English Language Discussion Forums

ovair · #1 24-Apr-2008, 07:00

what's the meaning and pronounciation of won't???

and then pronounciATION OF WANT??

thank you very much..!

**Anglika** · #2 24-Apr-2008, 10:18

With which accent?

Won't = will not

ovair · #3 25-Apr-2008, 06:21

With american accent ofcourse...!

I mean sorry....!I forgot to tell.!

ovair · #4 29-Apr-2008, 01:43

every body is sleeping?

Fred Smith · #5 01-May-2008, 05:58

Ovair.

The spelling 'pronounciation' was briefly used in the 1960's as an alternative to the correct 'pronunciation'.

'Won't' became used to mean 'will not' as it's a representation of the London pronunciation of will not. It caught on as Londoners involved with the spread of the railway network in England settled in different towns & cities & locals tried to copy their way of speaking.

Fred Smith · #6 07-May-2008, 17:42

The pronunciation of 'want' differs depending on what part of the English speaking world it's used in.

Outside of the area of London's accentual influence, want is often pronounced: WUNT. In other areas the 'a' is sounded as a short 'a'. The pronunciation of want rhyming with font is from early attempts to imitate the Received Pronunciation (RP) style of 'wa(h)nt'. With usage, this pronunciation has become the standard in RP.

Buddhaheart · #7 10-May-2008, 00:15

We or at least I pronounce “won’t” (= will not) as /wont/ and “want” as /wY+nt/. The diphthong /o/ is as in “go” and /Y+/ (script A; Cardinal #5) is as in “father”. I do believe there’re many variant pronunciations to the above.

SUDHKAMP · #8 10-May-2008, 06:16

I believe it would not and want. In India we pronounce it wont and want is simply w.a..nt. There are no similarities between the two pronounciations. Also Pronounciation is British usage while pronunciation is American spelling.

rj1948 · #9 10-May-2008, 06:22

Pronounciation... in INDIA? Amusing..where in India?
Not now.

Soup · #10 10-May-2008, 06:32

Hi ovair

will not => won't
<on> as in own;e.g., I won't own it.

want <wa> as water; want as in wander

Go here won't - Definition from the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary and click on the speaker symbols next to "wont". (Pay no attention to the dictionary definitions). The first speaker, male, gives the USA pronunciation for want; the second speaker, female, gives the USA pronunciation for won't.