Pronunciation: splendid and sblended
In yesterday's post, we saw how 'the sky' sounds like 'this guy' because when /k/ comes after /s/, it sounds like /g/.
In my language (Welsh 🏴), we actually spell this with 'g' instead of 'c'.
For example:
- 🖥️ screen = sgrin
- 💯 score = sgôr
- 🏫 school = ysgol
- 🍪 biscuit = bisgedi
Yesterday I also posted a link to a video which explains this phenomenon (he calls it a 'disGussion').
In the video, Dr Geoff Lindsay uses this product ('sblended' milkshakes) as an example of the same phenomenon with 'sp' (which sounds like 'sb').
'sblended' is exactly how 'splendid' is pronounced!
['splendid' means 'fantastic, marvellous' and 'blended' means 'mixed together').
In Welsh 🏴 , we spell the words according to how they are pronounced:
For example:
- 🏀 sport = sbort
- 🧽 sponge = spwnj
- 🇪🇸 Spain = Sbaen
- 🍳 saucepan = sosban
How do you spell and pronounce these words in your language?
Also interesting:
In English
- the p in pin is aspirated (hold your hand in front of your mouth and say the two words, you’ll feel the puff of air with pin)
- the p in spin is NOT aspirated, so it sounds like 'sbin'.
Common gapfill words from the Listening Test
This is important for ARABIC speakers, who often mix up 'p' and 'b'.
Get someone to read these words to you, and check that you can spell them correctly:
sp: spoon, space, speed, passport, transport, hospital, spice, spring, speech, speed, sport
sk: skills, sky, risks, escape, discount, screen, description, Scotland, school, scheme, biscuit
