[dZ&gwar], [dZ&gjuwar], and [dZ&gwaIr]

Mon Dec 27 22:35:15 UTC 2010

Phonetic spelling norms are so unacceptable as to be unteachable in USA grammar schools.  Yet they could be so simple that everyone could learn phonetics even as a first grader.  The key is to make phonetic spelling simple and English based as does truespel phonetics.  This would lead to a revolutinary capability to explain English pronunciation to all learners as does the free converter at truespel.com.

For the word "jaguar" the notations  [dZ&gwar], [dZ&gjuwar], and [dZ&gwaIr] are intelligible.  The ampersand as a schwa is actually incorrect here as I hear the words spoken (see below).  Clearly the vowel is short a, as in "jag", not a schwa as in "jug" (Usually schwa stands for the "uh" sound ~u).

I click on the speakers in thefreedictionary.com and hear:
USA  ~jagwaar  (JAG-wahr) - clicking the speaker icon
UK   ~jagyue'u  (JAG-you-uh) - clicking the flag icon

Note, if it's UK, the ending "r" is dropped.  UK phonetics usually don't reflect that.

Tom Zurinskas, USA - CT20, TN3, NJ33, FL7+ 
see truespel.com phonetic spelling

> Date: Sun, 26 Dec 2010 23:57:51 -0500
> From: douglas at NB.NET
> Subject: Re: [dZ&gwar], [dZ&gjuwar], and [dZ&gwaIr]
> To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
> 
> ---------------------- Information from the mail header -----------------------
> Sender: American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster: "Douglas G. Wilson" <douglas at NB.NET>
> Subject: Re: [dZ&gwar], [dZ&gjuwar], and [dZ&gwaIr]
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> 
> Addendum: There was a substantial thread ("jagwire") on this subject in
> 2008 on this list, some of which I had forgotten ('scuse me).
> 
> -- Doug Wilson
> 
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org

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The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org