[ˈbæn(ə)ʒəʊ]

[birdeen's call]

I'd like to know where and why people pronounce the word "banjo" as in the title. I heard it here. I understand that the schwa may be there to add to the vividness of the song, but the [ʒ] is a bit shocking to me.

[5jj]

the [ʒ] is a bit shocking to me.

I accept that my ears are not as discriminating as they once were, but I did not hear just /ʒ/. After replaying several times, I thought she was closer to /dʒ/ than /ʤ/, almost with /d/ at the end of the first syllable and /ʒ/ at the beginning of the second - though I would not have noticed this had I not read your post.

[birdeen's call]

I accept that my ears are not as discriminating as they once were, but I did not hear just /ʒ/. After replaying several times, I thought she was closer to /dʒ/ than /ʤ/, almost with /d/ at the end of the first syllable and /ʒ/ at the beginning of the second - though I would not have noticed this had I not read your post.

I don't hear the [d], at least at 0:48. (It's less clear to me at 1:52.) I guess I could have mistaken a glottal stop, replacing [d], for schwa. Or I'm just mishearing it.

[5jj]

I don't hear the [d], at least at 0:48. (It's less clear to me at 1:52.) I guess I could have mistaken a glottal stop, replacing [d], for schwa. Or I'm just mishearing it.

We'll need someone with sharper ears than mine to give a sound answer. (As I wrote that, the pun hit me. Sorry. )

I have tried saying the word with /nəʒ/, /ndʒ/, /nʤ/ and /nʔʒ/, and then replayed your link. My aural feeling is that it is /d/ + /ʒ/, and that /d/ is not fully released. So, it's still /ndʒ/ for me. I must stress that this is my personal feeling, not an expert's opinion.

[BobK]

I make it /nʔʒ/. She has a very strange accent*. I thnk she thinks a [d] would be too harsh for the atmosphere of the song. But I imagine my ears are no pointier than 5jj's.

b
PS For example, the first vowel of her 'banjo' is closer than [ae] - nearly [e]; and at 26"/27" her version of 'lovely' doesn't seem to have even a hint of the second 'l'.

[birdeen's call]

I make it /nʔʒ/. She has a very strange accent*. I thnk she thinks a [d] would be too harsh for the atmosphere of the song. But I imagine my ears are no pointier than 5jj's.

b
PS For example, the first vowel of her 'banjo' is closer than [ae] - nearly [e]; and at 26"/27" her version of 'lovely' doesn't seem to have even a hint of the second 'l'.

I agree that her accent is strange. At least in her late records. I really don't know what to think of this: YouTube - Boots of Spanish Leather - Nanci Griffith If I hadn't known the lyrics I would have had trouble understanding what she sang. (Although I love this version of the song.) I doesn't sound Texan to me. Actually, it doesn't sound like anything I've heard before. But when go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lzJiApNZBU, we hear a typical Texan gal...

[5jj]

I agree that her accent is strange. At least in her late records. I really don't know what to think of this: YouTube - Boots of Spanish Leather - Nanci Griffith If I hadn't known the lyrics I would have had trouble understanding what she sang. (

Good to listen to as music, but if you listen closely to the words she appears almost to have a speech defect at times. I wouldn't worry too much about 'banjo'.