The pronunciation of consonants

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Rachel Adams

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Hello.

Do native speakers tend not to pronounce the final consonants 'g' in for example 'singing' or 'everlasting' or 'd' in 'bad'?
 

GoesStation

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In most dialects, the "g" in /ng/ is not pronounced as /g/. It's either merged with the "n" to form /ŋ/ or dropped. I pronounce "singing" like "singin'".

The final consonant in "bad" is usually reduced to a palatal stop unless it's followed by a vowel -- again, in my dialect. It's never dropped altogether, but you might have to tune your ear keenly to detect it.
 

Rachel Adams

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In most dialects, the "g" in /ng/ is not pronounced as /g/. It's either merged with the "n" to form /ŋ/ or dropped. I pronounce "singing" like "singin'".

The final consonant in "bad" is usually reduced to a palatal stop unless it's followed by a vowel -- again, in my dialect. It's never dropped altogether, but you might have to tune your ear keenly to detect it.

I was listening to the song Tidal wave by Killlers. I think the singer doesn't pronounce it at all. https://youtu.be/npTz7NJri8Q. I mean the 'd' in 'bad'.
I also wanted to mention that I often hear an 'r' in 'I don't know.' Is there really an 'r' in 'don't'?
 

GoesStation

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I was listening to the song Tidal wave by Killlers. I think the singer doesn't pronounce it at all. https://youtu.be/npTz7NJri8Q. I mean the 'd' in 'bad'.
I also wanted to mention that I often hear an 'r' in 'I don't know.' Is there really an 'r' in 'don't'?
When he sings "He's so bad/He's so bad", he barely realizes the first /d/. The second is a good example of the palatal stop that can be undetectable to an ear that's not used to hearing it. The speaker cuts off the previous vowel by pressing the top of the tongue against the hard palate, stopping the air flowing out of the mouth. The sudden stop of the vowel, compared to letting it fade gradually, is (I think, but I'm no expert) the only audible difference.

I can't imagine where you're hearing an /r/ in "don't".
 

Rachel Adams

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When he sings "He's so bad/He's so bad", he barely realizes the first /d/. The second is a good example of the palatal stop that can be undetectable to an ear that's not used to hearing it. The speaker cuts off the previous vowel by pressing the top of the tongue against the hard palate, stopping the air flowing out of the mouth. The sudden stop of the vowel, compared to letting it fade gradually, is (I think, but I'm no expert) the only audible difference.

I can't imagine where you're hearing an /r/ in "don't".

In this video https://youtu.be/f1FBYgk3svU at 4:02. This is not the first time I heard it.
 

GoesStation

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In this video https://youtu.be/f1FBYgk3svU at 4:02. This is not the first time I heard it.

At 4:02, Cate Blanchett says "I dunno." That's completely, unambiguously clear to me. Does the vowel resemble an Australian's pronunciation of something that would be spelled "durno" to you?

Jimmy Kimmel says "I don't" ten seconds later or so. There's no trace of an /r/.
 

Rachel Adams

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At 4:02, Cate Blanchett says "I dunno." That's completely, unambiguously clear to me. Does the vowel resemble an Australian's pronunciation of something that would be spelled "durno" to you?

Jimmy Kimmel says "I don't" ten seconds later or so. There's no trace of an /r/.

Yes, it does. Because I can clearly hear an 'r'. I asked my sister to listen to it and she heard it too. :shock:
 

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Yes, it does. Because I can clearly hear an 'r'. I asked my sister to listen to it and she heard it too. :shock:
I guess my ear is sufficiently tuned to the Australian accent that I just hear a /u/. I believe Aussies tend to color vowels with following Rs less than speakers of other non-rhotic accents do, to the extent that Melbourne comes out as "Melb'n". But really, strain as I might, I can't detect the hint of an R in Miss Blanchett's "dunno".

Have you and your sister heard a lot of Australian English?
 

Rachel Adams

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I guess my ear is sufficiently tuned to the Australian accent that I just hear a /u/. I believe Aussies tend to color vowels with following Rs less than speakers of other non-rhotic accents do, to the extent that Melbourne comes out as "Melb'n". But really, strain as I might, I can't detect the hint of an R in Miss Blanchett's "dunno".

Have you and your sister heard a lot of Australian English?

No, I met a lovely couple from Australia last summer. It was the only time I was able to hear native Australian English not on YouTube but in real life :)
I think I hear an r in 'dunno' if it's pronounced as duh neu somewhere between h and n I hear it. :shock:
 

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I'd say you'd be less likely to hear an 'r' there if you were Australian. But, look, she was deliberately trying to sound like an ignorant person. It's not as if that soundbite is the way Australians, or Cate, normally say "I don't know". "Dunno" sounds differently depending on the words surrounding it. "I d'no" (as Cate mocks it) and "Dunno, mate" sound different.
 

Charlie Bernstein

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No, I met a lovely couple from Australia last summer. It was the only time I was able to hear native Australian English not on YouTube but in real life :)
I think I hear an r in 'dunno' if it's pronounced as duh neu somewhere between h and n I hear it. :shock:
I don't. Does anyone here besides Rachel?
 
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