aɪ ˈspiːk ˈtwelv ˈlæŋɡwɪʤɪz || ˈɪŋɡlɪʃ ɪz maɪ ˈbestəst
Key at bottom of page.
Commentary
I:
Although I is a monosyllabic
function/grammatical word and is usually unstressed, it doesn’t usually have a
weak form.
languages:
Plural s has three pronunciations
depending on the sound at the end of the noun:
- /ɪz/ after /s z ʃ ʒ ʧ ʤ/
- /s/ after the remaining voiceless consonants
- /z/ after vowels and the remaining voiced consonants.
The same pattern applies to third person
singular s, possessive s and the contraction of is.
my:
Although my is monosyllabic
function/grammatical word and is usually unstressed, it doesn’t usually have a
weak form.
quickest:
The superlative can have the form /əst/, as here, or /ɪst/.
I think in Australian English the ending of 'languages' and others in that family of word endings would be /ǝz/ rather than /ɪz/.
ReplyDeleteExactly. That's one of the interesting things about Australian English -- the lack of contrast between KIT /ɪ/ and schwa /ə/ in unstressed syllables.
DeleteBrits like me usually make a difference between Lenin /ˈlenɪn/ and Lennon /ˈlenən/, offices /ˈɒfɪsɪz/ and officers /ˈɒfɪsəz/, and don't rhyme habit /ˈhæbɪt/ with abbot /ˈæbət/.