For words ending in "-ity" is it ~t or ~d

[Tom Zurinskas]

M-w.com lets us use our own ears.  In m-w.com “pretty” and “city” are
pronounced (as I hear them) ~pridee ~sidee.  I believe that is very typical.
  But m-w.com says they are pronounced in their notation 'pri-tE  'si-tE.
There is a disconnect.  I would say the speaker has it right in terms of
usual USA dialect.  (Not to find fault with m-w.com, which is an awesome
free resource).

So is it really a ~d or something else?  Try listening to “steady city”,
“muddy city”.  Both are ~d as I hear them.  The tongue is making the same
moves for the “d” as the “t”.  No tongue flaps.  Just a ~d.
English-only-speaking Americans don't even use tongue flaps, and this is an
American speaker.

Tom Zurinskas, USA - CT20, TN3, NJ33, FL5+
See truespel.com - and the 4  truespel books plus "Occasional Poems" at
authorhouse.com.


>From: Benjamin Barrett <gogaku at IX.NETCOM.COM>
>Reply-To: American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
>To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
>Subject: Re: For words ending in "-ity" is it ~t or ~d
>Date: Mon, 11 Jun 2007 19:27:38 -0700
>
>---------------------- Information from the mail header
>-----------------------
>Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
>Poster:       Benjamin Barrett <gogaku at IX.NETCOM.COM>
>Subject:      Re: For words ending in "-ity" is it ~t or ~d
>-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>It is NOT a "Spanish flap kind of d". It is an AmE sound, which
>untrained Americans often hear as a "d" sound. Earlier, suggestions were
>made that you take some basic courses in linguistics. Here is another
>great case where such classes would be of service. BB
>
>Tom Zurinskas wrote:
> > Note: I hear a true ~d and not a "Spanish r flap kind of d".
> >
>
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>The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org

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