[General] Pronunciation - Today

[JohnKen0402]

I thought 'today' was pronounced as to-day [tu deɪ]


But dictionary was pronounced it as [təˈdeɪ]. which sounds like the-day.

Similarly the word "toward" pronounced as [tə'wɔ:d], instead of [tu wɔ:d] as what I thought.

Thank you very much.

 

[MikeNewYork]

"Today" is pronounced both ways: "to day" and "tuh day"'. Sorry I don't do phonetic symbols.

For me, "toward" and "towards" have only one syllable: tword and twords.

 

[Odessa Dawn]

Hi, Mike.:-D

Does the opening quotation go before to day in your post, please?

 

[MikeNewYork]

Sorry. I fixed my quotation errors.

 

[Tdol]

There are variations, often reflected in dictionaries, but sometimes not. There are also regional variations- I come for the British Midlands and say today with a stronger stress on the second syllable than many speakers; I don't have a regional accent,but it is one feature that has stayed with me. Toward/s has two syllables for me, though I use the schwa for the first.

 

[JohnKen0402]

Thank you for your replies.
Perhaps I need to clarify a bit and just focus only on the word "today".
According to Oxford dictionary, "today" is pronounced it as [təˈdeɪ]. However, people normally pronounce it as [tu deɪ].
So, is "today" pronounced as [təˈdeɪ] or [tuˈdeɪ]? Is tə or tu ?
Do tə and tu sound the same?

 

[bhaisahab]

According to Oxford dictionary, "today" is pronounced it as [təˈdeɪ]. However, people normally pronounce it as [tu deɪ]. No, they don't.
So, is "today" pronounced as [təˈdeɪ] or [tuˈdeɪ]? Is tə or tu ? It depends on local accent/dialect.
Do tə and tu sound the same? No.

Bhai.

 

[Tdol]

However, people normally pronounce it as [tu deɪ].

Which people? There are many different accents. Also, words are often pronounced differently in isolation and in connected speech. I would use the schwa most of the time.

 

[JohnKen0402]

Thank you. Really appreciate your replies.

I normally heard people {as the one on Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VzSZla4ikcs} pronounced "Today" as [tuˈdeɪ], rather than the one written in the dictionary, [təˈdeɪ].
Was the one on the Youtube pronounced as [tuˈdeɪ] or [təˈdeɪ]?

 

[bhaisahab]

[təˈdeɪ]