Reduced forms in common American pronunciation
mostly adapted from <
You won’t understand Americans unless you recognize these informal forms. They will understand you whether you use these forms or a dictionary’s. Don’t use these in a lecture.
Key to my spellings
A: as in HAT, THAT, MAP
a: the vowel sound in the word THE; the most unstressed and short vowel sound possible; the sound that is represented by an upside-down “e” in a dictionary’s spelling of pronunciation; a schwa
AH: as in STOP, NOT, ROCK
O: as in BUCK, LOVE, NONE
OH: as in GO, TOE, ROW
U: as in PUT, FOOT, GOOD
OO: as in YOU, WHO, BLUE
IGH: as in WHY, BUY, HIGH
D (when it replaces a “T,” as it does between 2 vowels if the first is stressed): Only the very tip of the tongue-tip taps your alveolus– and for less time than in a real D. Feel this with your mouth closed.
------
Ta = TO
It’s hard Ta remember.
Da = TO
Try Da hurry.
Y’ / Ya = YOU
Y’know / Ya know what I mean?
YUR = YOUR
YUR money or YUR life!
AHR = OUR
AHR car is parked far away.
Ja / DIJa = DID YOU
Ja / DIJa ever lose your keys?
WOJa = WHAT DID YOU
WOJa do over the weekend?
WODaYa/WOTCHa=WHAT DO YOU
WODaYa / WOTCHa have there?
WOTCHa/WODaYa=WHAT ARE YOU
WOTCHa/WODaYa drinkin’?
WOTCHER = WHAT IS YOUR
WOTCHER name?
JAV = DO YOU HAVE
JAV a minute?
JAV = DID YOU HAVE
JAV a good time?
HAFTa = HAVE TO
I HAFTa go to the bathroom.
GAHDa = HAVE GOT TO
Sorry, I GAHDa go now.
GUNa = GOING TO
I'm GUNa write to you.
WAHNa = WANT TO
I WAHNa stop now.
YOOSTa = USED TO(as an aux. v)
She YOOSTa come here often.
SHUDa = SHOULD HAVE
You SHUDa told me he was your boyfriend!!
WUDa = WOULD HAVE
I WUDa gone, but it was raining.
CUDa = COULD HAVE
You CUDa come with us; we had
a car.
SHUDaNa, WUDaNa, CUDaNa = SH…N’T,W…N’T,COULDN’T HAVE
You SH…, W…, CUDaNa eaten it.
MIGHDa = MIGHT HAVE
You MIGHDa gotten sick.
SHUJa, WUJa, CUJa = SHOULD YOU, WOULD YOU, COULD YOU
SHUJa, WUJa, CUJa redo it?
CaN = CAN
How CaN I help you?
CAN = CAN’T
Sorry, I CAN help you.
DOHN = DON’T
I DOHN care what they think.
DUNOH = DON'T KNOW
Does she like you? –I DUNOH.
CUZ = BECAUSE
I did it CUZ he told me to.
TSKOH = LET'S GO
TSKOH to the movies!
TSOP = WHAT'S UP?
TSOP, Mike?
PRAHLY = PROBABLY
He’s PRAHLY at work now.
MELP / MaELP = MAY I HELP
MELP / MaELP you, Sir?
’NKYOO = THANK YOU
’NKYOO very much!
LEMEE = LET ME
LEMEE show you something!
GIMEE = GIVE ME
GIMEE a few minutes to think it over.
Fa / FUR = FOR
She did that work Fa nothing.
a = OF
That’s enough a that.
aLAHDa = A LOT OF
I have aLAHDa friends.
KIGHNa / KIGHNDa = KIND OF
You look KIGHNa / KIGHNDa off.
SORDa = SORT OF
It was SORDa unethical to do it.
ADa / OUDA = OUT OF
Get ADa / OUDA my car!
SOaM = SOMETHING
I wish I had SOaM Ta do.
Homework:
Read each form to an American. Ask him/her to guess its dictionary form. Write a dash before any s/he can’t correctly guess. Put an extra dash before any s/he can’t guess even after you then spell it. Underline any s/he claims isn’t American.
OUT-TAKE:
SaM = SOME
JAV SaM more?
Alternative OUT-TAKES from HW ass’t:
together with his/her comment; s/he dictates it and you write it.
Hand in his/her choice, together with his/her verbatim comment.
Relaxed Pronunciation: Reduced forms in American pronunciation
Name of the page at the above URL: Relaxed Pronunciation
INGLES ONLINE PRESENTS:
Forewarning: All languages have spoken forms which are unacceptable when written but completely acceptable when spoken. That's why I think it is so important to alert your students to the differences between the written and spoken forms. To not do so is a great disservice to your students, as 99% of the time, be it in videos, presentations or talking with native speakers, they will hear Relaxed Pronunciation. Of course, I am not encouraging neither you nor your students to use Relaxed Pronunciation all the time. It's really up to you and of course you should really be selective when it comes to sound very informal. (The context will help you determine the appropriate time. Above all, be sensible. Have fun and enjoy the list!
[I (DM) changed the phonetic spelling system and some of the other info and added a few entries.]