugh tróugh
ft: óften sóften
IPA /v/ v vv f ph
v: vieŵ véry vãry shâve háve drîve vâgue vôte vâcant vîolent Stêven vāst vãrious avër còver hóver ôver léaven lêave wêave
vv: flívver révved bóvver
f: óf
ph: Stêphen
IPA /θ/ unvoiced th
thíck thín trûth Rûth rûthless bréath ûndernêath thínk píthy ísthmus bôth lôth or lôath bréath wrêath déath
IPA /ð/ voiced th dh
th: thén thére thís thát thús thôugh thêrefore òther bròther mòther wíth brêathe wrêathe lôathe clôthe BrE eîther AmE êither wéather clouds = whéther if
dh: Rìyadh
IPA /s/ s ss sc st c ps
s: sêe såw sêen sôap séven séptic sêrial drama sŏurce spécial ûse noun ûsage āsk flāsk tāsk bāsk désk whísk dúsk
ss: máss lóss drôss grôss méssy véssel hássle guéss dréss kíss híss
sc scêne scéptre coalésce acquiésce
st: whístle lísten grístle mústn’t hâsten hústle bústle fāsten cāstle
c before front vowels: nîce îce fâce cêreal breakfast spâcy lícit âce
ps: pseûd psychólogy psŷche
IPA /z/ z zz s
z: zoô zône zíp hâzel prétzel ôzone ádze dôze AmE côzy râzor
zz: búzz fízz dázzle púzzle núzzle jázz whízz búzzer
s: ûse verb êasy nôse nâsal lâser BrE côsy pôsy pôse lâser
IPA /ʃ/ sh ss sch s ch ce ci ti xi
sh: shíp shóp shoôt shín shîne blúsh mésh dísh ẁash ásh áshen fáshion shéd shélter
ss: before i: pássion físsion míssion
before u: assůre préssure
sch: schwà schnápps schmåltz
s: AmE sûre insûre BrE sůre insůre
Si from Welsh and Irish: Siàn Siobhăn *Shivăwn
Se from Irish: Seăn (= Shăwn, Shăun)
ch from French: machìne nîche pastîche BrE moustàche AmE mústáche gauche (ô) brôchure créche panáche Míchigan
ce: ôcean crustâcean
ci: spêcies spêcious précious vícious
ti: fíction áction nôtion devôtion môtion lôtion complêtion fictítious
xi includes an initial 'k' sound: nóxious (*nókshəss) ánxious (*ánkshəss)
IPA /ʒ/ zh zu si su g
Th 'zh' sound, as spelt when romanising from Russian, etc., it is however, not normally spelt thus. In French it is common and rendered with a j:
j: joie de vivre *zhwàdvìvrə le mot juste *ləmô-zhûst
zh: Brézhnev Solzhenýtzin Yoûzhny
zu: ázure sêizure
si: vísion télevision cohêsion lêsion Âsian
su in -sure: pléasure tréasure AmE lêisure BrE léisure clôsure
g from French: Nigér
IPA /h/ h wh
h: hélp hít heáven héll hàrbour hôme hórror hórrible hôpe ahéad ahŏy àhà Mahôney enhānce Hárris Hámpstead háppen hápless
wh: who (*hû) whôle whoôping-cóugh
IPA /m/ m mm mb mn
m: múch môst Mîchael (*Mŷcle) émpty mén míx glámour ámber ámble whím dímple crúmple crúmble húmble ámber ámplify woman (*wùmən) women (*wímən) mémory
mm: hámmer dímmer glímmer jámming swímming swímmer símmer púmmel búmmer súmmer
mb final: thúmb cômb dúmb lámb clîmb tomb (*toôm) plúmb
mn final: åutumn hýmn cólumn
IPA /n/ n nn kn pn
n: nô negative neŵ old nót negative nîght day nêed require néver níl énemy ánt nâtive nôbody nô-one noôn noôdle nûisance nést nâve church
nn: Ánn Ánne dínner ínnings pénny ínner púnning wínner fúnnel túnnel
kn: knôw knowledge kneŵ know knót tie knîght chess, Sir knêad dough knêe knâve jack
pn: pneumátic pneumônia
IPA /ŋ/ ng n
The ng sound cannot begin a syllable (except in transcriptions of e.g. Vietnamese names) and so is not found initially, only medially and finally: thíng síng sáng súng sínger hánger coat hángar plane wíng spríng lóng
the g sound added afterwards: lónger fínger ánger húnger ángle síngle dángle Bángra
n before k: thínk pínk ínk wínk sínk sánk súnk púnk tánk dánk tánker pínker ánkle wínkle tínkle
before c: úncle càrbuncle ráncour sánction júnction
before x: ánxious
IPA /l/ l ll
l: lôw lót lénd fâil pâil bucket pâle pallid Pôle Poland = pôle wood pál låw lîght (*lîte) léss râil râiling âiling tâilor = Tâylor trâil
ll: bùll bùlly wåll åll téll dóll pôll election séll buy = céll prison, biology wíll wílling hóller tåller álley allót álloy
IPA /r/ r rr rh wr
r: rêad réd colour réad reading réady rót rãre rôads streets rāther rîce ríddle rôdeo rôad rêcent ràther
rr: árrow fúrrow farràgo sórrow sórry mérry shérry whérry bérry hérring Mórris érror pórridge Hárry fürry BrE wòrry AmE wörry
rh: rhŷme rhýthm rhétoric rhêsus Rhôdes name, Greece rhôdedéndron
wr: wrîte wrén wrêak wrŏught wrést fight wréstle wrínkle awrŷ
AmE pronounces r before a consonant and finally in words like àrm, hürt and ŏrder; BrE does not.
Sometimes a phantom final 'r' can be heard between two vowels, one ending, the other beginning, a word: Índia(r)and Srì Lánka
IPA /j/ y
y: yéllow yoúng yét yoûth yôke ox yôlk egg låwyer såwyer
invisible before û: ûse tûne beaûtiful mûte mûsic cûte cûticle ukelèlê
IPA /w/ w wh u h
w: wéll woòd wísh awây wònder wíll wéather sunny ẁant ẁash aẁash wâve wãry wòrry (AmE wörry) ẁaddle ẁander wónky
wh (pronounced 'hw' in AmE): ẁhat whén whére whŷ whénce whéther if whíp whístle whîte
u after q: quêen quîte quîet quést quáck quíck equéstrian acquîre quâint equíp qùarry qùadrupéd qùantum qùantity qùality
from Spanish: Nicarágua (-ágwa or -ágyûa) iguàna marijuàna (*mariyəwànə)
h in two Hebraic names: Côhen Ménuhin
ou from French, initial in Ouagadoûgou (Wág-)
IPA /χ/ kh ch
distinguished by some speakers from /k/:
kh: shèikh Khàlid Khayyám
ch: lóch Bàch Búchan Buchánan
IPA /ks/ x xc ks kes cks cs ches chs
The grapheme x combines the phonemes /k/ and /s/. This is /gz/ for some AmE speakers in some words, for example exáct.
x: láx tóxic Níxon wáx wáxen óx óxen píxie táxi bóx bóxes míx séx áxle Téxas México hôax extrême Tríxie Díxie fáx máximum Báxter
xc: éxcellent excél excépt excéss
chs: in names from German: Óchs (= óx) Fùchs
Accidental in plurals:
ks: bàrks loòks hoòks spoôks tålks wålks boòks sêeks fôlksy
kes: tâkes sâkes bâkes câkes jôkes lîkes êkes nûkes blôkes
cks: sócks pícks trícks pécks knócks búcks tícks marks
cs: àrcs tícs nervous
ches: âches héadaches
Other double consonants, such as ts and ps, which are phonemes in some languages, also occur accidentally, as in géts and cŏrpse.