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The opposite of H-dropping, called H-insertion or H-adding, sometimes occurs as a hypercorrection in English accents that typically drop H. It is commonly noted in literature from late Victorian times to the early 20th century that some lower-class people consistently drop h in words that should have it, while adding h to
A heteronym (also known as a heterophone) is a word that has a different pronunciation and meaning from another word but the same spelling. These are homographs that are not homophones . Thus, lead ( /ˈlɛd/ the metal) and lead ( /ˈliːd/ a leash) are heteronyms, but mean ( /ˈmin/ average) and mean ( /ˈmin/ intend) are not, since they are ...
The word comes from εὖ "well", [4] the adverbial use of the neuter accusative singular of the adjective ἐύς "good". [ 5 ] The form with diaeresis is the original form, since the word comes from Proto-Indo-European *esu ( e -grade of ablaut ), which is cognate with Sanskrit su- (zero-grade). [ 6 ]
Words like alms, balm, calm, Chalmers, qualm, palm and psalm now generally have /ɑː/ in the standard accents, while holm and Holmes are homophones of home(s). Some accents (including many of American English) have reintroduced the /l/ in these words as a spelling pronunciation. The word salmon generally retains a short vowel despite the loss ...
In phonology, epenthesis (/ ɪ ˈ p ɛ n θ ə s ɪ s, ɛ-/; Greek ἐπένθεσις) means the addition of one or more sounds to a word, especially in the first syllable , the last syllable , or between two syllabic sounds in a word. The opposite process in which one or more sounds are removed is referred to as elision. [1]
The word cadre is sometimes pronounced / ˈ k ɑː d r eɪ / in English, as though it were of Spanish origin. In French, the final e is silent and a common English pronunciation is / ˈ k ɑː d r ə /. [8] Legal English is replete with words derived from Norman French, which for a long time was the language of the courts in England and Wales ...
American English pronunciation of "no highway cowboys" /noʊ ˈhaɪweɪ ˈkaʊbɔɪz/, showing five diphthongs: / oʊ, aɪ, eɪ, aʊ, ɔɪ / A diphthong (/ ˈ d ɪ f θ ɒ ŋ, ˈ d ɪ p-/ DIF-thong, DIP-; [1] from Ancient Greek δίφθογγος (díphthongos) 'two sounds', from δίς (dís) 'twice' and φθόγγος (phthóngos) 'sound'), also known as a gliding vowel or a vowel glide, is ...
In BrE, both irregular and regular forms are current, but for some words (such as smelt and leapt) there is a strong tendency towards the irregular forms, especially by users of Received Pronunciation. [citation needed] For other words (such as dreamed, leaned, and learned [1]: 165, 316 ) the regular forms are somewhat more common.