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  1. #1
    NewHopeR is offline Member
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    Default How to pronounce mouths?

    /mauθs/ or /mauðz/?


    Context:

    What does history recognize? A dish made of a hundred sparrows - a plate of mouths.


    The traditional English teachers, like C.E.Eckersley, told us to pronounce it as /mauðz/. But today's English teachers say /mauθs/ is the correct pronunciation. I have no idea who's correct. Both acceptable?

  2. #2
    5jj's Avatar
    5jj
    5jj is online now Moderator
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    Default Re: How to pronounce mouths?

    The standard BrE pronunciation is /mauðz/, though you will hear /mauθs/ occasionally. Most English teachers that I know would not say that /mauθs/ is the correct pronunciation.
    Context is always important; labelling is rarely important.


  3. #3
    BobK's Avatar
    BobK is offline Harmless drudge
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    Default Re: How to pronounce mouths?

    Quote Originally Posted by 5jj View Post
    The standard BrE pronunciation is /mauðz/, though you will hear /mauθs/ occasionally. Most English teachers that I know would not say that /mauθs/ is the correct pronunciation.
    in that context. In 'His mouth's colour...' for example. it would be /θs/. But that sort of context is pretty rare. Another context, less rare, would be something like 'My mouth's dry''.(Im really not sure what I'd say in that case. At first I thought /θs/, but then there's the assimilation of the /z/ from 'is'.)

    b

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