pronouncing the word "world"

[thomasRavenelli]

Hi ,

I am having a problem pronouncing the word "world". I hear people pronounce it differently. some people pronounce the o as an o and others pronounce the o as an e "in french" (or eh). I used to pronounce it as an e but sadly i was speaking to someone who hasn't been able to understand my pronounciation. (the dictionary use it as a french e ) but I still uncomfortable about how to pronouce it strangely enough even after listening to the word pronounciation on meriam webster webstite.
I hope someone could help
thomas

[Zimmer]

Try pronouncing the 'or' together as one sound like the 'er' in per. Then, pronounce the 'ld' like 'uld'. It sounds like two syllables, but when you put it together, it becomes Wer-uld. That's how I usually hear it. (This is the American pronunciation, the English one may sound more like 'wuld' with a drawn-out schwa sound.)

[Buddhaheart]

The IPA respelling is /wɜrld/. Utter the ‘or’ as /ɜr/ or /d/ as in word, work, sir, bird, early & stir.

[Niall]

Of course, the pronunciation varies slightly dependent on where you are in the world.
With some words, including world the pronunciation in North America sounds much more like 2 syllables than it does in Britain, where we tend to say it as one.

[jctgf]

Originally Posted by Zimmer

Try pronouncing the 'or' together as one sound like the 'er' in per. Then, pronounce the 'ld' like 'uld'. It sounds like two syllables, but when you put it together, it becomes Wer-uld. That's how I usually hear it. (This is the American pronunciation, the English one may sound more like 'wuld' with a drawn-out schwa sound.)

perfect!

i am just a student but that's exactly the conclusion i came to a few years ago when trying to pronounce this word.

it's a very hard word to say and that's the only technique i know, as a student, that helps one to improve pronunciation in general.

jc