bourne

[Do228]

I'd like to know if the "bourne" in Bournemouth, England, is pronounced the same way as in Melbourne, Australia.

 

[Rover_KE]

I've only ever heard them pronounced the same—as in born.

 

[emsr2d2]

For me, Melbourne has a very short second syllable. It's almost "Mel-b'n" or "Mel-buhn". Apologies to AusE speakers if that's wrong! I have, of course, heard it pronounced "Mel-born", with the same sound as Bournemouth.

For learners' information, note that "mouth" in "Bournemouth" is not pronounced the same way as the noun "mouth" or the verb "mouth". It's short, like "m'th" or "muhth".

(Sorry, I don't do phonetic symbols.)

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

Here's how Canadians and Austrians pronounce it:

The Melbourne method

 

[Raymott]

Me too, but the Longman Pronunciation Dictionary says The place in Australia is //ənl locally in the second syllable.

Yes, it is correctly pronounced Melb'n - or put a schwa where the ' is. Just as Brisbane is Brisb'n, as in Lisbon or London with a schwa.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/10/En-au-Melbourne.oga
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5b/En-au-Brisbane.oga