Pronunciation problem

[karolajna9]

Hi! Could any of you tell me when 'are' is pronunced as /a:/ and when as /ə/ ? And the same question about the pronunciation of 'of' when should I pronunce it as /əv/ when as /ɒv/? For egzample in the sentence: 'All the sounds we make when we speak are the result of musces contracting.'
Please help me! I think I really don't get when it is weak and when strong. :-?

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

Hi! Could any of you tell me when 'are' is pronounced as /a:/ and when as /ə/? (Don't put a space before question marks.)

It's pronounced exactly the same as the letter R.

In informal American speech (but NOT writing!), it is usually contracted when it's part of a question. For instance:

- What're you doing?
- How're you feeling?
- Who're their friends?
- Why're you asking?
- Where're they going?

In those cases, the A is silent.

And the same question about the pronunciation of 'of.' When should I pronounce it as /əv/ and when as /ɒv/? For example, in the sentence: 'All the sounds we make when we speak are the result of muscles contracting.'

It always rhymes with love, above, shove, and dove. No exceptions.

Please help me! I think I really don't get when it is weak and when strong. :-?

Hope that helps.

 

[mandrews01]

In BrE 'are' is a 'weak form', meaning that it is almost always pronounced as an /ə/ (the so called 'schwa') except when

- the word 'are' is situated at the end of a sentence (as the last word)
- at the beginning of the sentence or
- anywhere inside the sentence.

It is up to the speaker to pronounce it fully as 'are' or weak as /ə/- sometimes the speaker may have a particular reason to pronounce it strongly even though it would normally be pronounced weakly (for example when the word needs to be stressed for contextual emphasis).

Michael Andrews