English Pronunciation for Icelanders
English Pronunciation for Icelanders
English Pronunciation for Icelanders
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14<br />
1.4 VOWEL LENGTH<br />
1.4.1 Lax vowels are always short<br />
1 13<br />
Remember that all Icelandic vowels can be long or short, but<br />
in RP, lax vowels are always short. <strong>Icelanders</strong> often make the<br />
mistake of lengthening <strong>English</strong> lax vowels.<br />
Practice the following:<br />
don't say:<br />
(compare Icelandic)<br />
ever ev0 *e:v0 efi<br />
clever klev0 *kle:v0 klefi<br />
many men^ *me:n^ or *ma:n^ meni<br />
city sit^ *si:t^ sitja<br />
money mÆn^ *mÆn^ or mœ:n^ mön<br />
body bod^ *bOd^ boli<br />
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1.4.2. Clipping<br />
(In order to understand this section you should have studied the<br />
difference between <strong>for</strong>tis (unvoiced) and lenis (voiced) consonants.)<br />
Tense vowels (including diphthongs) are usually long, but<br />
they become shortened ('clipped') in front of <strong>for</strong>tis<br />
(unvoiced) consonants.<br />
Practice the following:<br />
don't say:<br />
(compare Icelandic)<br />
wait weit *wei:t veit<br />
vice vais *vai:s gæs<br />
mouse maus *mau:s más<br />
boat b0ut *bØu:t bót<br />
But if there is no <strong>for</strong>tis consonant following the tense<br />
vowel, it remains long:<br />
Listen and repeat<br />
compare the clipped vowel:<br />
wade weid<br />
wait weit<br />
wise waiz<br />
vice vais<br />
house hauz (verb)<br />
house haus (noun)<br />
robe r0ub<br />
rope r0up<br />
bee bI<br />
beat bIt<br />
blue blU<br />
brute brUt<br />
halve hAv<br />
half hAf<br />
Notice that although the vowels in the right-hand column are<br />
clipped, we still show them with the length mark. Can you see<br />
why?
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