how to pronounce "can't"

[konungursvia]

It's all very well for Americans not to pronounce the /t/ if they can do it and be understood. There are many subtle phonetic variations from the standard that are acceptable only because they are understandable. If you are not a native speaker, you should say the /t/. It's far more important that you are understood than that you drop the 't' on 'can't'.

To me it's not really about whether the /t/ is pronounced, but whether it is rendered in some audible way despite being weakened, clipped or shortened.

I usually explain can vs can't as using a physics wave diagram. People can tell the difference in AmE because the waveform ends abruptly in 'can't' --- just as abruptly as if you pronounced the /t/ --- whereas in 'can' the word tapers off over a rather long period of time in the voiced nasal consonant.

 

[Tdol]

Thanks ems.

There was a time when I said "don't", I didn't pronounce the "T's". My child's American teacher told me that I should pronounce the "T's". What is your opinion about that?

Sounds often change in connected speech- we drop or add sounds to link things together. If you pronounce the /t/, you will always be understood.

 

[The apprentice]

Dear members:


In my answer to this question, I have been told by my English phonology and phonetics teacher who has an american accent or style, that the alviolar stop consonants sound [T], [P] and [K], which are unvoiced or voiceless, not to be spit (spat) when they are at the end of a word, just to made a slightly sound.

In regards to the word CAN and CAN'T, he also has taught me the following:

1) When CAN is at the end of a sentence has its full pronunciation or sound; as if it were isolated, for example:

Can you teach me how to dance?

Yes, I can. /kæn/

I would like to go with you, but that depends if you can. /kæn/

2) When CAN is not at the end of a sentence, the vowel ''A'' becomes Schwa /ə/

Can you go with me to the market Yulian? /kən/

I can go with you Carlos, but a little later. /kən/


3) About CAN'T, I have been taught the following:

a° = In negative, the sounds remain strong and consequently do not change to Schwa sound.

b°) = The dental nasal consonant [N] is voiced and the alviolar stop consonant [T] is unvoiced or voiceless, so the voicing of the [N[ removes the unvoiced [T], but in this process the [T[ takes the voicing sound away from the [N] and let the [N] unvoiced, becoming the CAN'Tsound shorter than the normal. it sounds like CAN,but a little shorter.

c°) = Does this phonological phenomenon happen in British English (BrE)?


Sincerely,


The Apprentice.

 

[probus]

To me it's not really about whether the /t/ is pronounced, but whether it is rendered in some audible way despite being weakened, clipped or shortened.

I usually explain can vs can't as using a physics wave diagram. People can tell the difference in AmE because the waveform ends abruptly in 'can't' --- just as abruptly as if you pronounced the /t/ --- whereas in 'can' the word tapers off over a rather long period of time in the voiced nasal consonant.

Exactly. There isn't necessarily a full glottal stop replacing the t. A small hint of a stop is sufficient for intelligibilty.