Is the sound of 'oo' in the word 'shoot' the same as that of 'u' in the word 'cute'?

[TaiwanPofLee]

Is the sound of 'oo' in the word 'shoot' the same as that of 'u' in the word 'cute'?

 

[MikeNewYork]

For me, it is.

 

[Raymott]

No, cute is pronounced kyoot.
Shoot - oo; cute - yoo

 

[emsr2d2]

In BrE, definitely not. The word "cute" sounds as if it has the word "you" in the middle. It is "kyoot" (I don't do phonetics, that's just how I would try and write the pronunciation). I'm sure you know how the letter "Q" is pronounced in English. Say that letter and then add the "t" sound to the end and you have "cute".

"Shoot" and "chute" are homonyms though.

(Cross-posted with Raymott. Glad to see we both went with "kyoot" though.)

 

[MikeNewYork]

The vowel sound is the same. You have introduced sounds from the consonant.

 

[emsr2d2]

I disagree. For me, the first consonant is simply an unvoiced "c". The letter "u" is then pronounced "yoo" the same way it is when you recite the alphabet. The "te" on the end is an unvoiced "t" sound. It's not broken down into "ky - oo - t".

 

[MikeNewYork]

And I disagree. The two words rhyme because of the vowel sound. Why else would "cute" and "shoot" rhyme?

 

[emsr2d2]

For me, they are not a true rhyme. Shoot rhymes with chute and hoot and boot and root and coot etc. Cute doesn't exactly rhyme with any word I can think of. "Cutie" rhymes with "duty" but that's the closest I can get. Again, this might be a BrE vs AmE because I think you probably pronounce "duty" as "dooty" (or possibly even "doody").

Cute and coot are not pronounced the same.
Chute and shoot are pronounced the same.

 

[Raymott]

And I disagree. The two words rhyme because of the vowel sound. Why else would "cute" and "shoot" rhyme?

Because 'oot' and 'yoot' rhyme? The vowel sound is only half the reason they rhyme.
So, you are implying that the 'c' in 'cute' and 'cut' are pronounced differently. Usually 'c' is described as being pronounced like /k/ or /s/. I haven't seen /ky/.
Do you have anything more authoritative than you opinion, Mike? I could be convinced. But given that this happens only with a 'u' and often with other consonants (butane, cute, duty, futile, mute, nuclear, computer, tutor, etc) it certainly looks like the /y/ belongs to the 'u', not the consonant.

 

[MikeNewYork]

Then you have a different meaning of "rhyme" than I do. I have no idea what your definition is.

 

[MikeNewYork]

Ray, do you have any authoritative opinion that they don't? I only need my ears to decide when two words rhyme.

 

[+Technist Warp-]

Shoot and cute aren't perfect rhymes. They do sound similar since they both sound like 'u'.

'Cute' has a long 'u' sound while 'shoot' is different since their is strength when saying the 'SH' or shoot while 'cute' is just said plainly without any curl of the tongue like 'shoot'. 'Shoot' has 'sh' so it makes it sound different in a way.

Shoot: SHo͞ot
Cute: kyo͞ot


***Not a teacher***

 

[SoothingDave]

They rhyme to me.

The "oo" sound is the same, which was the original question.

Yes, "cute" introduces a "y," but is a "y" a vowel? I don't think it is. Does "yeast" rhyme with "east?"

 

[+Technist Warp-]

Yes, shoot and cute rhyme. But they aren't harmonious and perfect rhymes.

Mime and mine would rhyme, but only in the slightest. Shoot and cute rhyme better than mime and mine.

 

[MikeNewYork]

"Mime" and "mine" don't rhyme for me.

 

[MikeNewYork]

TW: Shoot and cute aren't perfect rhymes. They do sound similar since they both sound like 'u'.

First of all, the OP's question was not about perfect rhymes. Second, one definition of "perfect rhyme" would be only true homophones. But another definition of "perfect rhyme" is: "Rhyme in which the final accented vowel anda llsucceeding consonants or syllables are identical,while the preceding consonants are different,for example,great, late;rider, beside her; dutiful, unbeautiful. Also called full rhyme, true rhyme.

- American Heritage Dictionary.

 

[+Technist Warp-]

The OP's question was whether the 'oo' in 'shoot' is the same as the 'u' in 'cute'. The answer is no, it isn't, full stop.

 

[MikeNewYork]

It is. Fuller stop. :lol:

 

[teechar]

since their is strength when

Do you mean "there"?
I suppose it's easy to get mixed up with homophones. ;-)

 

[lotus888]

My 2¢,

The old coot wanted to shoot the boot; but it fell, so it was moot. Instead, he played the lute.
boot, shoot, coot, moot, lute

The kitten was so cute, it was hard to mute. This I cannot refute.
cute, mute, refute


--lotus