G :)

[Walle6422]

Hi ya.
Is there any rule to know when to read G as fragile (dʒi) (energy, anthology, challenge, change) and as go (ɡəʊ) (gary, gas, goodbye, borrowing, government)
any help would be appreciated.
Thanks

[BobK]

Hi ya.
Is there any rule to know when to read G as fragile (dʒi) (energy, anthology, challenge, change) and as go (ɡəʊ) (gary, gas, goodbye, borrowing, government)
any help would be appreciated.
Thanks

In short, no. It is generally true that before a written 'e' or 'i' or 'y' 'g' represents /ʤ/ (note that this is a single phoneme, not /d/+/ʒ/), and that before 'a' 'o' and 'u' it represents /g/. But there are many exceptions.

(There is no /g/ in 'borrowing', although native speakers with a northern origin often give it one - so you may have had a teacher who did this.)

b

[BobK]

PS ...And the 'g' is [almost?] always hard before a consonant.

Some exceptions to the rule: a chicken has both 'giblets' (/ʤ/) and a 'gizzard' (/g/). 'Geyser' and 'gynecology' also have /g/. There are several others.

b

[Raymott]

PS ...And the 'g' is [almost?] always hard before a consonant.

b

Yes, I think so. Except before 'n', when it is silent: gnome, gnostic ...

[Walle6422]

Thank you for your comments. Makes sense more or less. :)
By the way, do you think you could suggest me something to improve ING pronouncing.
You were right, I've been taught not correctly about 'ing', and I found hard to work on it, to pronounce properly. is there any exercises or anything?
Thanks again.

[BobK]

I compiled a list once, for a student, of contrasting '-ing-' words: singer, ringer, winger ... etc (/ɪŋǝ/), as opposed to linger, finger...etc /ɪŋgǝ/; I'm not sure whether it included yet another case - ginger, harbinger ...etc - but not so many (/ɪnʤǝ/). As I've said before - I sure am glad I don't have to learn this stuff!

I'll post it if I can find it. It's not an exercise for you to practise, but you may find it a useful reference.

b

[raindoctor]

Check this site: Hou tu pranownse Inglish

There is a diachronic process called "velar softening". Velar (back) consonants + front vowels went through softening. It is an instance of palatalization. As BobK pointed out, it happens before front vowels, which are represented by graphemes such as e, i, y.

[BobK]

Here's the list I mentioned.

b

PS I hate this new interface. Support thread started Sorry for the felay - I have the file here.

[Walle6422]

Thanks very much for your comments and suggestions, everybody.
This how to pronounce English page sounds.
Excuse me, BobK. I could't find the list you had mentioned. Do you think you could make it clear where you had attached the list?
Thanks a lot.

[BobK]

Thanks very much for your comments and suggestions, everybody.
This how to pronounce English page sounds.
Excuse me, BobK. I could't find the list you had mentioned. Do you think you could make it clear where you had attached the list?
Thanks a lot.

I haven't posted it yet. I tried. Uploads are working now, so I'll post it next time I'm at my desk.

b