Stranger than Strangers

ði ˈəʊnli ˈnɔːml̩ ˈpiːpl̩ | ə ðə ˈwʌnz ju ˈdəʊnt ˈnəʊ ˈveri ˈwel

Key at bottom of page.

Commentary

the: The symbol i represents the same vowel phoneme as the symbol iː. We use i in unstressed syllables and iː in stressed syllables. This distinction isn't very helpful for TEFL purposes and learners should simply treat the two symbols as the same. Because we are using two different symbols for one phoneme, this means our transcription isn't truly phonemic (phonemic transcription = one symbol for each phoneme).

normal: Phonemically, the final syllable of normal is /əl/. When this syllable is preceded by /m/, however, the schwa /ə/ isn't usually pronounced. Instead the articulators move directly from the position for /m/ to the position for /l/. This is easy to do in the case of /m/ because /m/ is articulated with the two lips and /l/ is articulated with the tongue-tip. These articulators can move independently of each other and so when the lips move apart to release the /m/, the tongue tip is already in position for the /l/ and no intervening schwa /ə/ occurs.

people: Phonemically, the final syllable of people is /əl/. When this syllable is preceded by /p/, however, the schwa /ə/ isn't pronounced. Instead the articulators move directly from the position for /p/ to the position for /l/. This is easy to do in the case of /p/ because /p/ is articulated with the two lips and /l/ is articulated with the tongue-tip. These articulators can move independently of each other and so when the lips move apart to release the /p/, the tongue tip is already in position for the /l/ and no intervening schwa /ə/ occurs.

are: When unstressed, as it usually is, are has the weak form /ə/.

the: When unstressed, as it usually is, the definite article the has the weak form /ðə/ when the following word begins with a consonant.

ones: 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.

you: The symbol u represents the same vowel phoneme as the symbol uː. We use u in unstressed syllables and uː in stressed syllables. This distinction isn't very helpful for TEFL purposes and learners should simply treat the two symbols as the same. Because we are using two different symbols for one phoneme, this means our transcription isn't truly phonemic (phonemic transcription = one symbol for each phoneme).

don’t: Although function/grammatical words are generally unstressed in English, negative contractions such as couldn’t (and don’t, won’t, can’t shouldn’t, etc.) are usually stressed.

The only normal people are the ones you don’t know very well.