a

[peter123]

Hi there,
Why many British say the sound of 'a' in 'traffic', 'travel' and 'balance' the same as the 'a' in 'ask' instead of 'a' in 'man'? I check the dictionary and find that the standard of 'a' in 'traffic', 'travel' and 'balance' should be 'a' in 'man' instead of 'a' in 'ask'. Pleaes help.

thanks
pete

[David L.]

If you mean 'ask' as in 'shark', 'bark', 'mark', I don't think even upper class Brits would pronounce the vowel as broadly as that.
There is only one person in Britain I can here speaking like that, a man with a very distinctive voice and style of pronunciation, called Lyod Grossman - and he's American with a strong Bostonian accent!.
Have you heard these pronunciations in a movie or TV show?

[peter123]

Hi there,

Thanks David

I mean a lot of British would say 'travel', 'balance', 'traffic' like the 'a' in ask /a:sk/ instead of /æsk/. Is that true?

Thanks
pete

[David L.]

The pronunciation of 'ask' certainly varies. I pronounce is with the long sound as in 'shark' but others pronounce it as in Alaska: A -lAS-ka
I'll check out the pronunciation on the website I know first, and then give you the URL so you can hear Travel etc actually pronounced.
Be back.

[David L.]

travel definition - Dictionary - MSN Encarta
Type in the word to be pronounced right at the top where it says 'dictionary' then go down a little, to the green button-like thing, and click.
Listen to your words there then tell me how they compare.