English phonemes: Difference between revisions

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In [[phonology]], a [[phoneme]] is a distinct unit of sound ([[phone]]) by means of which words are distinguished, and [[English spellings|spellings]] are ways of writing these sounds.  [[English phonemes]] have different spellings depending on a word's provenance and history. 


{{TOC|right}}
In the following list, the [[International Phonetic Alphabet]] (IPA) symbol for each phoneme is shown first, followed by all its spellings, or [[grapheme/Definition|graphemes]], and a number of examples of each. Where those examples are few, it is because the spelling is rare and they are the only ones.
==The sounds and their spellings==
A [[phoneme]] is a distinct unit of sound; [[English spellings|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 pronunciations are those of the language's two main varieties: [[American English]] (AmE), where '''r''' is pronounced before a consonant, and [[British English|British]] and [[Commonwealth 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.
The '''áccents''' on bold example words indicate stressed vowels and their pronunciation.  An equals sign shows [[homophone]]s, 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. Respellings use typical unambiguous spellings using the normal alphabet plus [[schwa]] (ə).


==Vowels and diphthongs==
==Vowels and diphthongs==
===[[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]] /i:/ '''ê  êa  êe  ê●e  êi  ìê  aê  oê  ì  ỳ  êỳ  êo'''===
===[[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]] /i:/ as in sêa: ê, êa, êe, ê●e, êi, ìê, , , ì, , êỳ, êo===


'''ê''': '''bê,  mê,  récipê,  catástrophê,  Penélopê,  Lêthê,  hypërbolê,  mêthane,  sêrum, dêvious,  mêdia,  rêtail,  dêmon,  Êly,  mêtre''' ''BrE distance, poem''
'''ê''': '''bê,  mê,  récipê,  catástrophê,  Penélopê,  Lêthê,  hypërbolê,  mêthane,  sêrum, dêvious,  mêdia,  rêtail,  dêmon,  Êly,  mêtre''' ''BrE distance, poem''
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'''êe: sêe''' ''vision''  '''frêe,  trêe,  fêel,  whêel,  grêed,  fêed,  spêed,  bêet''' ''sugar''  '''êel,  rêel
'''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  
'''ê●e''': '''Pêter,  scêne,  êven,  fêver,  mêter''' ''AmE'' (BrE has '''mêter''' for the machine, but '''mêtre''' for the distance),   '''complête,  compête  


'''êi''': after '''c''':  '''percêive,  recêive,  recêipt''' (-êit),  '''concêit,  concêive,  cêiling'''; after '''w''':  '''wêird,  wêir'''  (but: '''wìêld'''); '''sêize,  Shêila,  Nêil,  Nêill,  O´Nêill
'''êi''': after '''c''':  '''percêive,  recêive,  recêipt''' (-êit),  '''concêit,  concêive,  cêiling'''; after '''w''':  '''wêird,  wêir'''  (but: '''wìêld'''); '''sêize,  Shêila,  Nêil,  Nêill,  O´Nêill
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'''ì''': from French:  '''machìne,  Christìne,  magazìne,  nìche,  elìte
'''ì''': from French:  '''machìne,  Christìne,  magazìne,  nìche,  elìte


'''ỳ''': normally unstressed:  '''fúnny,  sílly,  crâzy,  lâzy,  êasy,  wítty,  dextérity,  Yvétte,  Yvónne'''; stressed:  '''Lỳón,  Lỳse,  Mervỳna
'''ỳ''': normally unstressed:  '''fúnny,  sílly,  crâzy,  lâzy,  êasy,  wítty,  dextérity,  Yvétte,  Yvónne'''; rarely stressed:  '''Lỳón,  Lỳse,  Mervỳna


'''êỳ''': unstressed:  '''nôsey,  pôsey,  láckey,  jóckey,  balôney,  álley,  Hàrvey
'''êỳ''': unstressed:  '''nôsey,  pôsey,  láckey,  jóckey,  balôney,  álley,  Hàrvey
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'''êo''': '''pêople
'''êo''': '''pêople


===[[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]] /ɪ/ '''í  ý  u  o  e  eí  íe===
===[[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]] /ɪ/ sít: í, ý, u, o, e, ', , íe===
'''í''': '''sít,  fít,  sítter,  fítter,  fítting,  bít,  líd,  híd,  bíd,  stíll,  bíll = Bíll,  Wílliam,    fíll,  línt,  tínt,  wríst,  pín,  tílt,  míddle,  ínch,  fíg,  bíg
 
This is one of the six short vowel sounds, '''á''', '''é''', '''í''', '''ó''', '''ú''' and '''ù''', that never occur finally.
 
'''í''': '''sít,  fít,  sítter,  fítter,  fítting,  bít,  líd,  híd,  bíd,  stíll,  bíll''' = '''Bíll,  Wílliam,    fíll,  línt,  tínt,  wríst,  pín,  tílt,  míddle,  ínch,  fíg,  bíg


'''ý''': '''týpical,  sýnthesis,  sýnagogue,  sýmptom,  cýst,  mýstic,  mýth,  trýst,  Dýlan
'''ý''': '''týpical,  sýnthesis,  sýnagogue,  sýmptom,  cýst,  mýstic,  mýth,  trýst,  Dýlan
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'''o''': '''women  
'''o''': '''women  


'''e''': unstressed: '''Jôneses,  Bíggses,  Báxes,  táxes,  cópses,  fléxes
'''e''': unstressed,  after 'z' sound: '''Jôneses,  Bíggses'''after 'ss' sound: '''Báxes,  táxes,  cópses,  fléxes


'''’''': unstressed: '''Jônes’s,  Bíggs’s,  Báx’s
'''’''': unstressed,  after 'z' sound: '''jázz's, Jônes’s,  Bíggs’s'''after 'ss' sound: '''Báx’s, Bíx's, Díx's, Éssex's, Grāss's
   
   
'''eí''': unstressed '''-feít''':  '''còunterfeít,  fŏrfeít,  sürfeít
'''eí''': unstressed '''-feít''':  '''còunterfeít,  fŏrfeít,  sürfeít
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'''íe''': unstressed:  '''pàrtíes,  fámilíes,  lórríes,  cárríes,  cárríed,  márríed,  pólicíes
'''íe''': unstressed:  '''pàrtíes,  fámilíes,  lórríes,  cárríes,  cárríed,  márríed,  pólicíes


===[[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]] /e/ '''é  éa  ai  u===
===[[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]] /e/ béd: é, éa, ai, u===
 
This is one of the six short vowel sounds, '''á''', '''é''', '''í''', '''ó''', '''ú''' and '''ù''', that never occur finally.


'''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
'''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
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'''u''': '''bury''' ''ground'' (= '''bérry''' ''fruit'')
'''u''': '''bury''' ''ground'' (= '''bérry''' ''fruit'')


===[[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]] /æ/ á===
===[[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]] /æ/ cát: á===
This is one of the six short vowel sounds, '''á''', '''é''', '''í''', '''ó''', '''ú''' and '''ù''', that never occur finally.


'''fát,  cát,  sát,  mát,  Ánthony,  ánt,  bág,  dágger,  fán,  pán,  áttic,  spásm,  cáttle,  brásh,  ásh
'''fát,  cát,  sát,  mát,  Ánthony,  ánt,  bág,  dágger,  fán,  pán,  áttic,  spásm,  cáttle,  brásh,  ásh, válve, válue, Sálly
redundant '''i''' in: '''pláit
redundant '''i''' in: '''pláit
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redundant '''e''' in '''Gáelic''' ''Scotland'' = '''Gállic''' ''France'' (cf. '''Gâelic''' ''Ireland'')
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.


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.
===[[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]] /ɑ/ càr: à,  àr, àl, ó===
This sound replaces the BrE-only sound of '''ó''' in American English. Words with '''à''' in both British and American are:


===[[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]] /ɑ/ à  àr àl ó===
'''à''': '''fàther,  Chicàgo,  Coloràdo''',  AmE '''pajàmas''', BrE '''pyjàmas, Tuvàlu''',
 
'''Baràck Obàma''' (where, however, some BrE speakers instead say '''bárrack''' ''army'')
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
'''al''': (silent '''l''')  '''càlm,  bàlm,  quàlm,  àlms
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and whenever an '''r''' (always heard in AmE, silent final or before a consonant in BrE) follows:
and whenever an '''r''' (always heard in AmE, silent final or before a consonant in BrE) follows:


'''àr''': '''màr'''= '''Màrr,  bàr,  càr,  vàrnish,  pàrk,  màrvel,  stàr,  scàr,  bizàrre,  hàrm,  àrm,  fàr,  càrt,  fàrmer,  scàr,  pàrt,  màrk,  stàrch,  pàrch,  màrch,  hàrd,  gàrden,  làrge
'''àr''': '''màr''' = '''Màrr,  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:
====/ɑ/ (à) v. /æ/ (á)====
The following are pronounced '''á''' in AmE but '''à''' in BrE (some Northern BrE has a shorter '''á''', however):


'''ā''': '''Irān,  Irāq,  cān’t,  grānt,  āfter,  crāft,  lāugh,  grāph,  āunt,  dānce   
'''ā''': '''Irān,  Irāq,  cān’t,  grānt,  āfter,  crāft,  lāugh,  grāph,  āunt,  dānce   
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before '''s''':  '''pāst,  fāst,  cāstle,  māster,  clāss,  ghāstly,  nāsty,  grāss,  lāst,  plāster,  cāst,  pāss,  tāsk,  blāst,  āsk   
before '''s''':  '''pāst,  fāst,  cāstle,  māster,  clāss,  ghāstly,  nāsty,  grāss,  lāst,  plāster,  cāst,  pāss,  tāsk,  blāst,  āsk   


before '''th''':  '''rāther,  pāth,  bāth,  rāther,  lāther   
before '''th''':  '''rāther,  pāth,  bāth,  rāther,  lāther   
 
 
'''āl''': with silent '''l''':  '''hālf,  cālf,  hālve
'''āl''', with silent '''l''':  '''hālf,  cālf,  hālve


'''ó''' in AmE is pronounced '''à''', as in the next section:
===[[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]] /ɒ/ dóg: ó===


===[[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]] /ɒ/ ó===
This is one of the six short vowel sounds, '''á''', '''é''', '''í''', '''ó''', '''ú''' and '''ù''', that never occur finally. It is BrE only: AmE replaces this sound with '''à'''. 


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''. Also, in AmE, '''Stefón''' is a variant spelling of '''Stefàn'''.)
 
(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
'''ó''': '''hót,  gót,  spót,  bóther,  dóg,  dóll,  nót,  stóp,  lóst,  óften,  slób,  slóppy,  cróss,  nód,  ódd,  shóne,  óff,  tóffee
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after '''qù''':  '''qùantity,  qùantum,  qùad,  qùash,  sqùash,  sqùad,  sqùabble
after '''qù''':  '''qùantity,  qùantum,  qùad,  qùash,  sqùash,  sqùad,  sqùabble


===[[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]] /ɔ/ å  åw  åu  åugh  ŏr  ŏre  ŏrps  ŏor  ŏa  ŏur  ŏugh===
*Words that have the pattern -'''or'''- or -'''orr'''- followed by another vowel have the above sound in British English but the following sound in American. Example are BrE '''hórrible, hórror, tórrid, órifice, tomórrow, sórry''', where in all cases the '''ó''' is '''ŏ''' in AmE.
The '''r''' is silent in BrE before a consonant, but sounded in AmE.


'''å''': '''wåter,  ålso'''
===[[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]] /ɔ/ såw: å,  åw,  åu,  åugh,  ŏr,  ŏre,  ŏrps,  ŏor,  ŏa,  ŏur,  ŏugh===
 
The '''r''' that often occurs after this sound as '''ŏr''' is silent in BrE before a consonant, but sounded in AmE.
 
'''å''': '''wåter,  ålso, Målvern, Sålisbury''' (*Sålzbry), unstressed in '''althôugh


before '''lk''': '''chålk,  tålk,  stålk,  wålk,  bålk
before '''lk''': '''chålk,  tålk,  stålk,  wålk,  bålk
before '''ll''':  '''åll,  fåll,  tåll,  båll   
before '''ll''':  '''åll,  fåll,  tåll,  båll,  apåll, påll, cåll
 
before '''lt''':  '''ålter,  fålter,  Wålter,  hålt, althôugh  
before '''lt''':  '''ålter,  fålter,  Wålter,  hålt, sålt, althôugh  


'''åw''': '''såw''', ''see, tool'',  '''åwful,  bråwl,  cråwl,  fåwn''' ''colour, deer, grovel'',  '''bråwn,  clåw, påw''' ''animal'',  '''swårm,  wårm,  wårn,  wård,  jåw,  Shåw,  måw
'''åw''': '''såw''', ''see, tool'',  '''åwful,  bråwl,  cråwl,  fåwn''' ''colour, deer, grovel'',  '''bråwn,  clåw, påw''' ''animal'',  '''swårm,  wårm,  wårn,  wård,  jåw,  Shåw,  måw
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'''åu''': '''cåuse,  påuse,  fåult,  exhåust,  fåun''' ''god''
'''åu''': '''cåuse,  påuse,  fåult,  exhåust,  fåun''' ''god''


'''åugh''': '''cåught,  tåught,  åught,  nåughty,  Wåugh
'''åugh''': '''cåught,  tåught,  åught,  nåughty,  Wåugh, Våughan = Våughn, Måugham


'''ŏr''': '''ŏr''' ''either'',  '''fŏr,  nŏr,  cóndŏr,  fŏrt,  pŏrt,  sŏrt,  shŏrt,  whŏrl   
'''ŏr''': '''ŏr''' ''either'',  '''fŏr,  nŏr,  cóndŏr,  fŏrt,  pŏrt,  sŏrt,  shŏrt,  whŏrl   
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'''ŏor''': '''dŏor,  pŏor''' ''broke, unfortunate'',  '''flŏor,  bŏor''' ''rude'',  '''mŏor''' ''land''
'''ŏor''': '''dŏor,  pŏor''' ''broke, unfortunate'',  '''flŏor,  bŏor''' ''rude'',  '''mŏor''' ''land''


'''ŏa''': '''brŏad,  abrŏad
'''ŏa''': '''brŏad,  abrŏad, brŏadcast
'''ŏar''': '''ŏar''' ''boat'',  '''bŏar''' ''animal'',  '''sŏar''' ''fly
'''ŏar''': '''ŏar''' ''boat'',  '''bŏar''' ''animal'',  '''sŏar''' ''fly
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'''ŏugh''': '''fŏught,  bŏught,  sŏught,  brŏught
'''ŏugh''': '''fŏught,  bŏught,  sŏught,  brŏught


===[[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]] /ʊ/ ù  oò  oùl  où  o===
*Some words that have this sound in American English have '''ó''' in British English. All involve a following '''r'''. See the end of the preceding section for examples.
 
===[[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]] /ʊ/ pùt: ù, , oùl, , o===


[[British English|BrE]] only: AmE replaces this sound with a stressed [[schwa]], /ə/.
This is one of the six short vowel sounds, '''á''', '''é''', '''í''', '''ó''', '''ú''' and '''ù''', that never occur finally. It is [[British English|BrE]] only: AmE replaces this sound with a stressed [[schwa]], /ə/.


'''ù''': '''pùt,  fùll,  pùsh,  bùsh,  bùll,  pùll,  cùshion
'''ù''': '''pùt,  fùll,  pùsh,  bùsh,  bùll,  pùll,  cùshion
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'''o''': '''woman,  wolf
'''o''': '''woman,  wolf


===[[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]] /(j)u:/ û  ûe  û●e  ûi  oû  oûgh  oô  eŵ  ŵ  o===
===[[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]] /(j)u:/ trûe: û, ûe, û●e, ûi, , oûgh, , , ŵ, o===


The long '''û''' grapheme repesents two phonemes, /uː/ and /juː/, with various distributions on either side of the Atlantic. For a full discussion of this, see the article on the letter [[U]].
The long '''û''' grapheme repesents two phonemes, /uː/ and /juː/, with various distributions on either side of the Atlantic. For a full discussion of this, see the article on the letter [[U]].
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'''oûgh''': '''throûgh
'''oûgh''': '''throûgh


'''oô''': '''shoô,  soôn,  foôd,  broôd,  foôl,  schoôl,  toôl,  moôn,  troôp,  loôp,  droôp,  loôse, choôse,  groôvy,  loôt,  toô''' ''also, much'', '''coô''' ''bird''
'''oô''': '''oôh, 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''
'''eŵ''': '''neŵ, neŵs, vieŵ, cheŵ, revieŵ, Jeŵ, bleŵ''' ''blow''


'''ŵ''': unstressed in '''Rŵánda
'''ŵ''': unstressed in '''Rwánda


'''ŵo''': '''tŵo''' ''2''
'''ŵo''': '''tŵo''' ''2''


'''o''': '''do. who''' (*hû)  '''shoe. lose. move. prove. to''' ''particle''
'''o''': '''do, who''' (*hû)  '''shoe, lose, move, prove, to''' ''particle''


===[[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]] /ʌ/ ú  oú  ò  òo ===  
===[[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]] /ʌ/ cúp: ú, , 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
This is one of the six short vowel sounds, '''á''', '''é''', '''í''', '''ó''', '''ú''' and '''ù''', that never occur finally. It is [[British English|BrE]] only: in [[American English|AmE]], it is replaced by a stressed [[schwa]], /ə/, while in demotic speech in northern England, it is replaced by '''ù''', /ʊ/.


'''''': '''doúble troúble soúthern'''; (-úff)  '''toúgh  enoúgh  roúgh
'''ú''': '''nút,  cúp,  slút,  túck,  spún,  fún,  dúst,  rúst,  búst,  sún, múck, súck,  dúck''', BrE '''cúrrent


'''ò''' after '''w''':  '''wònder wòn'''    ''win'' BrE '''wòrry'''  
'''''': '''doúble,  troúble,  soúthern'''; (-úff:) '''toúgh, enoúgh, roúgh


before '''n''':  '''frònt  dòne  nòne  òne''' ''1'' (invisible w-: = '''wòn''')
'''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 -'''ve''':  '''lòve, shòve, glòve, dòve


before -'''ther''':  '''òther  anòther  mòther  bròther  smòther''' (cf. '''bóther''')
before -'''ther''':  '''òther, anòther, mòther, bròther, smòther''' (cf. '''bóther''')
'''òo''': before '''d''':  '''flòod  blòod
'''òo''': before '''d''':  '''flòod, blòod


===[[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]] /ɜ:/ ër  ëar  ïr  ür  ÿr  ör  öur ===
===[[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]] /ɜ:/ hër: 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:/.
As with the preceding, this sound does not exist in [[American English]], being replaced by a stressed version of [[schwa]], always with the -'''r''' sounded. Many African English speakers also do not use it, replacing it with '''à''' ('''r''' silent).


'''ër''': '''wëre  përson  vërve  vërdant  sërvant  jërk  fërn  hërd  tërn bird
'''ër''': '''hër, wëre, përson, vërve, vërdant, sërvant, jërk, fërn, hërd, tërn''' ''bird


'''ëar''': '''hëard  lëarn  yëarn  hëarse  rehëarse  ëarl  pëarl  dëarth
'''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
'''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
'''ür''': '''bürn, türn''' ''round'', '''absürd, chürch, Türk, fürtive, blürt, spürt, hürt, nürse,''' AmE '''cürrent''' (BrE '''cúrrent'''), '''cürtsey


'''ÿr''': '''mÿrtle  mÿrrh  Bÿrd
'''ÿr''': '''mÿrtle, mÿrrh, Bÿrd


'''ör''': only after '''w''':  '''wörk  wörse  wörst  wörm  wörd''' AmE '''wörry
'''ör''': only after '''w''':  '''wörld, wörk, wörse, wörst, wörm, wörd''', AmE '''wörry''' (BrE '''wòrry''')


'''öur''': in -'''jöurn'''- and '''cöurt'''-:  '''jöurney  jöurnal  adjöurn  cöurteous  cöurtesy
'''öur''': in -'''jöurn'''- and '''cöurt'''-:  '''jöurney, jöurnal, adjöurn, cöurteous, cöurtesy


===[[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]] /ə/, the [[schwa]] sound===
===[[International Phonetic Alphabet|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'''.
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''', and in Australian and New Zealand English, '''i''', with or without a following '''r''' (which is silent in British and Commonwealth English if not followed by another vowel). It also appears as '''y''' in '''Béryl''', '''Síbyl''' and '''síbyllîne'''—and it can be invisible before [[liquid (phonetics)|liquids]] (i.e. '''r''' and '''l'''). It even appears as '''ough''' in British English: '''thòrough''' (*thúrra, AmE *thürrôw).
 
First syllable:  '''agô,  ahéad,  abòut,  again''' (*əgén), '''abòve''',  '''upón'''
and in names beginning '''Mac'''- such as '''MacNêill'''—or with the '''a''' invisible: '''McNêill''' (*Məcnêəl); and monosyllables, in which schwa is the only vowel: '''a''' (schwa alone, weak form of indefinite [[article]] that has the rare strong form '''â''') = '''uh''' (schwa alone, silent '''h''': American version of brief hesitation word) = '''er''' (schwa alone,  silent '''r''': British version of same, though this combination can also represent a longer hesitation '''ër''') = '''are''' (in British English schwa alone, weak form of '''àre''', '''r''' pronounced in American here and in following) = '''or''' (in British schwa alone, weak form of '''ŏr'''); '''for''' (weak form of '''fŏr'''), '''were''' (BrE *wə, AmE *wər, weak form of '''wëre'''), '''to''' (weak form of '''to''' *tû = '''toô''' = '''two'''),  '''your''' (weak form of '''yŏur''', sometimes spelt '''yer'''), '''sir''' (weak form of '''sïr''', especially in names such as '''Sir Jóhn'''), and '''huh''' (mostly American, '''h''' sound + schwa sound)


First syllable:  '''agô ahéad abòut again''' (-'''é'''-'''abòve'''  '''upón'''
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)
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


Third syllable:  '''ígnorance decîder Éxeter Pámela precürsor exémplar ridículous invâsion
Fourth syllable:  '''América, Tanzanìa, exécutor, cálculator, álligator, unbelìêver, abnegâtion


Fourth syllable:  '''América Tanzanìa exécutor  cálculator  álligator  unbelìêver  abnegâtion
Fifth syllable:  '''preváricator, prevaricâtion, extërminator


Fifth syllable: '''preváricator  prevaricâtion  extërminator
As a word becomes more common, a schwa contained in it may be elided into silence: compare '''nôtional''', which has a schwa for the second '''o''', *nôsh'''ə'''nəl, with the much more common '''nátional''', which is usually heard without it: *náshnəl.


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)
There is an unwritten ("invisible") schwa before the liquid sounds '''r''' (even silent '''r''' as in BrE) and '''l''', as in '''cãre''' (which rhymes with '''prãyer'''), '''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'' (*Nêəl), '''líttle''' (as -'''le'''), '''céntre''' (as -'''re''', BrE, AmE -'''er''').


===[[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]] /eɪ/ â  âi  ây  â●e  âe  âigh  âu  eâ  èy  èi  èigh  è●e===
An unusual invisible schwa is found in '''[[Steve Mnuchin|Mnûchin]]''' *Mənûchin.


In Yorkshire dialect this is pronounced as a pure /e/.
===[[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]] // sây: â,  âi,  ây,  â●e,  âe,  âigh,  âu,  eâ,  èy,  èi,  èigh,  è●e===


'''â''': '''grâvy  pâcy  grâcious  nâval navy  nâvy  ânal  zâny  stâble  crâving  bâgel potâto  râzor'''  BrE '''vâpour''' AmE '''vâpor
'''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
'''â●e''': '''sâme, gâme, câme, sâve, bâse, trâce, pâce, crâve, lâser, hâver, râve, nâvel''' ''stomach''  '''Jâmes, hâzel, pâge, nâme, tâme, fâme, flâme, hâte, gâte''' ''open'', '''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'', '''wâve''' ''hand
'''âi''' before '''l''':  '''nâil  âil  quâil  fâil  wâil  tâil  tâilor  Tâylor
'''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 '''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''
before '''m''':  '''âim, clâim, mâim, clâim
'''trâit  trâitor 
 
before '''d''': '''âid, mâid, râid  
 
before '''g''': '''Crâig,  Hâig, Hâigh''' (= '''Hâgue''')


'''ây''' final: '''dây  sây  plây  jây  delây wây  trây  brây  hây  prây''' ''prayer'' '''slây''' ''kill
before '''t''':  '''gâit''' ''walk'', '''trâit,  trâitor 


before -'''er''': '''lâyer slâyer''' (but not '''prãyer''')
also: '''wâif, mâize, wâive''' ''dismiss


'''âe''': '''Gâelic''' ''Ireland'' '''Ísrâel  mâelstrom  phâeton
'''ây''' final: '''dây,  sây,  plây,  jây,  delây,  wây,  trây,  brây  hây,  prây''' ''prayer'', '''slây''' ''kill


'''âigh''': '''strâight  Hâight''' ''Ashbury''
before -'''er''': '''lâyer,  slâyer, gâinsâyer''' (but not '''prãyer''')
 
'''âe''': '''Gâelic''' ''Ireland'',  '''Ísrâel,  mâelstrom,  phâeton
 
'''âigh''': '''strâight, Hâight''' ''Ashbury''


'''âu''': '''gâuge
'''âu''': '''gâuge


'''eâ''': '''greât  breâk''' ''pieces, off
'''eâ''': '''greât, breâk''' ''pieces, off


'''èy''': '''thèy  grèy  Lèyton  whèy  fèy  prèy''' ''on
'''èy''': '''thèy, grèy, Lèyton, whèy, fèy, prèy''' ''on


'''èi''': '''vèin  vèil  bèige rèin''' ''ride   
'''èi''': '''vèin, vèil, bèige, rèin''' ''ride   


'''èigh''' final:  '''invèigh  nèigh  slèigh''' ''snow
'''èigh''' final:  '''invèigh, nèigh, slèigh''' ''snow


before '''t''':  '''wèight  frèight  èight
before '''t''':  '''wèight, frèight, èight


'''è●e''': '''crèpe
'''è●e''': '''crèpe


===[[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]] /əʊ/ ô  ôa  ôe  ô•e  ôu  ôugh  ôw  ew===
===[[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]] /əʊ/ gô: ô, ôa, ôe, ô•e, ôu, ôugh, ôw, ew===
 
'''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, Grôver, grôcer, vôter
 
-'''or''' substituted for -'''er''': '''rôtor, môtor, dônor
 
'''ô''' with [[Latin]]-style suffixes:     '''hôkum,  fôcus, hôcus-pôcus, côca, Rôma'''
 
plus '''y''', etc.:  '''pôny,  hôly, Tôny, dôzy,  rôly-pôly, nôsey,  bôgey,  phôney''' (or '''phony'''), '''Jôdie,  Jôdy, Jôni, Jôannie''', BrE '''côsy''', AmE '''côzy
 
'''ôw''': '''sôw''' ''seed'',  '''knôw''' ''knowledge'', '''slôw,  grôw,  bestôw,  flôw''' ''water'',  '''Ôwen,  môw,  lôw''' ''down'',  '''crôw,  thrôw,  glôw
 
final:  '''sô''' ''therefore'',  '''nô''' ''not'',  '''gô,  frô,  lô''' ''behold'',  '''cô-'''


In Yorkshire dialect this is pronounced as a pure /o/.
'''oûgh''': '''dôugh''' ''bread'',  '''althôugh,  thôugh


'''ô''' with [[Latin]]-style suffixes:     '''hôkum  fôcus  hôcus-pôcus'''
also: '''grôss, bôth
plus '''y''', etc.:  '''pôny  hôly Tôny dôzy  rôly-pôly nôsey  bôgey  phôney''' (or '''phony''') '''Jôdie  Jôni  ''' BrE '''côsy''' AmE '''côzy


final:  '''''' ''therefore''  '''nô''' ''not''  '''gô  frô  lô''' ''behold''  '''cô-'''
'''ôh''': '''ôh, dôh, sôh''' ''music''
before -'''ld''''''ôld  côld  gôld  hôld  sôld
also: '''grôss  pôll''' ''vote   
before '''l''', -'''ld''' (can be /ɒʊ/): '''pôll''' ''vote'', '''sôul, , ôld,  côld,  gôld,  hôld, sôld


'''ôh''': '''ôh dôh sôh''' ''music''
'''ôa''' before '''l''': '''fôal, gôal


'''ôa''': before '''t''':  '''gôat  côat  ôat  stôat  bôat  flôat
before '''t''':  '''gôat, côat, ôat, stôat, bôat, flôat
before '''k''':  '''clôak  ôak   
before '''k''':  '''clôak, ôak   
before '''d''':  '''gôad  tôad  rôad
before '''d''':  '''gôad, tôad, rôad
before '''f''':  '''ôaf  lôaf
before '''f''':  '''ôaf, lôaf
before '''m''': '''rôam''' ''wander'' (= '''Rôme''')  '''glôam
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
'''ew''': '''sew'''  ''needle


===[[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]] /aɪ/  î  îe  î●e  îgh  îg  ŷ  ŷ●e  ŷe  eî ===      
===[[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]] /aɪ/  tîe: 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
'''î''': '''Î''' ''me'', '''hî''' ''greeting'', '''crîsis, Îsis, Chrîst, fîery, wîry, shîny, tîny, lîme, sublîme
unstressed:  '''álibî  nûclêî  fránchîse  mërchandîse
unstressed:  '''álibî, nûclêî, fránchîse, mërchandîse


'''îe''' final:  '''vîe  lîe  dîe''' ''dead''  '''tîe
'''îe''' final:  '''vîe, lîe, dîe''' ''dead'', '''tîe


'''î●e''': '''îce  nîce  tîme  fîne  lîne  slîme  twîce  lîce  rîpe  swîpe  smîle  stîle''' ''field''
'''î●e''': '''îce, nîce, tîme, fîne, lîne, slîme, twîce, lîce, rîpe, swîpe, smîle, stîle''' ''field''
'''îgh''': final:  '''hîgh''' ''up''  '''sîgh  nîgh
'''îgh''': final:  '''hîgh''' ''up'', '''sîgh, nîgh
before '''t''':  '''tîght  frîght  brîght  nîght  plîght  sîght   
before '''t''':  '''tîght, frîght, brîght, nîght, plîght, sîght   
'''îg''' before '''n''':  '''sîgn  resîgn  desîgn
'''îg''' before '''n''':  '''sîgn, resîgn, desîgn


'''aî''' in place names: '''Caîro  Thaîland  Dubaî  Sînaî
'''aî''' in place names: '''Caîro, Thaîland, Dubaî, Sînaî


'''ŷ''': '''flŷ  bŷ  whŷ  trŷ  rhŷme  spŷ  drŷ  sprŷ  relŷ  denŷ  defŷ  stŷ''' ''pig, eye''
'''ŷ''': '''flŷ, , 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''')
from -'''îe''' before -'''íng''':  '''vŷing, lŷing, dŷing, tŷing'''  (from  '''vîe, lîe, dîe, tîe''', cf. '''trŷing, crŷing''')


'''ŷ●ê''': '''tŷpe  stŷle''' ''mode   
'''ŷ●ê''': '''tŷpe, stŷle''' ''mode   


'''ŷe''': '''stŷe eye  eŷe sight  aŷe yes  dŷe''' ''colour
'''ŷe''': '''stŷe''' ''eye'', '''eŷe''' ''sight'', '''aŷe''' ''yes'', '''dŷe''' ''colour


'''eî''': '''heîght  Fáhrenheît  seîsmic  O’Reîlly  feîsty'''  BrE '''eîther'''  BrE '''neîther'''
'''eî''': '''heîght, Fáhrenheît, seîsmic, O’Reîlly, feîsty''', BrE '''eîther''', BrE '''neîther'''


===[[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]] /aʊ/ òu òugh òw àù ào===
===[[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]] /aʊ/ nòw: òu, òugh, òw, àù, ào===


'''òu''': '''òut  fòul''' ''bad'' '''blòuse  tròusers  clòud  thòu  clòut  pròud  wòund''' ''wind'' '''gròund  mòunt  mòuntain  jòust  fòund  dòubt''' (*dòut) '''lòuse''' ''insect
Mostly '''òu''' and '''òw''', contrasting with the other sounds of these spellings, '''oû''' and '''ôw''' ('''yoû''' and '''thrôw'''). '''òu''' has a variation with silent -'''gh''' (as does '''oû''': '''throûgh'''):


'''òugh''' final: '''bòugh''' ''tree''  '''slòugh''' ''swamp'' = '''Slòugh''' ''town'' BrE '''plòugh'''  
'''òu''': '''òut,  fòul''' ''bad'', '''blòuse,  tròusers,  clòud,  thòu,  clòut,  pròud,  wòund''' ''wînd'''''gròund,  mòunt,  mòuntain,  jòust,  fòund,  dòubt''' (*dòut), '''lòuse''' ''insect


'''òw''' final:  '''hòw  nòw  còw  vòw  wòw  bòw''' ''down''  '''sòw''' ''pig''  AmE '''plòw
'''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 '''n''':  '''bròwn, tòwn, dòwn, fròwn, cròwn, dròwn, renòwn
before '''l''':  '''fòwl''' ''bird''  '''òwl  tròwel   
before '''l''':  '''fòwl''' ''bird'', '''òwl, tròwel   


before '''y''': '''dòwry  Lòwry Bòwery fròwsty
before '''y''': '''dòwry, Lòwry, Bòwery, fròwsty


'''àù''', from German, etc.: '''àùtobàhn sàùerkràùt Sàùdi Bíssàù Nàssàù
'''àù''', from German, etc.: '''àùtobàhn, sàùerkràùt, Sàùdi, Bíssàù, Nàssàù


'''ào''' from Chinese, etc.: '''Mào Tào Jào Làos''' ''country''
'''ào''' from Chinese, etc.: '''Mào, Tào, Jào, Làos''' ''country''


===[[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]] /ɔɪ/   ŏi  ŏy===
===[[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]] /ɔɪ/ bŏy: ŏi, ŏy===


'''ŏi''' before '''n''':  '''jŏin  cŏin  rejŏin  lŏin   
'''ŏi''' before '''n''':  '''jŏin, cŏin, rejŏin, lŏin   
before '''l''':  '''fŏil  bŏil  tŏil   
before '''l''':  '''fŏil, bŏil, tŏil,  spŏil
 
before '''ce''':  '''rejŏice,  vŏice  
before '''ce''':  '''rejŏice vŏice  
before '''st''':  '''clŏister, hŏist, jŏist
before '''st''':  '''clŏister hŏist jŏist
before '''t''': '''quŏits''',  BrE '''gŏitre''', AmE '''gŏiter
 
'''ŏy''' final: '''bŏy,  jŏy,  tŏy,  deplŏy,  Rŏy, Trŏy, destrŏy  
before '''t''': '''quŏits'''  BrE '''gŏitre''' AmE '''gŏiter
before '''st''':  '''ŏyster


'''ŏy''' final: '''bŏy  jŏy  tŏy  deplŏy  Rŏy Trŏy  destrŏy 
before '''l''': '''lŏyal, rŏyal
before '''st''': '''ŏyster lŏyal  rŏyal


===[[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]] /ɪə(r)/ êar  êer  êre  ìêr  êir===
===[[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]] /ɪə(r)/ êar: êar, êer, êre, ìêr, êir===


'''êar''': '''êar  hêar ear  nêar  têar cry  fêar  Pêarson  drêary  wêary  blêary'''
'''êar''': '''êar, hêar''' ''ear'', nêar, têar''' ''cry'', fêar, Pêarson, drêary, wêary, blêary'''


'''êer''': '''bêer  quêer  vêer  lêer  venêer  êerie
'''êer''': '''bêer, quêer, vêer, lêer, venêer, êerie


'''êre''': '''hêre''' ''there''  '''mêre  revêre wê’re''' ''we are
'''êre''': '''hêre''' ''there'', '''mêre, revêre, wê’re''' ''we are


'''ìêr''': '''tìêr''' ''seats''  '''frontìêr  piêrce
'''ìêr''': '''tìêr''' ''seats'', '''frontìêr, piêrce


'''êir''': '''wêird  wêir''' ''water''
'''êir''': '''wêird, wêir''' ''water''


===[[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]] /eə(r)/ ãre  ãir  ãyr  ãyer  éãr  ére===
===[[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]] /eə(r)/ rãre: ãre, ãir, ãyr, ãyer, éãr, ére===


'''ãre''': '''fãre''' ''money, food''  '''spãre  shãre  pãre''' ''cut''  '''bãre''' ''nude''  '''cãre  wãres''' ''goods''   
'''ãre''': '''fãre''' ''money, food'', '''spãre, shãre, pãre''' ''cut'', '''bãre''' ''nude'', '''cãre, wãres''' ''goods'',  
'''stãre''' ''look   
'''stãre''' ''look   


'''ãr''': before '''y''':  '''wãry  vãry  scãry  Mãry   
'''ãr''': before '''y''':  '''wãry, vãry, scãry, Mãry   


before '''i''':  '''vâriable  shãring   
before '''i''':  '''vâriable, shãring   


'''ãir''': final:  '''ãir''' ''breathe''  '''hãir  fãir''' ''reasonable, fun''  '''lãir  stãir''' ''step''  '''flãir
'''ãir''': final:  '''ãir''' ''breathe'', '''hãir, fãir''' ''reasonable, fun'', '''lãir, stãir''' ''step'', '''flãir
before '''y''':  '''fãiry  hãiry
before '''y''':  '''fãiry, hãiry


'''ãyr''': '''Ãyrshire
'''ãyr''': '''Ãyrshire


'''ãyer''': '''prãyer
'''ãyer''': '''prãyer, Ãyer, Ãyers'''; this spelling is normally -'''âyer''', however
 
'''éãr''': '''béãr''' ''animal, tolerate, carry'',  '''téãr''' ''rip'',  '''wéãr''' ''clothes'',  '''péãr''' ''fruit''


'''éãr''': '''béãr''' ''animal, tolerate, carry''  '''téãr''' ''rip''  '''wéãr''' ''clothes''  '''péãr''' ''fruit''
'''ére''': '''whére''' ''place'', '''thére''' ''here'', '''ére''' ''before''


'''ére''': '''whére''' ''place'' '''thére''' ''here'' '''ére''' ''before''
===[[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]] /(j)ʊə(r)/ pûre: ûre, ûr, eûr,  eŵr===


===[[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]] /(j)ʊə(r)/ ûre  ûr  eûr  eŵr===
'''ûre''': '''pûre,  cûre,  abjûre,  lûre, Ûre
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


'''ûr''': '''dûring dûrable cûrable  pûrest  fûry  fûrious  jûror  jûry''' ''court''  '''Ûrals  Arctûrus  Epicûrus  mûral
'''eûr''': '''neûron, neurótic, Eûrope


'''eûr''': '''neûron neurótic  Eûrope
'''eŵr''': '''Jeŵry''' ''Jew'', '''Neŵry


'''eŵr''': '''Jeŵry''' ''Jew''  '''Neŵry
/(j)ʊə(r)/ is absent in some dialects, which pronounce it as /(j)ɔ/.


===[[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]] /aɪə(r)/ îr  îar îer îre  ŷr  ŷre===
===[[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]] /aɪə(r)/ fîre: îr, îar, îer, îre, ŷr, ŷre===


'''îr''': '''fîry  wîry  îrony  Mîra  Hîram choîr
'''îr''': '''fîry, wîry, choîr''', and optionally (otherwise /aɪr/) in '''îrony, Mîra, Hîram


'''îre''': '''fîre  wîre  desîre  mîre  spîre  îre  irâte
'''îre''': '''fîre, wîre, desîre, mîre, spîre, îre, irâte


'''îar''':  '''lîar''' ''lie'' '''brîar
'''îar''':  '''lîar''' ''lie'', '''brîar


'''îer''': '''fîery
'''îer''': '''fîery


'''ŷr''' before '''a''':  '''gŷrate  Mŷra  tŷrant   
'''ŷr''' before '''a''':  '''gŷrate, Mŷra, tŷrant   
before '''o''':  '''gŷroscope  pyromânia  pyrotéchnic  tŷro   
before '''o''':  '''gŷroscope, pyromânia, pyrotéchnic, tŷro   


'''ŷre''': '''lŷre''' ''music''  '''pŷre
'''ŷre''': '''lŷre''' ''music'', '''pŷre


==Consonants==
==Consonants==
===[[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]] /p/ p  pp===
===[[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]] /p/ p, pp===


'''p''': '''píll,  pùt,  pâper,  hôped,  cláp,  píp,  stóp,  úp,  soûp,  droôp,  wêep,  peêp,  híp
'''p''': '''píll,  pùt,  pâper,  hôped,  cláp,  píp,  stóp,  úp,  soûp,  droôp,  wêep,  peêp,  híp
Line 447: Line 469:
'''pp''': '''pépper,  stópped,  hópped,  clápping,  rípper,  ápple,  rípple,  púppy,  cópper
'''pp''': '''pépper,  stópped,  hópped,  clápping,  rípper,  ápple,  rípple,  púppy,  cópper


===[[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]] /b/ b  bb===
===[[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]] /b/ b, bb===


'''b''': '''bŏy,  bâke,  bîcycle,  bâsin,  mób,  bàrber,  snób,  snúb,  húsband, róbin,  bíscuit,  bénd,  bāth,  ablâze,  âble,  troúble,  mâybe,  ôbôe
'''b''': '''bŏy,  bâke,  bîcycle,  bâsin,  mób,  bàrber,  snób,  snúb,  húsband, róbin,  bíscuit,  bénd,  bāth,  ablâze,  âble,  troúble,  mâybe,  ôbôe
Line 453: Line 475:
'''bb''': '''rúbber,  ríbbon,  ábbey,  ébb,  róbber,  dúbbed,  rábbit,  Bóbby,  búbble
'''bb''': '''rúbber,  ríbbon,  ábbey,  ébb,  róbber,  dúbbed,  rábbit,  Bóbby,  búbble


===[[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]] /t/ t  tt  bt  pt  ed th===
===[[International Phonetic Alphabet|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   
'''t''': '''tín,  tén,  toô,  trâin,  tót,  trîte,  tríp,  tâste,  déft,  bít,  hát,  côat,  bôat,  àrt,  tàrt,  flïrt,  átmosphere   


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'''th''': '''Kathmandû,  Ánthony''' (= '''Ántony''', a less common variant, as in '''[[Mark Antony|Màrk Ántony]]''')
'''th''': '''Kathmandû,  Ánthony''' (= '''Ántony''', a less common variant, as in '''[[Mark Antony|Màrk Ántony]]''')


===[[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]] /d/ d  dd===
===[[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]] /d/ d, dd===


'''d''': '''dím,  dénse,  dîce,  dúll,  rêad, réad = réd,  nêed,  stéady,  réady,  héad,  Êden,  lâden,  rámmed, fílled''' ('''ed''' not 't' after voiced sound, compare above)
'''d''': '''dím,  dénse,  dîce,  dúll,  rêad, réad = réd,  nêed,  stéady,  réady,  héad,  Êden,  lâden,  rámmed, fílled''' ('''ed''' not 't' after voiced sound, compare above)
Line 472: Line 494:
'''dd''': '''rúdder,  ádder,  ládder,  rúdder,  kídding,  ríddance,  Éddie,  dóddle,  gíddy
'''dd''': '''rúdder,  ádder,  ládder,  rúdder,  kídding,  ríddance,  Éddie,  dóddle,  gíddy


===[[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]] /k/ k  ck  c  cc  ch  cq  q  g  kk===
===[[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]] /k/ k, ck, c, cc, ch, cq, q, g, kk===


'''k''': '''kíll,  Kenneth,  boòk,  loòk,  dàrk,  mêek,  pêak,  àrk''' ''Noah'',  '''ínk,  thínk,  ránk
'''k''': '''kíll,  Kenneth,  boòk,  loòk,  dàrk,  mêek,  pêak,  àrk''' ''Noah'',  '''ínk,  thínk,  ránk
Line 497: Line 519:
'''kk''': '''púkka,  Dékker''' ''person
'''kk''': '''púkka,  Dékker''' ''person


===[[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]] /g/ g  gg===
===[[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]] /g/ g, gg===


'''g''': '''dóg,  gún,  bíg,  ángle,  fínger,  dângle,  ôgle,  pâgan,  flágon,  drágon,  bôgus
'''g''': '''dóg,  gún,  bíg,  ángle,  fínger,  dângle,  ôgle,  pâgan,  flágon,  drágon,  bôgus
Line 503: Line 525:
'''gg''': '''égg,  bígger,  nóggin,  dágger,  dígging,  flágging,  nágged,  bógged,  flógged
'''gg''': '''égg,  bígger,  nóggin,  dágger,  dígging,  flágging,  nágged,  bógged,  flógged


===[[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]] /tʃ/ ch tch c ===                                                                                                     
===[[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]] /tʃ/ ch, tch, c===                                                                                                     
'''ch''': '''choôse,  cheêse,  beêch''' ''tree'' = '''bêach''' ''sand'',  '''chóp,  cheêr,  lúnch,  châse  
'''ch''': '''choôse,  cheêse,  beêch''' ''tree'' = '''bêach''' ''sand'',  '''chóp,  cheêr,  lúnch,  châse  
   
   
Line 514: Line 536:
'''c''' in -'''ic''' ending of names from Serbian, etc.: '''Ivanísevic, Ivánovic, Pílic, Káradjic, Milósevic'''
'''c''' in -'''ic''' ending of names from Serbian, etc.: '''Ivanísevic, Ivánovic, Pílic, Káradjic, Milósevic'''


===[[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]] /dʒ/ j  dj  g  dg  gg ===        
also: '''céllo
'''j''': '''Jâne,  jélly,  Jáck,  jôke,  Jóhn,  Jônes,  Jím''' ''James'',  '''jërsey,  jejeûne,  jàr,  ajàr,  jêep,  Jûlie,  Julŷ,  môjo,  cajôle,  rejéct,  jíngle,  jángle,  júngle, jîbe
 
===[[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]] /dʒ/ j, dj, g, dg, gg, du, di===        
'''j''': '''Jâne,  jélly,  Jáck,  jôke,  Jóhn,  Jônes,  Jím''' ''James'',  '''jërsey''' = '''Jërsey,  jejeûne,  jàr,  ajàr,  jêep,  Jûlie,  Julŷ,  môjo,  cajôle,  rejéct,  jíngle,  jángle,  júngle, jîbe, jûry


'''dj''': '''adjúst,  adjöurn,  ádjective,  ádjúnct, Djiboûti,  Abidján
'''dj''': '''adjúst,  adjöurn,  ádjective,  ádjúnct, Djiboûti,  Abidján
Line 525: Line 549:
before '''y''':  '''gyrâte,  gŷroscope,  gým''' ''gymnasium'',  '''gýpsum
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
'''dg''' before '''e''':  '''brídge,  édge,  hédge,  bádger,  bádge,  búdge,  fúdge,  cúdgel,  dódge,  Hódges,  lódger,  fídget,  mídget,  dúdgeon,  búdgerigar, bádger
before '''i''':  '''cádging  lódging  búdgie
before '''i''':  '''cádging, lódging, búdgie
before '''y''':  '''pódgy  dódgy  édgy  púdgy
before '''y''':  '''pódgy, dódgy, édgy, púdgy


'''gg''': '''exággerate
'''gg''': '''exággerate
'''du''': '''dûring, duréss, dûal''' ''two'' = '''dûel''' ''fight'' (= '''jeŵel''' ''crown'') '''ŏrdure'''


'''di''': '''sôldier
'''di''': '''sôldier


'''du''': '''ŏrdure'''
===[[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]] /f/ f, ff, ph, gh, ft===
 
===[[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]] /f/ f  ff  ph  gh  ft===


'''f''': '''fêel,  frŷ,  frêe,  fróg,  fâke,  fâith,  óften,  déaf,  fít,  íf,  fŏrce,  fåll
'''f''': '''fêel,  frŷ,  frêe,  fróg,  fâke,  fâith,  óften,  déaf,  fít,  íf,  fŏrce,  fåll


'''ff''': '''óff,  éffort,  búffer,  óffal,  clíff,  stíff,  búff,  púff
'''ff''': '''óff,  éffort,  búffer,  óffal,  clíff,  stíff,  búff,  púff, óffer, óffing


'''ph''': '''Phílip,  grāph,  phâse,  élephant,  philósopher,  hîeroglýph
'''ph''': '''Phílip,  grāph,  phâse,  élephant,  philósopher,  hîeroglýph, zéphyr


'''gh''': after '''ou''':  '''toúgh,  enoúgh,  roúgh,  cóugh,  tróugh
'''gh''': after '''ou''':  '''toúgh,  enoúgh,  roúgh,  cóugh,  tróugh
Line 549: Line 573:
'''ft''': '''óften,  sóften
'''ft''': '''óften,  sóften


===[[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]] /v/ v  vv  f  ph===
===[[International Phonetic Alphabet|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
'''v''': '''vieŵ,  véry,  vãry,  shâve,  háve,  drîve,  vâgue,  vôte,  vâcant,  vîolent,  Stêven,  vāst,  vãrious,  avër,  còver,  hóver,  ôver,  léaven,  lêave,  wêave
Line 559: Line 583:
'''ph''': '''Stêphen
'''ph''': '''Stêphen


===[[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]] /θ/ unvoiced th ===
===[[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]] /θ/ unvoiced th===


'''thíck  thín  trûth  Rûth  rûthless  bréath  ûndernêath  thínk  píthy  ísthmus  bôth lôth''' or '''lôath  bréath  wrêath  déath
'''thíck, thín, trûth, Rûth, rûthless, bréath, ûndernêath, thínk, píthy, ísthmus, bôth, lôth''' or '''lôath, bréath, wrêath, déath, mòuth''' ''noun


===[[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]] /ð/ voiced  th dh===
This sound is absent from some dialects, which pronounce it as '''f'''.


'''th''': '''thén,  thére,  thís,  thát,  thús,  thôugh,  thêrefore,  òther,  bròther,  mòther,  wíth,  brêathe,  wrêathe,  lôathe,  clôthe'''  BrE '''eîther''' AmE '''êither, wéather''' ''clouds'' = '''whéther''' ''if''
===[[International Phonetic Alphabet|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'', '''mòuth''' ''verb


'''dh''': '''Rìyadh, édh
'''dh''': '''Rìyadh, édh


===[[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]] /s/ s  ss  sc  st  c  ps===
This sound is absent from some dialects, which pronounce it as '''v'''.


'''s''': '''sêe  såw  sêen  sôap  séven  séptic  sêrial drama  sŏurce  spécial  ûse''' ''noun'' '''ûsage  āsk  flāsk tāsk bāsk désk whísk dúsk
===[[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]] /s/ s, ss, sc, st, c, ps===


'''ss''': '''máss lóss drôss grôss méssy véssel hássle guéss dréss kíss híss
'''s''': '''sêe, såw, sêen, sôap, séven, séptic, sêrial''' ''drama'',  '''sŏurce,  spécial,  ûse''' ''noun'', '''ûsage,  āsk,  flāsk,  tāsk, bāsk, désk, whísk, dúsk


'''sc''' '''scêne scéptre coalésce acquiésce'''
'''ss''': '''máss, lóss, drôss, grôss,  méssy,  véssel,  hássle,  guéss,  dréss,  kíss,  híss


'''st''': '''whístle lísten grístle mústn’t  hâsten  hústle  bústle  fāsten  cāstle
'''sc''' '''scêne, scéptre, coalésce, acquiésce'''


'''c''' before front vowels: '''nîce îce fâce cêreal''' ''breakfast'' '''spâcy lícit âce
'''st''': '''whístle,  lísten,  grístle, mústn’t, hâsten, hústle, bústle, fāsten, cāstle


'''ps''': '''pseûd psychólogy psŷche
'''c''' before front vowels: '''nîce,  îce,  fâce,  cêreal''' ''breakfast'', '''spâcy, lícit, âce


===[[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]] /z/ z zz s===
'''ps''': '''pseûd, psychólogy, psŷche


'''z''': '''zoô  zône  zíp  hâzel  prétzel  ôzone  ádze dôze''' AmE '''côzy râzor
===[[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]] /z/ z, zz, s===


'''zz''': '''búzz fízz dázzle púzzle núzzle jázz whízz búzzer  
'''z''': '''zoô, zône, zíp, hâzel, prétzel, ôzone, ádze, dôze''', AmE '''côzy, râzor


'''s''': '''ûse verb êasy nôse nâsal lâser''' BrE '''côsy pôsy pôse lâser
'''zz''': '''búzz, fízz, dázzle, púzzle, núzzle, jázz, whízz, búzzer  


===[[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]] /ʃ/ sh ss sch s ch ce ci ti xi===
'''s''': '''ûse''' ''verb'', '''êasy, nôse, nâsal, lâser''', BrE '''côsy, pôsy, pôse, lâser


'''sh''': '''shíp  shóp  shoôt  shín  shîne  blúsh  mésh  dísh  ẁash  ásh  áshen  fáshion  shéd  shélter
There is an invisible '''z''' sound when the possessives of certain nouns, usually names, are written without the final -'''s''' after an apostrophe itself preceded by '''s''': '''Jônes'''' for '''Jônes's''', '''Kêats'''' instead of '''Kêats's''', '''Wílls'''' = '''Wílls's''', even '''Knóx'''' instead of '''Knóx's'''—though some speakers may adopt a [[spelling pronunciation]] and not sound it either


'''ss''': before '''i''': '''pássion  físsion  míssion
===[[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]] /ʃ/ sh,  ssi,  sch,  s,  ch,  ce,  ci,  ti,  xi===
 
'''sh''': '''shíp,  shóp,  shoôt,  shín,  shîne,  blúsh,  mésh,  dísh,  ẁash,  ásh,  áshen,  fáshion,  shéd,  shélter
 
'''ssi''':   '''pássion, físsion, míssion
before '''u''':  '''assůre préssure
'''ss''' before '''u''':  '''assůre, préssure


'''sch''': '''schwà  schnápps  schmåltz   
'''sch''': '''schwà, schnápps, schmåltz   


'''s''': AmE '''sûre  insûre'''  BrE '''sůre  insůre'''
'''s''': AmE '''sûre, insûre''', BrE '''sůre, insůre'''


'''Si''' from [[Welsh]] and [[Irish]]: '''Siàn Siobhăn''' *Shivăwn
'''Si''' from [[Welsh]] and [[Irish language|Irish]]: '''Siàn, Siobhăn''' *Shivăwn


'''Se''' from Irish: '''Seăn''' (= '''Shăwn''', '''Shăun''')
'''Se''' from Irish: '''Seăn''' (= '''Shăwn''', '''Shăun''')


'''ch''' from French:  '''machìne  nîche  pastîche'''  BrE '''moustàche''' AmE '''mústáche''' '''gauche''' (ô)  '''brôchure'''  '''créche'''  '''panáche  Míchigan'''
'''ch''' from French:  '''machìne, nîche, pastîche''', BrE '''moustàche''', AmE '''mústáche''', '''gauche''' (ô), '''brôchure''', '''créche''', '''panáche, Míchigan'''


'''ce''': '''ôcean  crustâcean
'''ce''': '''ôcean, crustâcean


'''ci''': '''spêcies spêcious  précious  vícious
'''ci''': '''spêcies, spêcious, précious, vícious


'''ti''': '''fíction  áction  nôtion  devôtion  môtion  lôtion  complêtion  fictítious
'''ti''': '''fíction, áction, nôtion, devôtion, môtion, lôtion, complêtion, fictítious, milítia


'''xi''' includes an initial  'k' sound: '''nóxious''' (*nókshəss)  '''ánxious''' (*ánkshəss)
'''xi''' includes an initial  'k' sound: '''nóxious''' (*nókshəss), '''ánxious''' (*ánkshəss)


===[[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]] /ʒ/ zh  zu  si  su  g===
===[[International Phonetic Alphabet|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''':
Though most conveniently described as the '''zh''' sound, as this is the spelling used when romanising from Russian, etc., it is not normally spelt thus, '''si''' being the most frequent rendition.  In French the sound is common and rendered with a '''j''':


'''j''':        '''joie de vivre''' *zhwàdvìvrə '''le mot juste'''  *ləmô-zhûst   
'''j''':        '''joie de vivre''' *zhwàdə-vìvrə, '''le mot juste'''  *ləmô-zhûst   


'''zh''': '''Brézhnev Solzhenýtzin Yoûzhny
'''zh''': '''Brézhnev, Solzhenýtzin, Yoûzhny


'''zu''': '''ázure sêizure
'''zu''': '''ázure, sêizure


'''si''': '''vísion  télevision  cohêsion  lêsion  Âsian
'''si''': '''vísion, télevision, cohêsion, lêsion, Âsian


'''su''' in -'''sure''': '''pléasure  tréasure'''  AmE '''lêisure''' BrE '''léisure clôsure   
'''su''' in -'''sure''': '''pléasure, tréasure''', AmE '''lêisure''' BrE '''léisure, clôsure   


'''g''' from French: '''Nigér
'''g''' from French: '''Nigér, ágent provocateur''' *ájahmprovoca-tër (AmE -tûr)


===[[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]] /h/    h  wh===
===[[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]] /h/    h, wh===


'''h''': '''hélp  hít  heáven  héll  hàrbour  hôme  hórror  hórrible  hôpe  ahéad  ahŏy  àhà  Mahôney  enhānce  Hárris  Hámpstead  háppen  hápless
'''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
'''wh''': '''who''' (*hû), '''whôle, whoôping-cóugh


===[[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]] /m/ m  mm  mb  mn===
This sound is absent from some dialects, such as Cockney.


'''m''': '''múch  môst  Mîchael''' (*Mŷcle) '''émpty  mén  míx  glámour  ámber  ámble  whím  dímple  crúmple  crúmble  húmble  ámber  ámplify woman''' (*wùmən) '''women''' (*wímən) '''mémory
===[[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]] /m/ m, mm, mb, mn===


'''mm''': '''hámmer dímmer glímmer jámming swímming swímmer símmer  púmmel búmmer súmmer
'''m''': '''múch, môst, Mîchael''' (*Mŷcle), '''émpty,  mén,  míx,  glámour,  ámber,  ámble,  whím,  dímple,  crúmple, crúmble, húmble, ámber,  ámplify, woman''' (*wùmən), '''women''' (*wímən), '''mémory


'''mb''' final: '''thúmb cômb dúmb lámb clîmb tomb''' (*toôm) '''plúmb
'''mm''': '''hámmer, dímmer, glímmer, jámming, swímming, swímmer,  símmer,  púmmel,  búmmer, súmmer


'''mn''' final:  '''åutumn hýmn cólumn
'''mb''' final:  '''thúmb, cômb, dúmb,  lámb,  clîmb,  tomb''' (*toôm)  '''plúmb


===[[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]] /n/ n nn kn pn===
'''mn''' final: '''åutumn, hýmn,  cólumn


'''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''
===[[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]] /n/ n, nn, kn, pn===


'''nn''': '''Ánn Ánne dínner ínnings pénny ínner púnning wínner fúnnel túnnel'''
'''n''': '''nô''' ''negative'', '''neŵ''' ''old'',  '''nót''' ''negative'',  '''nîght''' ''day'', '''nêed''' ''require'', '''néver,  níl,  énemy, sént, nâtive, nôbody, nô-one, noôn, noôdle, nûisance, nést, nâve''' ''church''


'''kn''': '''knôw''' ''knowledge'' '''kneŵ''' ''know'' '''knót''' ''tie'' '''knîght''' ''chess, Sir'' '''knêad''' ''dough'' '''knêe''' '''knâve''' ''jack''
'''nn''': '''Ánn,  Ánne, dínner,  ínnings,  pénny,  ínner,  púnning,  wínner, fúnnel, túnnel'''


'''pn''': '''pneumátic pneumônia
'''kn''': '''knôw''' ''knowledge'', '''kneŵ''' ''know'', '''knót''' ''tie'', '''knîght''' ''chess, Sir'', '''knêad''' ''dough'', '''knêe''', '''knâve''' ''jack''


===[[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]] /ŋ/ ng  n===
'''pn''': '''pneumátic, pneumônia
The '''ng''' sound is a [[restricted phoneme]], meaning it cannot appear in certain places. It cannot begin a syllable (except in transcriptions of e.g. Vietnamese names) and so is not found initially, only medially and finally:


finally: '''thíng  síng  sáng súng  sínger  hánger''' ''coat''  '''hángar''' ''plane''  '''wíng  spríng  lóng
===[[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]] /ŋ/ ng, n===
A [[restricted phoneme]], the '''ng''' sound does not begin syllables except in transcriptions of e.g. Vietnamese names, and so is not normally found initially, only medially and finally:


the '''g''' sound added afterwards: '''lónger''' (*lóng-ger)  '''fínger  ánger  húnger  ángle  síngle  dángle  Bángra
finally: '''thíng,  síng,  sáng,  súng,  sínger,  hánger''' ''coat'',  '''hángar''' ''plane'',  '''wíng,  spríng,  lóng
 
the '''g''' sound added afterwards: '''lónger''' (*lóng-ger), '''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
'''n''' before '''k''':  '''thínk, pínk, ínk, wínk, sínk, sánk, súnk, púnk, tánk, dánk, tánker, pínker, ánkle, wínkle, tínkle, línks''' ''link
 
before '''c''': '''úncle,  càrbuncle,  ráncour,  sánction,  júnction, zínc
before '''c''': '''úncle  càrbuncle  ráncour  sánction  júnction
before '''x''': '''ánxious''' (*ángshus or *ángkshus), '''mínx, jínx, lýnx''' ''cat
 
before '''x''': '''ánxious
In final position, this sound is absent from some dialects, where it is pronounced as '''n'''.


===[[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]] /l/ l  ll===
===[[International Phonetic Alphabet|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
'''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
'''ll''': '''bùll, bùlly, wåll, åll, téll, dóll, pôll''' ''election'', '''séll''' ''buy'' = '''céll''' ''prison, biology'', '''wíll, wílling, hóller, tåller, álley, allót, álloy


===[[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]] /r/ r  rr  rh  wr===
===[[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]] /r/ r, rr, rh, wr===


'''r''': '''rêad  réd colour  réad reading  réady  rót  rãre  rôads''' ''streets''  '''rāther  rîce  ríddle  rôdeo  rôad  rêcent  ràther   
'''r''': '''rêad, réd''' ''colour'', '''réad''' ''reading'', '''réady, rót, rãre, rôads''' ''streets'', '''rāther, rîce, ríddle, '''AmE''' rôdeo, '''BrE''' rodèo, rôad, rêcent, ràther   


'''rr''': '''árrow  fúrrow  farràgo  sórrow sórry  mérry  shérry  whérry  bérry  hérring  Mórris  érror  pórridge  Hárry  fürry'''  BrE '''wòrry'''  AmE '''wörry
'''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
'''rh''': '''rhŷme, rhýthm, rhétoric, rhêsus, Rhôdes''' ''name, Greece'', '''rhôdedéndron


'''wr''': '''wrîte  wrén  wrêak  wrŏught  wrést''' ''fight''  '''wréstle  wrínkle  awrŷ
'''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.
AmE pronounces '''r''' before a consonant and finally in words like '''àrm''', '''hürt''' and '''ŏrder'''; BrE does not.
Line 690: Line 724:
Sometimes a phantom final 'r' can be heard between two vowels, one ending, the other beginning, a word: '''Índia'''(r)'''and Srì Lánka'''
Sometimes a phantom final 'r' can be heard between two vowels, one ending, the other beginning, a word: '''Índia'''(r)'''and Srì Lánka'''


===[[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]] /j/ y===
===[[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]] /j/ y, i===
'''y''': '''yéllow  yoúng  yét  yoûth  yôke ox  yôlk egg  låwyer  såwyer
'''y''': '''yéllow, yoúng, yét, yoûth, yôke''' ''ox'', '''yôlk''' ''egg'', '''låwyer, såwyer, Myánmàr, Líbya
 
'''i''': '''ònion, mínion, míllion, Wílliam


invisible before '''û''':  '''ûse  tûne  beaûtiful  mûte  mûsic  cûte  cûticle  ukelèlê
invisible before '''û''':  '''ûse, tûne, beaûtiful, mûte, mûsic, cûte, cûticle, ukelèlê


===[[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]] /w/ w  wh  u  h ===
===[[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]] /w/ w, wh, u, ou, h===


'''w''': '''wéll  woòd  wísh  awây  wònder  wíll  wéather''' ''sunny''  '''ẁant  ẁash  aẁash  wâve  wãry  wòrry''' (AmE '''wörry''') '''ẁaddle  ẁander  wónky
'''w''': '''wéll, woòd, wísh, awây, wònder, wíll, wéather''' ''sunny'', '''ẁant, ẁash, aẁash, wâve, wãry, '''BrE '''wòrry''', AmE '''wörry''', '''ẁaddle, ẁander, wónky


'''wh''' (pronounced 'hw' in AmE): '''ẁhat  whén  whére  whŷ  whénce  whéther''' ''if''  '''whíp  whístle  whîte
'''wh''' (pronounced '''hw''' in some AmE, Scottish English, etc., where it is regarded by some phoneticians as a distinct phoneme): '''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
'''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)
from Spanish:  '''Nicarágua''' (-ágwa or -ágyûa), '''iguàna, marijuàna''' (*marry-yoû-wànə)


'''h''' in two Hebraic names:  '''Côhen  Ménuhin
'''ou''' from French, initial in '''Ouagadoûgou''' (Wág-), '''Ouattara''' (various '''a'''s stressed)


'''ou''' from French, initial in '''Ouagadoûgou''' (Wág-)
'''h''' in two Hebraic names:  '''Côhen,  Ménuhin


===[[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]] /χ/ kh ch ===
===[[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]] /χ/ kh, ch, gh===
distinguished by some speakers from /k/:
distinguished by some speakers from /k/:


'''kh''': '''shèikh  Khàlid  Khayyám
'''kh''': '''shèikh, Khàlid, Khayyám


'''ch''': '''lóch  Bàch  Búchan  Buchánan
'''ch''': '''lóch, Bàch, Búchan, Buchánan


===[[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]] /ks/  x  xc  ks  kes  cks  cs  ches  chs===
'''gh''':      '''lóugh'''
 
===[[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]] /ks/  x, xc, ks, kes, cks, cs, ches, chs===
The grapheme '''x''' combines the phonemes /k/ and /s/. This is /gz/ for some [[American English|AmE]] speakers in some words, for example '''exáct'''.
The grapheme '''x''' combines the phonemes /k/ and /s/. This is /gz/ for some [[American English|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
'''x''': '''láx, tóxic, Níxon, wáx, wáxen, óx, óxen, píxie, táxi, bóx, bóxes, míx, séx, áxle, Téxas, México, hôax, extrême, Tríxie, Díxie, fáx''' (= '''fácts''', whence it is derived), '''máximum, Báxter
 
'''xc''': '''éxcellent excél excépt  excéss


'''chs''': in names from German:  '''Óchs''' (= '''óx''') '''Fùchs
'''xc''': '''éxcellent,  excél,  excépt, excéss


Accidental in plurals:
'''chs''': in names from German:  '''Óchs''' (= '''óx'''),  '''Fùchs''', or accidental in plurals: '''tríptychs


'''ks''': '''bàrks  loòks  hoòks  spoôks  tålks  wålks  boòks  sêeks  fôlksy
Also accidental in plurals:


'''kes''': '''tâkes sâkes bâkes câkes jôkes lîkes êkes nûkes blôkes
'''ks''': '''bàrks, loòks, hoòks, spoôks, tålks, wålks, boòks, sêeks, fôlksy


'''cks''': '''sócks pícks trícks pécks knócks búcks tícks''' ''marks''
'''kes''': '''tâkes, sâkes, bâkes, câkes, jôkes, lîkes, êkes,  nûkes,  blôkes


'''cs''': '''àrcs tícs''' ''nervous''
'''cks''': '''sócks, pícks,  trícks,  pécks,  knócks,  búcks,  tícks''' ''marks''


'''ches''': '''âches héadaches
'''cs''': '''àrcs, tícs''' ''nervous'', '''mathemátics, lûnatics, mâniacs, médics, geriátrics, pediátrics, holístics


Other double consonants, such as '''ts''' and '''ps''', which are phonemes in some languages, also occur accidentally, as in '''géts''' and '''cŏrpse'''.
'''ches''': '''âches, héadaches


[[Category:CZ Live]]
*Other double consonants, such as '''ts''' and '''ps''', which are phonemes in some languages, also occur accidentally, as in '''géts''' and '''cŏrpse'''[[Category:Suggestion Bot Tag]]

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In phonology, a phoneme is a distinct unit of sound (phone) by means of which words are distinguished, and spellings are ways of writing these sounds. English phonemes have different spellings depending on a word's provenance and history.

In the following list, the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) symbol for each phoneme is shown first, followed by all its spellings, or graphemes, and a number of examples of each. Where those examples are few, it is because the spelling is rare and they are the only ones.

The pronunciations are those of the language's two main varieties: American English (AmE), where r is pronounced before a consonant, and British and Commonwealth 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. Respellings use typical unambiguous spellings using the normal alphabet plus schwa (ə).

Vowels and diphthongs

IPA /i:/ as in sêa: 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 AmE (BrE has mêter for the machine, but mêtre for the distance), 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

: stressed, from Greek (BrE; AmE has ê alone): Aêschylus, encyclopaêdia; unstressed in Latin plurals: nébulae, nôvae, fŏrmulae

: BrE (AmE has ê alone) from Greek: Oêdipus, amoêba, foêtus, oêstrogen, oenólogy, subpoêna

ì: from French: machìne, Christìne, magazìne, nìche, elìte

: normally unstressed: fúnny, sílly, crâzy, lâzy, êasy, wítty, dextérity, Yvétte, Yvónne; rarely stressed: Lỳón, Lỳse, Mervỳna

êỳ: unstressed: nôsey, pôsey, láckey, jóckey, balôney, álley, Hàrvey

êo: pêople

IPA /ɪ/ sít: í, ý, u, o, e, ', eí, íe

This is one of the six short vowel sounds, á, é, í, ó, ú and ù, that never occur finally.

í: sít, fít, sítter, fítter, fítting, bít, líd, híd, bíd, stíll, bíll = Bíll, Wílliam, 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, after 'z' sound: Jôneses, Bíggses, after 'ss' sound: Báxes, táxes, cópses, fléxes

: unstressed, after 'z' sound: jázz's, Jônes’s, Bíggs’s, after 'ss' sound: Báx’s, Bíx's, Díx's, Éssex's, Grāss's

: unstressed -feít: còunterfeít, fŏrfeít, sürfeít

íe: unstressed: pàrtíes, fámilíes, lórríes, cárríes, cárríed, márríed, pólicíes

IPA /e/ béd: é, éa, ai, u

This is one of the six short vowel sounds, á, é, í, ó, ú and ù, that never occur finally.

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/ cát: á

This is one of the six short vowel sounds, á, é, í, ó, ú and ù, that never occur finally.

fát, cát, sát, mát, Ánthony, ánt, bág, dágger, fán, pán, áttic, spásm, cáttle, brásh, ásh, válve, válue, Sálly

redundant i in: pláit

redundant e in Gáelic Scotland = Gállic France (cf. Gâelic Ireland)

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/ càr: à, àr, àl, ó

This sound replaces the BrE-only sound of ó in American English. Words with à in both British and American are:

à: fàther, Chicàgo, Coloràdo, AmE pajàmas, BrE pyjàmas, Tuvàlu, 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 = Màrr, bàr, càr, vàrnish, pàrk, màrvel, stàr, scàr, bizàrre, hàrm, àrm, fàr, càrt, fàrmer, scàr, pàrt, màrk, stàrch, pàrch, màrch, hàrd, gàrden, làrge

/ɑ/ (à) v. /æ/ (á)

The following are pronounced á in AmE but à in BrE (some Northern BrE has a shorter á, however):

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

IPA /ɒ/ dóg: ó

This is one of the six short vowel sounds, á, é, í, ó, ú and ù, that never occur finally. It is 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. Also, in AmE, Stefón is a variant spelling of Stefàn.)

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 : ẁant, ẁas, ẁash, ẁasp, ẁarren, ẁander, ẁarrant

after ẁh: ẁhat

after sẁ: sẁap, sẁan, sẁab, sẁamp

after : qùantity, qùantum, qùad, qùash, sqùash, sqùad, sqùabble

  • Words that have the pattern -or- or -orr- followed by another vowel have the above sound in British English but the following sound in American. Example are BrE hórrible, hórror, tórrid, órifice, tomórrow, sórry, where in all cases the ó is ŏ in AmE.

IPA /ɔ/ såw: å, åw, åu, åugh, ŏr, ŏre, ŏrps, ŏor, ŏa, ŏur, ŏugh

The r that often occurs after this sound as ŏr is silent in BrE before a consonant, but sounded in AmE.

å: wåter, ålso, Målvern, Sålisbury (*Sålzbry), unstressed in althôugh

before lk: chålk, tålk, stålk, wålk, bålk

before ll: åll, fåll, tåll, båll, apåll, påll, cåll

before lt: ålter, fålter, Wålter, hålt, sålt, 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, Våughan = Våughn, Måugham

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, brŏadcast

ŏar: ŏar boat, bŏar animal, sŏar fly

ŏur: fŏur, pŏur, mŏurn, tŏurnament

ŏugh: fŏught, bŏught, sŏught, brŏught

  • Some words that have this sound in American English have ó in British English. All involve a following r. See the end of the preceding section for examples.

IPA /ʊ/ pùt: ù, oò, oùl, où, o

This is one of the six short vowel sounds, á, é, í, ó, ú and ù, that never occur finally. It is BrE only: AmE replaces this sound with a stressed schwa, /ə/.

ù: pùt, fùll, pùsh, bùsh, bùll, pùll, cùshion

: goòd, woòd, soòt, foòt, woòl

oùl: shoùld, coùld, woùld

: poùffe

o: woman, wolf

IPA /(j)u:/ trûe: û, ûe, û●e, ûi, oû, oûgh, oô, eŵ, ŵ, o

The long û grapheme repesents two phonemes, /uː/ and /juː/, 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, trûth, Rûth

ûe: flûe chimney, trûe, blûe colour, glûe, cûe drama, billiards = queûe wait (*kyû)

û•e: Jûne, jûte, flûte, tûne, dûpe, Drûse, fûneral

ûi: frûit, jûice, slûice, crûise

: groûp, soûp, coûp hit (= coô)

oûgh: throûgh

: oôh, shoô, soôn, foôd, broôd, foôl, schoôl, toôl, moôn, troôp, loôp, droôp, loôse, choôse, groôvy, loôt, toô also, much, coô bird

: neŵ, neŵs, vieŵ, cheŵ, revieŵ, Jeŵ, bleŵ blow

ŵ: unstressed in Rwánda

ŵo: tŵo 2

o: do, who (*hû) shoe, lose, move, prove, to particle

IPA /ʌ/ cúp: ú, oú, ò, òo

This is one of the six short vowel sounds, á, é, í, ó, ú and ù, that never occur finally. It is BrE only: in AmE, it is replaced by a stressed schwa, /ə/, while in demotic 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

: 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:/ hër: ër, ëar, ïr, ür, ÿr, ör, öur

As with the preceding, this sound does not exist in American English, being replaced by a stressed version of schwa, always with the -r sounded. Many African English speakers also do not use it, replacing it with à (r silent).

ër: hër, 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 (BrE cúrrent), cürtsey

ÿr: mÿrtle, mÿrrh, Bÿrd

ör: only after w: wörld, wörk, wörse, wörst, wörm, wörd, AmE wörry (BrE wòrry)

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, and in Australian and New Zealand English, i, with or without a following r (which is silent in British and Commonwealth English if not followed by another vowel). It also appears as y in Béryl, Síbyl and síbyllîne—and it can be invisible before liquids (i.e. r and l). It even appears as ough in British English: thòrough (*thúrra, AmE *thürrôw).

First syllable: agô, ahéad, abòut, again (*əgén), abòve, upón and in names beginning Mac- such as MacNêill—or with the a invisible: McNêill (*Məcnêəl); and monosyllables, in which schwa is the only vowel: a (schwa alone, weak form of indefinite article that has the rare strong form â) = uh (schwa alone, silent h: American version of brief hesitation word) = er (schwa alone, silent r: British version of same, though this combination can also represent a longer hesitation ër) = are (in British English schwa alone, weak form of àre, r pronounced in American here and in following) = or (in British schwa alone, weak form of ŏr); for (weak form of fŏr), were (BrE *wə, AmE *wər, weak form of wëre), to (weak form of to *tû = toô = two), your (weak form of yŏur, sometimes spelt yer), sir (weak form of sïr, especially in names such as Sir Jóhn), and huh (mostly American, h sound + schwa sound)

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

As a word becomes more common, a schwa contained in it may be elided into silence: compare nôtional, which has a schwa for the second o, *nôshənəl, with the much more common nátional, which is usually heard without it: *náshnəl.

There is an unwritten ("invisible") schwa before the liquid sounds r (even silent r as in BrE) and l, as in cãre (which rhymes with prãyer), 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 (*Nêəl), líttle (as -le), céntre (as -re, BrE, AmE -er).

An unusual invisible schwa is found in Mnûchin *Mənûchin.

IPA /eɪ/ sây: â, âi, ây, â●e, âe, âigh, âu, eâ, èy, èi, èigh, è●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 open, 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, wâve hand

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

before d: âid, mâid, râid

before g: Crâig, Hâig, Hâigh (= Hâgue)

before t: gâit walk, trâit, trâitor

also: wâif, mâize, wâive dismiss

ây final: dây, sây, plây, jây, delây, wây, trây, brây hây, prây prayer, slây kill

before -er: lâyer, slâyer, gâinsâyer (but not prãyer)

âe: Gâelic Ireland, Ísrâel, mâelstrom, phâeton

âigh: strâight, Hâight Ashbury

âu: gâuge

: 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/ gô: ô, ôa, ôe, ô•e, ôu, ôugh, ôw, ew

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, Grôver, grôcer, vôter

-or substituted for -er: rôtor, môtor, dônor

ô with Latin-style suffixes: hôkum, fôcus, hôcus-pôcus, côca, Rôma

plus y, etc.: pôny, hôly, Tôny, dôzy, rôly-pôly, nôsey, bôgey, phôney (or phony), Jôdie, Jôdy, Jôni, Jôannie, BrE côsy, AmE côzy

ôw: sôw seed, knôw knowledge, slôw, grôw, bestôw, flôw water, Ôwen, môw, lôw down, crôw, thrôw, glôw

final: therefore, not, gô, frô, lô behold, cô-

oûgh: dôugh bread, althôugh, thôugh

also: grôss, bôth

ôh: ôh, dôh, sôh music

before l, -ld (can be /ɒʊ/): pôll vote, sôul, , ôld, côld, gôld, hôld, sôld

ôa before l: fôal, gôal

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

ew: sew needle

IPA /aɪ/ tîe: î, îe, î●e, îgh, îg, ŷ, ŷ●e, ŷe, eî

î: Î me, 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

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

: heîght, Fáhrenheît, seîsmic, O’Reîlly, feîsty, BrE eîther, BrE neîther

IPA /aʊ/ nòw: òu, òugh, òw, àù, ào

Mostly òu and òw, contrasting with the other sounds of these spellings, and ôw (yoû and thrôw). òu has a variation with silent -gh (as does : throûgh):

òu: òut, fòul bad, blòuse, tròusers, clòud, thòu, clòut, pròud, wòund wînd, gròund, mòunt, mòuntain, jòust, fòund, dòubt (*dòut), lòuse insect

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

before y: dòwry, Lòwry, Bòwery, fròwsty

àù, from German, etc.: àùtobàhn, sàùerkràùt, Sàùdi, Bíssàù, Nàssàù

ào from Chinese, etc.: Mào, Tào, Jào, Làos country

IPA /ɔɪ/ bŏy: ŏi, ŏy

ŏi before n: jŏin, cŏin, rejŏin, lŏin

before l: fŏil, bŏil, tŏil, spŏil

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

before l: lŏyal, rŏyal

IPA /ɪə(r)/ êar: 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)/ rãre: 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, fun, lãir, stãir step, flãir

before y: fãiry, hãiry

ãyr: Ãyrshire

ãyer: prãyer, Ãyer, Ãyers; this spelling is normally -âyer, however

éãr: béãr animal, tolerate, carry, téãr rip, wéãr clothes, péãr fruit

ére: whére place, thére here, ére before

IPA /(j)ʊə(r)/ pûre: ûre, ûr, eûr, eŵr

ûre: pûre, cûre, abjûre, lûre, Ûre

ûr: dûring, dûrable, cûrable, pûrest, fûry, fûrious, jûror, jûry court, Ûrals, Arctûrus, Epicûrus, mûral

eûr: neûron, neurótic, Eûrope

eŵr: Jeŵry Jew, Neŵry

/(j)ʊə(r)/ is absent in some dialects, which pronounce it as /(j)ɔ/.

IPA /aɪə(r)/ fîre: îr, îar, îer, îre, ŷr, ŷre

îr: fîry, wîry, choîr, and optionally (otherwise /aɪr/) in îrony, Mîra, Hîram

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, báttle, 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 Màrk Ántony)

IPA /d/ d, dd

d: dím, dénse, dîce, dúll, rêad, réad = réd, nêed, stéady, réady, héad, 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 person, 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' only: 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 person

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, besmïrch

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

also: céllo

IPA /dʒ/ j, dj, g, dg, gg, du, di

j: Jâne, jélly, Jáck, jôke, Jóhn, Jônes, Jím James, jërsey = Jërsey, jejeûne, jàr, ajàr, jêep, Jûlie, Julŷ, môjo, cajôle, rejéct, jíngle, jángle, júngle, jîbe, jûry

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, bádger

before i: cádging, lódging, búdgie

before y: pódgy, dódgy, édgy, púdgy

gg: exággerate

du: dûring, duréss, dûal two = dûel fight (= jeŵel crown) ŏrdure

di: sôldier

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, óffer, óffing

ph: Phílip, grāph, phâse, élephant, philósopher, hîeroglýph, zéphyr

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, mòuth noun

This sound is absent from some dialects, which pronounce it as f.

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, mòuth verb

dh: Rìyadh, édh

This sound is absent from some dialects, which pronounce it as v.

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

There is an invisible z sound when the possessives of certain nouns, usually names, are written without the final -s after an apostrophe itself preceded by s: Jônes' for Jônes's, Kêats' instead of Kêats's, Wílls' = Wílls's, even Knóx' instead of Knóx's—though some speakers may adopt a spelling pronunciation and not sound it either

IPA /ʃ/ sh, ssi, sch, s, ch, ce, ci, ti, xi

sh: shíp, shóp, shoôt, shín, shîne, blúsh, mésh, dísh, ẁash, ásh, áshen, fáshion, shéd, shélter

ssi: pássion, físsion, míssion

ss 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, milítia

xi includes an initial 'k' sound: nóxious (*nókshəss), ánxious (*ánkshəss)

IPA /ʒ/ zh, zu, si, su, g

Though most conveniently described as the zh sound, as this is the spelling used when romanising from Russian, etc., it is not normally spelt thus, si being the most frequent rendition. In French the sound is common and rendered with a j:

j: joie de vivre *zhwàdə-vìvrə, 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, ágent provocateur *ájahmprovoca-tër (AmE -tûr)

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

This sound is absent from some dialects, such as Cockney.

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: negative, neŵ old, nót negative, nîght day, nêed require, néver, níl, énemy, sént, 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

A restricted phoneme, the ng sound does not begin syllables except in transcriptions of e.g. Vietnamese names, and so is not normally found initially, only medially and finally:

finally: thíng, síng, sáng, súng, sínger, hánger coat, hángar plane, wíng, spríng, lóng

the g sound added afterwards: lónger (*lóng-ger), 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, línks link

before c: úncle, càrbuncle, ráncour, sánction, júnction, zínc

before x: ánxious (*ángshus or *ángkshus), mínx, jínx, lýnx cat

In final position, this sound is absent from some dialects, where it is pronounced as n.

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, AmE rôdeo, BrE rodèo, 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, i

y: yéllow, yoúng, yét, yoûth, yôke ox, yôlk egg, låwyer, såwyer, Myánmàr, Líbya

i: ònion, mínion, míllion, Wílliam

invisible before û: ûse, tûne, beaûtiful, mûte, mûsic, cûte, cûticle, ukelèlê

IPA /w/ w, wh, u, ou, h

w: wéll, woòd, wísh, awây, wònder, wíll, wéather sunny, ẁant, ẁash, aẁash, wâve, wãry, BrE wòrry, AmE wörry, ẁaddle, ẁander, wónky

wh (pronounced hw in some AmE, Scottish English, etc., where it is regarded by some phoneticians as a distinct phoneme): 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 (*marry-yoû-wànə)

ou from French, initial in Ouagadoûgou (Wág-), Ouattara (various as stressed)

h in two Hebraic names: Côhen, Ménuhin

IPA /χ/ kh, ch, gh

distinguished by some speakers from /k/:

kh: shèikh, Khàlid, Khayyám

ch: lóch, Bàch, Búchan, Buchánan

gh: lóugh

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 (= fácts, whence it is derived), máximum, Báxter

xc: éxcellent, excél, excépt, excéss

chs: in names from German: Óchs (= óx), Fùchs, or accidental in plurals: tríptychs

Also 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, mathemátics, lûnatics, mâniacs, médics, geriátrics, pediátrics, holístics

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