Is the T in “Can't” pronounced before words starting with vowels in the American pronunciation?
1
I know that (AE)"can't" is pronounced /kaen?/ with a glottal stop. What about it appearing before the words starting with vowels, for example, "I can't afford that car." Is it "canafford" or "cantafford"?
american-english pronunciation
asked 2 days ago
user85971
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add a comment |
1
I know that (AE)"can't" is pronounced /kaen?/ with a glottal stop. What about it appearing before the words starting with vowels, for example, "I can't afford that car." Is it "canafford" or "cantafford"?
american-english pronunciation
asked 2 days ago
user85971
61
New contributor
user85971 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
3
The simple answer: yes, it’s ‘canafford’ or ‘cantafford’.
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
2 days ago
3
There is no simple answer. If I do not articulate the "t", the vowel in "can" changes. It moves closer to "e" than "a". This varies from person to person. In extremes, it becomes "I cane affordit' (I can't afford it). Losing the "t" will almost always shift the vowel even if the speaker and listener are not conscious of it. English ain't simple. Speakers of American English often retain some older mechanisms of speech that aren't obvious.
– J. Taylor
2 days ago
@J.Taylor Does that also explain the origin of "ain't"?
– Barmar
2 days ago
@ Barmar I have no evidence trail to prove the origin of "ain't". One could guess, but I think I will not. One clue might be "you ane gotit?"(you have not got it?"). that is maybe not ("you ain't got it?"). I know those who would say "you ane gotit?" that would never say "ain't"..
– J. Taylor
2 days ago
A glottal stop to me is a Cockney/Mockney pronunciation of button or glitter, not just a garden variety stop like b,d,g,p,t,k, yet I see this glottal terminology all over the internet. I do the usual flapped t in can't afford it or in hurried speech drop it all together, as in the t in international. That elision does nothing to the vowel.
– KarlG
2 days ago
add a comment |
1
1
1
I know that (AE)"can't" is pronounced /kaen?/ with a glottal stop. What about it appearing before the words starting with vowels, for example, "I can't afford that car." Is it "canafford" or "cantafford"?
american-english pronunciation
asked 2 days ago
user85971
61
New contributor
user85971 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
I know that (AE)"can't" is pronounced /kaen?/ with a glottal stop. What about it appearing before the words starting with vowels, for example, "I can't afford that car." Is it "canafford" or "cantafford"?
american-english pronunciation
american-english pronunciation
asked 2 days ago
user85971
61
New contributor
user85971 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked 2 days ago
user85971
61
New contributor
user85971 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked 2 days ago
user85971
61
New contributor
user85971 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked 2 days ago
user85971
61
asked 2 days ago
user85971
61
61
New contributor
user85971 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
New contributor
user85971 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
user85971 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
3
The simple answer: yes, it’s ‘canafford’ or ‘cantafford’.
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
2 days ago
3
There is no simple answer. If I do not articulate the "t", the vowel in "can" changes. It moves closer to "e" than "a". This varies from person to person. In extremes, it becomes "I cane affordit' (I can't afford it). Losing the "t" will almost always shift the vowel even if the speaker and listener are not conscious of it. English ain't simple. Speakers of American English often retain some older mechanisms of speech that aren't obvious.
– J. Taylor
2 days ago
@J.Taylor Does that also explain the origin of "ain't"?
– Barmar
2 days ago
@ Barmar I have no evidence trail to prove the origin of "ain't". One could guess, but I think I will not. One clue might be "you ane gotit?"(you have not got it?"). that is maybe not ("you ain't got it?"). I know those who would say "you ane gotit?" that would never say "ain't"..
– J. Taylor
2 days ago
A glottal stop to me is a Cockney/Mockney pronunciation of button or glitter, not just a garden variety stop like b,d,g,p,t,k, yet I see this glottal terminology all over the internet. I do the usual flapped t in can't afford it or in hurried speech drop it all together, as in the t in international. That elision does nothing to the vowel.
– KarlG
2 days ago
add a comment |
3
The simple answer: yes, it’s ‘canafford’ or ‘cantafford’.
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
2 days ago
3
There is no simple answer. If I do not articulate the "t", the vowel in "can" changes. It moves closer to "e" than "a". This varies from person to person. In extremes, it becomes "I cane affordit' (I can't afford it). Losing the "t" will almost always shift the vowel even if the speaker and listener are not conscious of it. English ain't simple. Speakers of American English often retain some older mechanisms of speech that aren't obvious.
– J. Taylor
2 days ago
@J.Taylor Does that also explain the origin of "ain't"?
– Barmar
2 days ago
@ Barmar I have no evidence trail to prove the origin of "ain't". One could guess, but I think I will not. One clue might be "you ane gotit?"(you have not got it?"). that is maybe not ("you ain't got it?"). I know those who would say "you ane gotit?" that would never say "ain't"..
– J. Taylor
2 days ago
A glottal stop to me is a Cockney/Mockney pronunciation of button or glitter, not just a garden variety stop like b,d,g,p,t,k, yet I see this glottal terminology all over the internet. I do the usual flapped t in can't afford it or in hurried speech drop it all together, as in the t in international. That elision does nothing to the vowel.
– KarlG
2 days ago
3
3
The simple answer: yes, it’s ‘canafford’ or ‘cantafford’.
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
2 days ago
The simple answer: yes, it’s ‘canafford’ or ‘cantafford’.
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
2 days ago
3
3
There is no simple answer. If I do not articulate the "t", the vowel in "can" changes. It moves closer to "e" than "a". This varies from person to person. In extremes, it becomes "I cane affordit' (I can't afford it). Losing the "t" will almost always shift the vowel even if the speaker and listener are not conscious of it. English ain't simple. Speakers of American English often retain some older mechanisms of speech that aren't obvious.
– J. Taylor
2 days ago
There is no simple answer. If I do not articulate the "t", the vowel in "can" changes. It moves closer to "e" than "a". This varies from person to person. In extremes, it becomes "I cane affordit' (I can't afford it). Losing the "t" will almost always shift the vowel even if the speaker and listener are not conscious of it. English ain't simple. Speakers of American English often retain some older mechanisms of speech that aren't obvious.
– J. Taylor
2 days ago
@J.Taylor Does that also explain the origin of "ain't"?
– Barmar
2 days ago
@J.Taylor Does that also explain the origin of "ain't"?
– Barmar
2 days ago
@ Barmar I have no evidence trail to prove the origin of "ain't". One could guess, but I think I will not. One clue might be "you ane gotit?"(you have not got it?"). that is maybe not ("you ain't got it?"). I know those who would say "you ane gotit?" that would never say "ain't"..
– J. Taylor
2 days ago
@ Barmar I have no evidence trail to prove the origin of "ain't". One could guess, but I think I will not. One clue might be "you ane gotit?"(you have not got it?"). that is maybe not ("you ain't got it?"). I know those who would say "you ane gotit?" that would never say "ain't"..
– J. Taylor
2 days ago
A glottal stop to me is a Cockney/Mockney pronunciation of button or glitter, not just a garden variety stop like b,d,g,p,t,k, yet I see this glottal terminology all over the internet. I do the usual flapped t in can't afford it or in hurried speech drop it all together, as in the t in international. That elision does nothing to the vowel.
– KarlG
2 days ago
A glottal stop to me is a Cockney/Mockney pronunciation of button or glitter, not just a garden variety stop like b,d,g,p,t,k, yet I see this glottal terminology all over the internet. I do the usual flapped t in can't afford it or in hurried speech drop it all together, as in the t in international. That elision does nothing to the vowel.
– KarlG
2 days ago
add a comment |
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3
The simple answer: yes, it’s ‘canafford’ or ‘cantafford’.
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
2 days ago
3
There is no simple answer. If I do not articulate the "t", the vowel in "can" changes. It moves closer to "e" than "a". This varies from person to person. In extremes, it becomes "I cane affordit' (I can't afford it). Losing the "t" will almost always shift the vowel even if the speaker and listener are not conscious of it. English ain't simple. Speakers of American English often retain some older mechanisms of speech that aren't obvious.
– J. Taylor
2 days ago
@J.Taylor Does that also explain the origin of "ain't"?
– Barmar
2 days ago
@ Barmar I have no evidence trail to prove the origin of "ain't". One could guess, but I think I will not. One clue might be "you ane gotit?"(you have not got it?"). that is maybe not ("you ain't got it?"). I know those who would say "you ane gotit?" that would never say "ain't"..
– J. Taylor
2 days ago
A glottal stop to me is a Cockney/Mockney pronunciation of button or glitter, not just a garden variety stop like b,d,g,p,t,k, yet I see this glottal terminology all over the internet. I do the usual flapped t in can't afford it or in hurried speech drop it all together, as in the t in international. That elision does nothing to the vowel.
– KarlG
2 days ago