Pronouncing the names of the days in Britain

[salvador.dal1950]

Why is that some people, especially in Britain, pronounce the names of the days in a non-standard way?

For example, some people say /ˈθɜː(r)zdɪ/ instead of /ˈθɜː(r)zdeɪ/, or /ˈsʌndɪ/ instead of /ˈsʌndeɪ/.

Is it common, uneducated, childlike-sounding, etc ?

Big thanks :up:

 

[PHenry1026]

I do not believe that the pronunciations you outlined is for standard BrE. See the following links for a side by side U.K. and U.S. pronunciations of Thursday and Saturday:

http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/thursday?q=Thursday#

http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/sunday?q=Sunday#

;-) Percy

 

[salvador.dal1950]

I do not believe that the pronunciations you outlined is for standard BrE. See the following links for a side by side U.K. and U.S. pronunciations of Thursday and Saturday:

http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/thursday?q=Thursday#

http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/sunday?q=Sunday#

;-) Percy

mmm I'm pretty sure they are standard British pronunciations, I've taken them from the Macmillan Dictionary.

http://www.macmillandictionary.com/dictionary/british/Thursday

Maybe the "r" in parenthesis is distracting, it just means that is optional in case you accent has rhoticity.

 

[PHenry1026]

The r in the parenthesis means that it necessary in American English (AmE) but is not necessary or used in British English (BrE).


I am not sure but your McMillan link seems to confirm the Cambridge Dictionary.

;-) Percy

 

[salvador.dal1950]

What I mean is that some people seem not to use the standard way, they say "thursdi" and no "thurday".

 

[Raymott]

What I mean is that some people seem not to use the standard way, they say "thursdi" and no "thurday".

It's common also in AusE. /m[FONT=Lucida Sans Unicode, sans-serif]ʌndi/, /tju:zdi/ etc. or halfway between standard and that variety. [/FONT]
Why do they do it? Quién sabe? In AusE, it would be described as part of a 'broad' accent which is associated with working class people and farmers, etc. But some educated people say it quick speech as well.

 

[N Senbei]

Hello salvador.dal1950,

The following is a quotation from “Longman Pronunciation Dictionary” by John Wells.

-day /deɪ, di/
Although Received Pronunciation and General American are both traditionally considered to prefer /di/, most speakers in practice use both pronunciations for this suffix, often in a strong form—weak form relationship. The /deɪ/ form is generally preferred in exposed positions, for example at the end of a sentence: I’ll do it on Monday /ˈmʌn deɪ/ ; the /di/ form is preferred in close-knit expressions such as Monday morning /ˌmʌnd i ˈmɔː(r)n ɪŋ/.

Hope this helps

 

[salvador.dal1950]

Hello salvador.dal1950,

The following is a quotation from “Longman Pronunciation Dictionary” by John Wells.

-day /deɪ, di/
Although Received Pronunciation and General American are both traditionally considered to prefer /di/, most speakers in practice use both pronunciations for this suffix, often in a strong form—weak form relationship. The /deɪ/ form is generally preferred in exposed positions, for example at the end of a sentence: I’ll do it on Monday /ˈmʌn deɪ/ ; the /di/ form is preferred in close-knit expressions such as Monday morning /ˌmʌnd i ˈmɔː(r)n ɪŋ/.

Hope this helps

Wow this is spot on! Many thanks! :-D

 

[Tdol]

The /deɪ/ form is also found more in some regions in BrE- I am from the Midlands, and /deɪ/ is used at times where many would use /di/.