English Pronunciation for Icelanders

26
First, we’ll look at the difference between s and z. English
spelling sometimes indicates which sound is to be used, but more
often it gives no indication at all. For instance phase is
pronounced feiz, while base is pronounced beis. (Note the
difference in vowel length; base has a shorter vowel in front of
the fortis s.)
The written letters c and z are usually pronounced s and z:
centre and grace are 1sent0, greis, while zero and graze are
1zi0r0u and greiz. Also, the endings -s, -es, -’s and -s’ are
pronounced according to simple rules, discussed below.
First we will look at s and z. The following exercise helps
you to hear the difference between these two sounds. Fill in the
missing phonemes, s or z.
Tip: you can often hear the difference between final s and z by
listening to the length of the vowel: rice rais has a shortened
(clipped) diphthong, rise raiz has a normal long one.
2 10
¦
TRANSCRIPTION EXERCISE 15: s and z
1 mæ± 11 kl0u± 21 lai± 31 pE± 41 prai±
2 hæ± 12 kl0u± 22 lai± 32 pE± 42 prai±
3 mi± 13 DU± 23 fei± 33 pei± 43 rai±
4 i± 14 DU± 24 fei± 34 pei± 44 rai±
5 wo± 15 wÆn± 25 lei± 35 sI± 45 plei±
6 lo± 16 wÆn± 26 lei± 36 sI± 46 plei±
7 æ± 17 ten± 27 hau± 37 nØi± 47 bei±
8 æ± 18 ten± 28 hau± 38 vØi± 48 bei±
9 fi0± 19 jU± 29 lU± 39 rei± 49 bƱ
10 fi0± 20 jU± 30 lU± 40 rei± 50 bƱ
and now in medial positions:
¦
TRANSCRIPTION EXERCISE 16: s and z
1 DU±^ 3 prai±i~ 5 rei±0 7 mæ±iv
2 TU±^ 4 hau±i~ 6 gei±0 8 hæ±0d