How to pronounce '-ths' (as in 'baths', 'months' or 'cloths')

Hello, everyone.:-D

I have a question about the pronunciation of the words ending '-ths'.

According to Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary,


baths - BrE [bɑːðz] NAmE [bæðz]

cloths - BrE [klɒθs] NAmE [klɔːðz]

However, I can't find the pronunciation of "months", unfortunately.
How do you pronounce it? Could it be something like [mʌnθs]?
(I've never heard it pronounced as [mʌnðz])

P.S. [θs] sounds almost like [ts] to me! It's really tricky!

It can be anywhere between /mʌnθs/ and /mʌns/

American dictionaries (both Kenyon Knott and MW), list /mʌnts/ as their first choice. This is a result of two processes: post-nasal epenthesis followed by assimilation of "ths" to a fronted sibilant.

Even in "sth" clusters, you hear the same thing. cf. what's that = wassat

I've attached an mp3 of my southern British accent saying 'months' and 'in twelve months time'

I think you're better of trying to say mʌnθs

, even if the result ends up as

mʌns or

mʌnts

. It will sound better than trying to say

mʌns or mʌnts.

When speaking quickly, the θ will tend to shorten or perhaps disappear completely. Though I think in BrE it's more likely to remain. Certainly I always say the θ, unless I'm being lazy.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by NorwichEnglish

I've attached an mp3 of my southern British accent saying 'months' and 'in twelve months time'

I think you're better of trying to say mʌnθs

, even if the result ends up as
mʌns or

mʌnts

. It will sound better than trying to say

mʌns or mʌnts.

When speaking quickly, the θ will tend to shorten or perhaps disappear completely. Though I think in BrE it's more likely to remain. Certainly I always say the θ, unless I'm being lazy.

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Hello, NorwichEnglish.:-D
That's very kind of you.
Thank you very much!