Should I follow American accent of Scott?

I would pronounce Scott as [Skot], which is my boss's first name, but a Chinese co-worker told me the other people call him [Sgat] -the American accent.

Should I have to follow the American accent? I prefer [Skot].

Thank you!

People's names are important to them. I normally try to pronounce them as closely as I can to the way the people themselves pronounce them.

thedaffodils said:

I would pronounce Scott as [Skot], which is my boss's first name, but a Chinese co-worker told me the other people call him [Sgat] -the American accent.

Should I have to follow the American accent? I prefer [Skot].

Thank you!

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Daffodil, I beg to differ with your co-worker but Scott in AmE is [Skot].

:-DThank you for your helpful replies.

amigos4 said:

Daffodil, I beg to differ with your co-worker but Scott in AmE is [Skot].

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Well, after having lived in the US for many years, I thought Americans tend to pronounce such words a bit differently. Take the word "cop", for example. Don't Americans say "k ah p", as opposed to simply "k o p" in BrE? I guess this is what the threadstarter means. I'm pretty sure that most Americans say "Sk ah t". Correct me if I'm wrong.

I'd advise you to pronounce this name based on which accent you personally follow. Over the years I have managed to master both accents and I can easily switch between them depending on whom I am speaking with. American English with its rhoticity and ah-vowelling (if I may say so) is a pretty succulent variant of English, and lately I've been tempted to speak with an American accent to my students.

Bennevis said:

Well, after having lived in the US for many years, I thought Americans tend to pronounce such words a bit differently. Take the word "cop", for example. Don't Americans say "k ah p", as opposed to simply "k o p" in BrE? I guess this is what the threadstarter means. I'm pretty sure that most Americans say "Sk ah t". Correct me if I'm wrong.

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Even in England there are different regions for this vowel. Compare "hot" in various regions of the UK and other English-speaking places.

amigos4 said:

Daffodil, I beg to differ with your co-worker but Scott in AmE is [Skot].

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Not for everybody apparently - see this link
Pronounce Names - Pronounce Scott, How to pronounce Scott, How to pronounce the name Scott, Pronunciation of Scott, how to say Scott, how to say the name Scott

thedaffodils said:

I would pronounce Scott as [Skot], which is my boss's first name, but a Chinese co-worker told me the other people call him [Sgat] -the American accent.

Should I have to follow the American accent? I prefer [Skot].

Thank you!

Click to expand...

The consonant cluster "sg" is not permitted in the onset or the coda of any English vowels. Consonant + o + Consonant = AH sound (a simple phonics trick).

I have just checked what velar consonant phonemes exist in Chinese. Unfortunately, /g/ doesn't exist; this explains why you hear /g/ in Scott

Which "o" is it

Close-mid back rounded vowel - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Open-mid back rounded vowel - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I think 'Scott' needs to change his name to 'Joe'!!!!

Thank you, everyone.

Yesterday, I asked how to pronunce "Scott" to two American co-workers of mine face to face.

They said they pronounce it as [Sgat], instead of [skot].

I think you're mistaking a /kʰ/ for a /g/.

thedaffodils said:

Thank you, everyone.

Yesterday, I asked how to pronunce "Scott" to two American co-workers of mine face to face.

They said they pronounce it as [Sgat], instead of [skot].

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Daffodil, you need to check their passports!!! :lol:;-)

In AmE Scott is 'S-cot'...Scott!!! There is no 'g' sound! We say 'S-cot-land' for Scotland... there is no 'g' sound!!!!

In the final analysis, if Scott smiles when you say his name you are pronouncing it correctly!!! :up:

Cheers,
A4

I need to concur with amigos4. The consonant cluster /sg/ is not permitted in English onsets and codas.