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Differences inpronunciation betweenAmerican English (AmE) andBritish English (BrE) can be divided into
In the following discussion:
Subscripta orb means that the relevant unstressed vowel is alsoreduced to/ə/ or/ɪ/ in AmE or BrE, respectively.
For manyloanwords from French, AmE hasfinal-syllable stress, while BrE stressesan earlier syllable. French loanwords that differ in stress only are listed below.
| BrE | AmE | words with relevant syllable stressed in each dialect[1] |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | 2nd | débâcleB2[nb 1] |
| 2nd | 1st | artisanalA1, liaisonabA2*[nb 2],Bayeux,[nb 3] macraméab, moustache/mustache,[nb 4]Renaissance,ab[nb 5] reveille[nb 6] |
| 1st | last | ballet, bandeau, barragea,[nb 7] batonab*, beignet, bereta[nb 8], bidet, blaséA2, bouclé, bouffantA2,[nb 9] bourrée, brasserieb, brassièreab, brevetabA2,[2] brochureb*B2,[nb 10][3] brûlée, buffeta,[nb 11][4] bustier,[nb 12] cachetA2, café*a*b, caffeineA2, calvados,[nb 13] canardaB1,[5] chagrina, chaletA2, chassé, château, chauffeurA2, cliché*a, collagea*B2, cornet, crochet, croissant*a, croquet, debrisaA2,[nb 14] debut, décorA2, démarche, demimonde, denier,[nb 15] detailaA2, détente, duvet, épée, figurineB2, filetb,[nb 16][6] flambé,[nb 17] fouetté, foulard, frappé, fricandeau, frisson, frontier, garageaB2,[nb 18] gâteau, glacé, gourmetA2, lamé,[nb 19] lingerie,[nb 20] manqué, massif, massage, matinée, métier, mirageB2, moiré, montage, negligeeA2, névé, nonchalantbA2, nondescript, nouveau, outré, parfait, parquet*b, pastelbB2, pastilleb,[nb 21] pâté,[nb 22] peignoir, pension,[nb 23] pissoir, plateau, précisA2, protégébB2,[nb 24][8] purée, ragout, rapport, rentier, risqué, rosé, roué, rouleau, rusé, sachet, salona, saté, sauté, savantabA2, soignée, soirée, solfège,[9] sorbeta,[nb 25][10] sortie, soufflé, soupçon,[11] tableau, tonneau, touché, toupée, triage, trousseau, vaccine, valet, vermouthB2, vol-au-vent. Also some French names, including:Argand,[nb 26]Avignona[nb 27][12]Beauvoir,[nb 28][13]Bizet,[nb 29][14]Blériot,[nb 30][15]Boulez,[nb 31][16]Calais,[nb 32][17]Cambray,[nb 33][18]Cartier,[nb 34][19]Chablis,[nb 35][20]Chamonix,[nb 36][21]Chabrier,[nb 37][22]Chardonnay,[nb 38][23]Chirac,[nb 39][24]Chopin,[nb 40][25]Citroën,[nb 41]Cocteau,[nb 42][26]Dakar,[nb 43][27]Dauphin,[nb 44][28]Dauphine,[nb 45][29]Degas,[nb 46][30]Depardieu,[nb 47][31]Dijon,[nb 48][32]Dumas,[nb 49][33]Flaubert,[nb 50][34]Foucault,[nb 51][35]Franglais,[nb 52]Gerard,[nb 53][36]Godard,[nb 54][37]Lascaux,[nb 55][38]Lyon,[nb 56][39]Mallarmé,[nb 57][40]Manet,[nb 58][41]Marat,[nb 59][42]Massenet,[nb 60]Maurice,[nb 61][43]Millais,[nb 62][44]Molière,[nb 63][45]Monet,[nb 64][46]Perpignan,[nb 65][47]Perrault,[nb 66][48]Perrier,[nb 67]Peugeot,[nb 68]Piaf,[nb 69][49]Poirot,[nb 70][50]Poitiers,[nb 71][51]Poussin,[nb 72][52]Rabelais,[nb 73][53]Renaulta,[nb 74][54]Rimbaud,[nb 75][55]Rodin,[nb 76][56]Roget,[nb 77][57]Rouen,[nb 78][58]Rousseau,[nb 79][59]Roussillon,[nb 80][60]Satie,[nb 81][61]Seurat,[nb 82][62]Thoreau,[nb 83][63]Tissot,[nb 84]Truffaut,[nb 85][64]Valois,[nb 86][65]Vouvray,[nb 87][66]Watteau.[nb 88][67] |
| last | 1st | addressbA1(noun), billionaire/millionaire, carouselA2, cigarette, esquireb*A2, lemonade, limousine, lychee,[nb 89] magazineA2, margarineb, mayonnaiseA2,[nb 90] penchant,[nb 91] potpourri,[nb 92] refugeeA2, shallotA2,[nb 93] solitaire, timbale,[nb 94] tiradeA2, ([bi]p)artisana.B1/2[nb 95] |
| 2nd | last | accouchement, arrondissement, attaché, au courant, charivari, consomméa, cor anglaisB2, décolleté, déclassé, démodé,[68] dénouement, divertissement,[nb 97] distingué, escargot, exposé, fiancé(e)A2,[nb 98] financier, hors de combat, hotelier, papier-mâché, par excellence, portmanteau, poste restante, rapprochement, retroussé, soi-disant, sommelier. Also some French names, including:Debussyb,Dubonneta,Élysées,Montpellier,Parmentier,Piaget,Rambouillet. |
Most 2-syllable verbs ending in-ate have first-syllable stress in AmE and second-syllable stress in BrE. This includescastrate,collate,cremateA2,[69]curate,dictateA2,dilate,donateA2,fixate,frustrate,gestate,gradate,gyrate,hydrate,lactate,locateA2,mandateB2,migrate,mutate,narratebA2,notate,phonate,placatebB2,prostrate,pulsate,rotate,serrateA2,spectate,stagnate,striate,[70]translateA2,truncate,vacateb*A2,[71]vibrateA2. Examples where AmE and BrE match includeconflate,create,equate,elate,inflate,negate,sedate; andprobate with first-syllable stress. Derived nouns in-ator retain the distinction, but those in-ation do not. Also,migratoryB2[72] andvibratoryB2[73] sometimes retain the distinction.
Most longer-ate verbs are pronounced the same in AmE and BrE, but a few have first-syllable stress in BrE and second-syllable stress in AmE:demarcateaA2,elongateaA2,impregnateB1,incarnateA2,inculcate,inculpate,infiltrateA1,remonstrateabA2,[74]sequestrate,tergiversateaA1[nb 99].[75] For some derived adjectives ending-atory stress-shifting to-a(tory)- occurs in BrE. Among these cases arecelebratorya[76] (BrE:/ˌsɛlɪˈbreɪtəri/),circulatorya,compensatorya,[77]participatorya,[78]regulatoryaB1.[79] AmE stresses the same syllable as the corresponding-ate verb (exceptcompensatory, where AmE stresses the second syllable). A further-atory difference islaboratoryB2: AmE/ˈlæbərətɔːri/ and BrE/ləˈbɒrətəri/.[80]
There are a number of cases where same-spelled noun, verb and/or adjective have uniform stress in one dialect but distinct stress in the other (e.g.alternate,prospect): seeinitial-stress-derived noun.
The following table lists words not brought up in the discussion so far where the main difference between AmE and BrE is in stress. Usually, it also follows areduction of the unstressed vowel. Words marked with subscriptA orB are exceptions to this, and thus retains a full vowel in the (relatively) unstressed syllable of AmE or BrE. A subsequentasterisk,*, means that the full vowel isusually retained; a preceding* means that the full vowel issometimes retained.
Words with other points of difference are listed ina later table.
| BrE | AmE | words with relevant syllable stressed in each dialect[1] |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | 2nd | AdonaiAB2, adultBAB2, albumen/albumin, aristocrat,Bernard,[nb 100] bitumen,Boudicca, cerebral/cerebrumA2, combatant/combative, communal, complex (adj.), composite, converseA2(adj.),[81] illustrativeA2,Kodály, majusculeA2, miniscule/minuscule,Mosul, omegaA,[nb 101] paprika, patinaA1, perfume (noun), pianistAB2, premature,[82] raceme,Riyadh, sitar, sojourn (verb), stalactiteA2, stalagmiteA2, subalternA2,[nb 102]SuezA2*, thanksgivingABB2, transferenceAA2, travail,UlyssesA |
| 2nd | 1st | accent (verb)A2, alternate (adj.), amortise/amortize, ancillaryB, archangelB1,Argyle,AugustineBA2,Azores, backfire (verb), banalA2,Bantu, baptize,Baghdad,Balthazar,Bangkok,Byzantine, capillary, capsize, catenary, cervicalAB2,[nb 103] (bi/quin/quater)centenaryB2, controversyB1,Corfu, corollary, defence/offenseAA2(sports only), deficitB1,[nb 104] despicableB2, download (verb), elsewhereABAB2, enquiry/inquiryAA2,[nb 105] epsilon, expletiveA, fritillary,[nb 106]Galbraith, guffawA1,[nb 107][83] hegemony,Hong KongA2, hospitableA2, implicative/multiplicative/predicative,Koblenz, lasso,Malay,Mardi Gras[citation needed], marshmallowAB,[nb 108] maxillary, medullary,[nb 109] metallurgy, miscellany,[nb 110] nomenclatureAB2, obligatory, participle, patronal, premise (verb),[nb 111] pretence/pretenseAA1, princess*AB2,[nb 112] prospect (verb), recluse, recourse, research (noun), resource, respiratory, rupee, salivary, saxophonist/xylophonistBB2,Shanghai, skeletalBB2,[nb 113] spinet, spread(-)eagledAB,[84]Stonehenge, stonewall, substratumABA2, tracheaAB2, urinalAB2,[nb 114] vaginalAB2,[nb 115] volatilise/volatilize, wastepaper, waylay, weekendABB2,Zoroaster |
| 1st | 3rd | opportuneABB2 |
| 3rd | 1st | Bucharest,Budapest, disciplinary,[nb 116] furthermore, h(a)emoglobinAB, manganese, manateeB2,PakistanA2,[85]Panama,PyreneesAB,Senegal,Singapore, stewardessB2 |
| 2nd | 3rd | submarinerA2,Yom Kippur |
| 3rd | 2nd | aboveboard, alumin(i)um, arytenoidA1,CaribbeanA2, centrifugalB2, chimpanzeeA1, obscurantismABA2[86] |
| 4th | 1st | manageress |
Where the syllable preceding thesuffixes-ary,-ery,-ory,-mony or-ative is unstressed, AmE pronounces the penultimate syllable with a full vowel sound:/-ɛri/ for-ary and-ery,/-ɔːri/ for-ory,/-moʊni/ for-mony and/-eɪtɪv/-ative. BrE reduces the vowel to aschwa or evenelides it completely:[-əri] or[-ri] (hereafter transcribed as/-əri/ in diaphonemic transcription),/-məni/ and/-ətɪv/. Somilitary is AmE/ˈmɪlətɛri/ and BrE/ˈmɪlɪtəri/,[87]inventory is AmE/ˈɪnvəntɔːri/ and BrE/ˈɪnvəntəri/,[88]testimony is AmE/ˈtɛstəmoʊni/ and BrE/ˈtɛstɪməni/[89] and innovative is AmE/ˈɪnoʊveɪtɪv/ or/ˈɪnəveɪtɪv/ and BrE/ˈɪnəvətɪv/.[90] (The elision is avoided in carefully enunciated speech, especially with endings-rary,-rery,-rory.[citation needed])
Where the syllable preceding-ary,-ery,-ory,-mony or-ative is stressed however, AmE also usually reduces the vowel:/-əri/,/-məni/. Exceptions includelibrary,[91]primaryA2,[92]rosemary.[93] (Pronouncinglibrary as/ˈlaɪbɛri/ rather than/ˈlaɪbrɛri/ is stigmatized in the United States, for example as associated withAfrican-American Vernacular English,[94] whereas in BrE,/ˈlaɪbri/ is common in rapid or casual speech.)
The suffix-berry is pronounced by similar rules, except that in BrE it may be full/-bɛri/ after an unstressed syllable, while in AmE it is usually full in all cases. Thus we havestrawberry: BrE/ˈstrɔːbəri/, AmE/ˈstrɔːbɛri/, andwhortleberry: BrE/AmE/ˈhwɔːrtəlbɛri/.
Theplacename component-bury (e.g.Canterbury) has a similar difference: AmE has a full vowel:/-bɛri/ where BrE has a reduced one:/-bəri/.
Stress differences between the dialects occur with some words ending in-atory (listedabove) and a few others likecapillary (included in#Miscellaneous stress above).
Formerly the BrE–AmE distinction for adjectives carried over to correspondingadverbs ending-arily,-erily or-orily. However, nowadays some BrE speakers adopt the AmE practice of shifting the stress to the penultimate syllable:militarily is thus sometimes/ˌmɪlɪˈtɛrɪli/ rather than/ˈmɪlɪtərəli/, andnecessarily is in BrE either/ˈnɛsəsərɪli/ or/ˌnɛsəˈsɛrɪli/.[95]
Words ending in unstressed -ile derived fromLatin adjectives ending-ilis are mostly pronounced with a full vowel in BrE/aɪl/ but a reduced vowel orsyllabic L in AmE/əl/ (e.g.fertile sounds likefur tile in BrE but sounds likefurtle in AmE).
AmE will (unlike BrE, except when indicated withB2) have a reduced last vowel:
In some words the pronunciation/iːl/ also comes into play:
Related endings-ility,-ilize,-iliary are pronounced the same in AmE as BrE.
The pronunciation of the vowel of the prefixdi- in words such asdichotomy, digest (verb),dilate, dilemma, dilute, diluvial, dimension, direct, dissect, disyllable, divagate, diverge, diverse, divert, divest, anddivulge as well as their derivational forms vary between/aɪ/ and/ɪ/ or/ə/ in both British and American English.[101]: 237
The suffix-ine,[9] when unstressed, is pronounced sometimes/aɪn/ (e.g.feline), sometimes/iːn/ (e.g.morphine) and sometimes/ɪn/ (e.g.medicine). Some words have variable pronunciation within BrE, or within AmE, or between BrE and AmE. Generally, AmE is more likely to favor/iːn/ or/ɪn/, and BrE to favor/aɪn/.
BrE/aɪn/, AmE (1)/iːn/:carbineA2,FlorentineA2,internecineA2,philistineA2,pristineB2[nb 121],salineA2,serpentineA2.
BrE/aɪn/, AmE (1)/iːn/ (2)/ɪn/:adamantineA2.
BrE/aɪn/, AmE (1)/ɪn/ (2)/aɪn/ (3)/iːn/:crystalline,labyrinthine.[102]
BrE (1)/iːn/, AmE (1)/aɪn/ (2)/ɪn/:strychnineA2.
Theweak vowel merger causes affixes such as-ate (as inclimate),be- (before a consonant),de- (as indecide),-ed (with a sounded vowel),-es (with a sounded vowel),-est,-less,-ness,pre- (as inprepare) andre- (before a consonant) to be pronounced with the schwa/ə/ (thea inabout), rather than the unstressed/ɪ/ (found in the second syllable oflocksmith). Conservative RP uses/ɪ/ in each case, so thatbefore,waited,roses andfaithless are pronounced/bɪˈfɔːr,ˈweɪtɪd,ˈroʊzɪz,ˈfeɪθlɪs/, rather than/bəˈfɔːr,ˈweɪtəd,ˈroʊzəz,ˈfeɪθləs/, which are more usual in General American. The pronunciations with/ə/ are gaining ground in RP and in the case of certain suffixes (such as-ate and-less) have become the predominant variants. The nouncarelessness is pronounced/ˈkɛərləsnəs/ in modern RP and/ˈkɛərlɪsnɪs/ in conservative RP; both pronunciations typically merge in GA (usually towards the latter). This variation is denoted with the symbol ⟨ᵻ⟩ in some of the dictionaries published byOxford University Press and in theRoutledge Dictionary of Pronunciation of Current English. In the latter, the British pronunciation ofclimate is transcribed ⟨ˈklʌɪmᵻt⟩, thoughcarelessness is transcribed ⟨ˈkɛːləsnəs⟩.
Affixes such asdis-,in-,-ing andmis- contain/ɪ/ in conservative RP as well as General American and modern RP, so that words such asdisloyal orteaching are phonemically/dɪsˈlɔɪəl/ and/ˈtiːtʃɪŋ/ in all three varieties.
ThetitleSaint before a person's name has a weak form in BrE but not AmE:before vowels,/sənt/.[103]
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These tables list words pronounced differently but spelled the same. See also the table ofwords with different pronunciation reflected in the spelling.
Words with multiple points of difference of pronunciation are in thetable after this one.Accent-based differences are ignored. For example, in their respective conventional accent-specific transcription systems,Moscow would be transcribed as RP/ˈmɒskəʊ/ and GAm/ˈmɑskaʊ/, but it is RP/ˈmɒskoʊ/ and GAm/ˈmɒskaʊ/ in the transcription system used in this article. Only the/oʊ/–/aʊ/ difference is highlighted here, since both the presence of a contrastive/ɒ/ vowel in RP (which falls together with/ɑː/ in GA) and the RP use of[əʊ] rather than[oʊ] are predictable from the accent. Also,tiara is listed with AmE/æ/; themarry–merry–Mary merger changes this vowel for many Americans.
Many sources omit the length marks in transcriptions of AmE, so that words such asfather orkeep are transcribed/ˈfɑðər/ and/ˈkip/ rather than/ˈfɑːðər/ and/ˈkiːp/. Even though it is not phonemic, vowel length in GA works in a very similar manner to RP, so this is mainly a difference in transcription.
| BrE | AmE | Words |
|---|---|---|
| /ɑː/ | /æ/ | Excluding words changed by thetrap–bath split,[104] (which affects most southern British speakers and almost no American speakers): banana, cabana, choraleA2,ColoradoA2, finale,Internationale, khakiA2, localeA2, mascara, morale, musicale,NevadaA2,[nb 122][105] pajama(s)A2,PakistaniAB2, pastorale, plaqueB2, rale, rationale,SaharaA2, sarsaparilla, scenarioA2, seraglio, sopranoA2,SudanB2, sultana, tiaraA2. Suffix words ending in -orama/-ramaA2: cyclorama, diorama and panorama. |
| /æ/ | /ɑː/ | "A" in the anglicised pronunciation of many foreign names and loanwords,[106] e.g.:Abu Dhabi,Abu Nidal, accelerando,AngstA2,AnkaraA2,aquaA2,Ariosto,Asti,Asunción,avocado,A2Avogadro,Baku,Balaton, banzai,Basra,Białystok,Bratislava, camaraderie,CaracasB2,Carpaccio,CasablancaA2,Casals, caveatA2,Cézanne,[nb 123] chiantiA2,Chiapas, dacha,Dachau, Deus ex machinaA2,d'Annunzio,Dushanbe,Dvořák,Francesca, ganja,Gdańsk, gazpacho, gestalt, glissando, goulashA2, grappa,Gulag, gratin, hacienda,Hamas,HansB2,Haryana, IslamicA2, jalapeño,Jaruzelski,Kafka,Kalashnikov, kakemono, kamikaze,Kampala, kampong, kanji,Kant, katakana, kebab,[107] lambada,La Paz, Las (placenames, e.g.Las Vegas)A2, lasagnaB2, latteB2,Lausanne,Lillehammer,Luhansk, macarenaA2, macho, mafia, mamba/o, manga,MannA2, mantra, maraca,MarioA2,Mascagni,Mazda,MilanA2,Mohammed,MombasaA2,Pablo PicassoA2, paparazzo, paso doble, pasta, patioA2,Paternoster,Pavlova, pilaf(f),Pusan, quattrocento,Rachmaninoff,Rafah,Rafsanjani, rallentandoA2,Ramadan, ravioliA2, regattaA2, ritardando,Rwanda, salsa, samba, samizdat, sanitaire, sashimi, sforzando, shiatsu,SlovakA2, squacco,Sri LankaA2, stalag, taco, tagliatelle, tapas, trattoria,Traviata, tzatziki,Uganda,Vivaldi, volte-face, wigwam,Wuhan,Yap (island),Yasser/sir,Yerevan |
| /ɑː/ | /eɪ/ | charade, cicadaA2, galaAB2,[nb 124] graveA2(accent), pralineB2,[108] promenadeB2(square dancing), strafeB1, stratumB2,[nb 125][9] tomato |
| /ɑː/ | /ɔː/ | UtahA2 |
| /eɪ/ | /ɑː/ | agave, swathe |
| /æ/ | /eɪ/ | AdolfA2, basil (plant)A2, canineB2, granaryA2, (im)placableA2, macronA2, pal(a)eo-, patronise/-izeA2, (com/un)patriot(ic)B2, (ex/re)patriate/-ationB2, phalanxA2, plaitA2,Sabine, satrapA2, satyrA2[9] |
| /eɪ/ | /æ/ | apparatusA2,apricotA2, babel, comrade, dahlia,[nb 126] dataA2, digitalisA2, gratisB2, patentB2, rabidB2, statusA2[9] |
| /æ/ | /ɒ/ | aquaticA2, twatB2 |
| /ɒ/ | /æ/ | quagmireB2,[109] scallopB2, wrath[nb 127] |
| /ɔɪ/ | /oʊ/ | Boulogne,Dordogne |
| /ɔː/ | /oʊ/ | auteurB2,XhosaAB2 |
| /oʊ/ | /ɔː/ or/ɒ/ | sloth, trothA2, wontA2, wrothB2 |
| /ɒ/ | /ɔː/ | Excluding words changed by thelot-cloth split: alcoholA2,altarB2,alterB2, assaultB2, atollA2,Austen,austere,Austin,Australia,Austria,BalkanB2,BalticB2,BaltimoreB2, cauliflowerA2, claustrophobia, cobaltB2, exaltB2, falseB2, falterB2, faultB2,GibraltarB2, gnocchiA2[nb 128], haltB2, hydraulicB2, maltB2,MaltaB2, paltryB2, parasolA2, protocolA2, saltB2, sausage, somersaultB2, vaultB2, WalterB2, waltzB2. Many chemical compounds ending in -ol; for example, butanol, ethanol, methanol, propanol, etc. |
| /ɔː/ | /ɒ/ | leprechaunA2[110] |
| /æ/ | /ɔː/ | asphalt, mall |
| /æ/ or/ɒ/ | /ɔː/ | YaltaB2 |
| /ɔː(l)/ or/ɒl/ | /æl/ | falconA2[9][111] |
| /iː/ | /ɛ/ | Aesculapius,Aeschylus,(a)esthete/-ticB2,[112] amenityB2,[113] an(a)esthetist/-ize, anap(a)est/-ic, breveA2,D(a)edalus, (d)evolutionB2,eco-A2,ecumenicalB2,epochalB2,[114]esotericB2,[115] h(a)emo-A2,Hephaestus, hygienicA2,[nb 129]KenyaB2, lever(age)A2, methaneB2,OedipusA2,(o)estrogenB2,[116](o)estrusB2,[117] p(a)edophile, penalizeA2,Ph(a)edrus, predecessorA2, predilectionA2, pyrethrinA2, qu(a)estor, schizophreniaA2,SemiteB2, systemic |
| /ɛ/ | /iː/ | crematoriumA2, cretinA2, depotA2, fetidB2, hedonism/-ist(ic), leisureA2, presentationA2, reconnoit(re/er)A2, zebraB2, zenith |
| /iː/ | /eɪ/ | gazeboA2, heinousB2,MekongA2, quayA2, reparteeA2. Greek alphabet letters containingeta: beta, theta and zeta. |
| /eɪ/ | /iː/ | detourB2, HeleneA2 |
| /i/ | /eɪ/ | ZimbabweB2 |
| /eɪ/ | /i/ | commedia dell'arte,Haggai,[118]IsraelA2 |
| /ɛ/ | /eɪ/ | ateB2,éminence grise,étui, mêléeA2,[9]Pécs, presa |
| /eɪ/ | /ɛ/ | again(st)B2, cortègeB2, machete, nonpareil[9] |
| /ɛər/ | /eɪ.ər/ | mayorA2 |
| /ɒ/ | /ʌ/ | amokB2, coloratura, comme il faut, hoverA2,Somme,Sorbonne. Also thestrong forms of thesefunction words: because[nb 130],(every/some/no/any)bodyA2, from,of, was, whatA2 |
| /ʌ/ | /ɒ/ | accomplice/-ishB2, colanderB2, conjureA2, constableB2, monetaryA2, -mongerA2 |
| /ɒ/ | /oʊ/ | adios,Aeroflot, ayatollah,Barbados, baroqueB2,[119]BoccheriniA2,Bogotá,[nb 131], bollB2,Carlos, cognacA2, compost,Costa Rica, doldrumsA2, dolo(u)r, groschen, grossoA2, homo-B2,Interpol,KosovoA2,Lod, mocha,olfactoryA2,Pinocchio, pogrom, polkaB2, produce (noun)A2, professorialA2, prophy-(lactic/laxis), realpolitikA2, riposte,Rosh HashanahA2, sconeB2, shone, sol, solsticeA2,Sonia,[120]TolstoyA2, trollB2, voltB2, yogurtB2.[121] Also, in general, Greek-derived names of places, people, or ideas that end in "-os", for example,ErosA2, ethos,[nb 132]Helios, logos (singular)A2, mythos, pathos,[nb 133] etc.; although chaos follows the British norm in both countries. |
| /oʊ/ | /ɒ/ | Adonis, codicilB2,[122] codifyA2, goffer,ogleA2, processA2(noun), projectB2(noun) |
| /ɪ/ | /aɪ/ | dynasty, hibiscus, housewifery,[114]idyll(ic),italicA2, pipette, privacyB2,[123] simultaneousA2, sinecure, tinnitus, totalizator, tricolo(u)rB2,[124] trimester,Tyrolean, vitaminB2. See also-ine. |
| /aɪ/ | /ɪ/ | butylB2, condyle, cyclic(al)B2, doctrinal, finance/-ialAB2, forsythia, -isation/-izationA2, kinesis/-ticB2,Minotaur, primer (schoolbook),A2Pythagoras,A2 respite,[nb 134] subsidence/-ent, synapseB2,[nb 135] umbilicalB2. See also-ine.[9] |
| /aɪ/ | /eɪ/ | aïoliA2,Isaiah |
| /aɪ/ | /iː/ | (n)eitherAB2,[nb 136]Pleiades, via. See also-ine. |
| /iː/ | /aɪ/ | albino, geyser, iodine, migraineB2, oblique (verb),[nb 137] reprise. See also-ine. |
| /aɪ/ | /i/ | symbiosis/-ticB2 |
| /i/ | /aɪ/ | In the prefixes anti-, multi- and semi- in loose compoundsA2 (e.g. inanti-establishment, but not inantidote). |
| /iː/ | /ɪ/ | beenB2,[125] cliqueA2, creekA2, invalid (noun)B2, prima |
| /ɪ/ | /iː/ | aphrodisiac,Biarritz, bulimia, memorabilia, pi(t)taB2, prestigiousA2, tricot |
| /ɛ/ | /ɑː/ | enclave,envoi/-voy |
| /æ/ | /ɛ/ | pall-mall[nb 138][9] |
| /aʊ/ | /uː/ | nousA2 |
| /ʊ/ | /ɪ/ | kümmel |
| /ʊ/ | /uː/ | Buddha/-ism/-ist,Burundi, cuckoo,Düsseldorf,Gutiérrez, guru,Ljubljana,Mussolini,Tuzla |
| /uː/ | /ʊ/ | boogie-woogie, boulevard,[126] hoofA2, roofAB2, rootA2, snooker, woofA2 (weaving) |
| /uː/ | /ə/ | ferrule, fortune |
| /ʊr/ | /ɜːr/ | courierA2 |
| /ʊ/ | /ʌ/ | MuslimA2 |
| /ʊ/ or/uː/ | /ʌ/ | brusqueB2 |
| /ə/ | /ʌ/ | surplus |
| /ʌ/ | /(j)uː/ | cuminB2 |
| /uː/ | /aʊ/ | routeA2 |
| /oʊ/ | /uː/ | broochA2, provenB2 |
| /uː/ | /oʊ/ | cantaloup(e), catacomb, hecatomb |
| /ʌ/ | /oʊ/ | plover |
| /oʊ/ | /aʊ/ | MoscowA2 |
| /ər/ | /ɑːr/ | MadagascarA2 |
| /ɑːr/ | /ɜːr/ | Berkeley,Berkshire,CherwellB2, clerk, derby,Hertford(shire). (The only AmE word with⟨er⟩ =/ɑːr/ issergeant.) |
| /ɜːr/ | /ɛər/ | errA2 |
| /ɛər/ | /ɜːr/ | ErnstB2 |
| /ɛr/ | /ɜːr/ | deterrentA2 |
| /ɛər/ | /ɪər/ | ampereA2 |
| /ɛr/ | /ɪər/ | (atmo/hemi/strato)spheric(al), inherentA2 |
| /ɪər/ | /ɛr/ | era,A2 hysteriaA2 |
| /ɜːr/ | /ɪər/ | Irkutsk |
| /ɪr/ | /ɜːr/ | chirrupA2, squirrel, stirrupA2, syrupA2 |
| /ɜːr/ | /ɔːr/ | whorlA2 |
| /ɔːr/ | /ər/ | acornA2,[127] record (noun), theweak form ofor |
| /ər/ | /ɔːr/ | Eleanor, metaphorB2,Westmor(e)land |
| /ə/ | /ɒ/ | Amazon, anacoluthon, automatonA2,Avon, capon, crampon, crayonA2,Lebanon, lexicon, marathon, (m)ascot, melancholy,[128] myrmidon,OregonA2, pantechnicon, paragon,Parthenon, phenomenon, pylon, python,Rubicon, saffronA2, siliconA2, wainscot. Also any geometric shapes ending in -agon; for example, hexagon, octagon, pentagon, polygon, etc. |
| /ɒ/ | /ə/ | AesopA2,Amos, colon, condom, despot,EnochA2, ingot, mosquito, sombrero, Winthrop |
| /ɒ/ | /ɛ/ | röntgen,Stendhal |
| /ə/ | /ɛ/ | accent (noun), nonsense |
| /ɛ/ | /ə/,/ɪ/ | congress,Kentucky, parallelepiped,[129] prestige |
| /ɪ/ | /ɛ/ | Places ending with -chester;B2 e.g.,Chichester,Colchester,Dorchester,Grantchester,Ilchester,Lanchester,Manchester,Portchester,Rochester,Silchester,Winchester |
| /ɪ/ | /eɪ/ | Ceylon |
| /ɪ/ | /ə/ | Some of the words affected by theweak vowel merger:AB2 impetigo, orange,Semitic, etc. See alsoeffects of the weak vowel merger. |
| /ə/ | /æ/ | baboonA2, bassoonA2,CapriA2, fastidiousAB2, nasturtiumA2, papooseA2, platoonA2, raccoon, saucepan, taboo, tattoo, toucan, trapeze |
| /ə/ | /eɪ/ | DraconianA2, hurricaneB2, legislature, satanic. Also, longer words ending in -ative. |
| /eɪ/ | /ə/ | entrailsA2, magistrateA2, portrait, template[130] |
| /eɪ/ | /ər/ | foyerA2 |
| /ɜː/ | /ɛ/ | Göttingen,Koestler |
| /ɜː/ | /eɪ/ | föhn |
| /ɜː/ | /oʊ/ | Montreux,Schönberg |
| /ɜː/ | /ʊ/ or/uː/ | bleu,œuvre, pas de deux |
| /ə/ | /ɔː/ | Bofors,Mauritius |
| /ə/ | /oʊ/ | anchovy, borough, thorough, varicose, volitionA2. Also place names that end in "-burgh", such asEdinburghA2 and surnames ending in -stone, e.g. Johnstone (see also-ory and -mony). Words prefixed with an unstressed "pro-"A2, with the exceptions of process, progress and project (verb), commonly use either pronunciation in American English; for example, probation, procedure, prohibit, proliferate, prolific,Prometheus, prophetic, propinquity, prorogation, protest (verb), protract, protrude, protuberance/-ant, andProvence. |
| /juː/ | /uː/ | Excluding words altered by theyod-dropping phenomenon: barracuda, culotte, pumaA2 |
| /uː/ | /juː/ | couponA2, fuchsine,HoustonB2 |
| /ju/ | /w/ | conduitA2, iguanaB2,[131] unguent |
| /ər/ | /jər/ | figureA2 |
| /ʊ/ | /jʊ/ | eruditeA2,[132] purulent, virulenceB2 |
| /jʊ/ | /ʊ/ | duress,Kuwait, résuméA2[133] |
| /jʊər/ | /ʊər/ | Excluding words altered by theyod-dropping phenomenon:HondurasB2 |
| /ɑː/ | /ət/ | nougat[nb 139] |
| /oʊ/ | /ɒt/ | HuguenotA2 |
| /ɜːr/ | /ʊər/ | connoisseur,A2 entrepreneur,A2 masseurA2 |
| /ʊər/ | /ɜːr/ | tournamentA2 |
| /ɜːz/ | /uːs/ | Betelgeuse, chanteuse, chartreuseA2, masseuse |
| /ɜːz/ | /ʊs/ | berceuse |
| /z/ | /s/ | AussieA2, blouse (noun), blouson, complaisantA2, crescentB2, dextrose, diagnoseA2, erase, fuselageA2, glasnost,Joseph,Manresa, mimosa, oppositeA2, parse, ruseA2, talisman, treatiseB2, valise, venisonB2, visaA2,[134] xylose |
| /s/ | /z/ | asthma, chromosomeA2,Zaragoza |
| /ts/ | /z/ | piazzaA2, schnauzer, terrazzo |
| /ks/ | /z/ | xi |
| /kʃ/ | /ɡʒ/ | luxury |
| /ʃ/ | /ʒ/ | AsiaB2, cashmere,PersiaB2, (as/dis)persionA2, (ex/in)cursionB2, (im/sub)mersion, (a/con/di/in/per/re)versionA2 |
| /ʒ/ | /ʃ/ | erasure |
| /ɡ/ | /dʒ/ | Elgin |
| /dʒ/ | /tʃ/ | sandwichB2,[135] spinach |
| /tʃ/ | /dʒ/ | Chou (en Lai) |
| /ʃ/ | /tʃ/ | chassis |
| /si/ | /ʃ/ | cassiaA2,CassiusA2,DionysiusA2,[136] hessian,Lucius, (ne/omni/pre)scient/-ence,Theodosius |
| /sj/ | /ʃ/ or/ʃj/ | issueB2, sexualB2,[nb 140] tissueB2 |
| /zi/ or/si/ | /zi/,/ʒ/, or/ʃ/ | nausea,[137] transient[138] |
| /zi/,/zj/ | /ʒ/ | artesianB2,Elysian,FrisianB2, Frasier, glazier, grazier, hosieryB2,IndonesiaB2,MalaysiaB2,Parisian,PolynesiaB2, Rabelaisian, visualB2[139] |
| /di/ | /dʒ/ | cordial[nb 141] |
| /ti/ | /tʃ/ | bastion,[140] besti(al/ary), celestial,[141]ChristianB2,[nb 142] (Se)bastian[142] |
| /ti/ | /ʃ/ | consortiumA2,[143] otiose, ratiocinate, sentientB2[144] |
| /ʃ/ | /sk/ | scheduleB2[145] |
| /iːʃ/ | /ɪtʃ/ | nicheAB2 |
| /ð/ | /θ/ | bequeath, boothB2, loath(ful/ly/some)A2, smithyA2, withA2 |
| /t/ | /θ/ | AnthonyB2 |
| /t/ | /d/ | Excluding words changed byflapping (sometimes described as the/t–d/ merger):TaoismA2 |
| /kw/ | /k/ | conquistador, sequoia[dubious –discuss] |
| /k/ | /kw/ | questionnaireB2 |
| /v/ | /f/ | nephewB2[nb 143] |
| (sounded) | (silent) | Excluding words changed by nasal flapping: bona fideA2,chthonicB2,[114][147] broccoliA2, coupé (vehicle), diaper, furore,herbA2,[148]KnossosB2,[149]phthisisB2, ricochetB2, salveA2,[150] solder,[nb 144] (un)toward(s)A2(prep.), B2, vaudeville |
| (silent) | (sounded) | Excluding words changed bynon-rhoticity: geographyB2,Maupassant, medicineB2, miniatureA2,Nantes,Nehru,[citation needed] physiognomy, schismB2,Singhalese, suggestA2,[9] traitB2,Valenciennes, vehicleA1,Warwick(shire). See also-ary -ery -ory -bury, -berry. |
| Spelling | BrE IPA | AmE IPA | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| advertisement | /ədˈvɜːrtɪsmənt/ | /ˌædvərˈtaɪzmənt/ | Older Americans may use the British pronunciation, and some British dialects use the American pronunciation. |
| agent provocateur | /ˌæʒɒ̃prəˌvɒkəˈtɜːr/ | (1) /ˌɑːʒɒ̃proʊˌvɒkəˈtʊər/[verification needed] (2) /ˌɑːʒɒ̃proʊˌvɒkəˈtɜːr/ | |
| Ajaccio | /əˈdʒæ(k)sioʊ/ | /ɑːˈjɑːtʃ(i)oʊ/ | BrE approximates more to French[aʒaksjo]; AmE reflects the word's Italian origin[aˈjattʃo]. |
| Algarve | (1) /ælˈɡɑːrv/ (2) /ˈælɡɑːrv/ | /ɑːlˈɡɑːrvə/ | The original Portuguese pronunciation is[alˈɣaɾvɨ]. |
| Aloysius | /ˌæloʊˈɪʃəs/ | /ˌæləˈwɪʃəs/ | |
| amateur | (1) /ˈæmətər/ (2) /ˌæməˈtɜːr/ | (1) /ˈæmətʃər/ (2) /ˈæmətjʊər/ | |
| appliqué | /əˈpliːkeɪ/ | (1) /ˈæplɪkeɪ/ (2) /ˌæplɪˈkeɪ/ | |
| atelier | /əˈtɛlieɪ/ | (1) /ˈætəljeɪ/ (2) /ˌætəlˈjeɪ/ | |
| avoirdupois | /ˌævwɑːrdjuːˈpwɑː/ | /ˌævərdəˈpɔɪz/ | |
| basalt | (1) /ˈbæsɒlt/ (2) /ˈbæsɔːlt/ | (1) /bəˈsɔːlt/ (2) /ˈbeɪsɔːlt/ | |
| Boccaccio | /bəˈkætʃioʊ/ | /boʊˈkɑːtʃioʊ/ | The original Italian pronunciation is[bokˈkattʃo]. |
| böhmite | (1) /ˈbɜːmaɪt/ (2) /ˈboʊmaɪt/ | (1) /ˈbeɪmaɪt/ (2) /ˈboʊmaɪt/ | The first pronunciations approximateGerman[øː] (spelled⟨ö⟩ or⟨oe⟩); the second ones are anglicized. |
| bœuf | /bɜːf/ | (1) /bʊf/ (2) /bʌf/ (3) /boʊf/ | The original French pronunciation is[bœf]. |
| bolognaise/bolognese | /ˌbɒləˈneɪz/ | /ˌboʊlənˈjeɪz/ | BrE uses two spellings & pronounced/ˌbɒləˈneɪz/. In AmE the word is usually spelledbolognese & pronounced/ˌboʊlənˈjeɪz/. |
| bouquet | (1) /buːˈkeɪ/ (2) /ˈbuːkeɪ/ | (1) /buːˈkeɪ/ (2) /boʊˈkeɪ/ | |
| boyar | (1) /ˈbɔɪɑːr/ (2) /ˈboʊjɑːr/ | (1) /boʊˈjɑːr/ (2) /ˈbɔɪər/ | |
| Buchenwald | /ˈbuːkənvæld/ | /ˈbuːkənwɑːld/ | The original German pronunciation is[ˈbuːxn̩valt]. |
| buoyA2 | /ˈbɔɪ/ | /ˈbuːi/ | The British pronunciation occurs in America more commonly for the verb than the noun; still more in derivativesbuoyant,buoyancy &lifebuoy. |
| Burkina Faso | /bɜːrˈkiːnəˈfæsoʊ/ | /bʊərˈkiːnəˈfɑːsoʊ/ | |
| canton | /kænˈtuːn/ | (1) /kænˈtɒn/ (2) /kænˈtoʊn/ | difference is only in military sense "to quarter soldiers" other senses can have stress on either syllable in both countries. |
| caramelA2 | (1) /ˈkærəməl/ (2) /ˈkærəmɛl/ | (1) /ˈkɑːrməl/ (2) /ˈkærəmɛl/ | |
| carburettor/carburetor | (1) /ˌkɑːrbjʊˈrɛtər/ (2) /ˈkɑːrbərɛtər/ | /ˈkɑːrbəreɪtər/ | BrE is spelledcarburettor & pronounced/ˌkɑːrbjʊˈrɛtər/ or/ˈkɑːrbərɛtər/. In AmE the word is usually spelledcarburetor & pronounced/ˈkɑːrbəreɪtər/. |
| cheong sam | /ˈtʃɒŋˈsæm/ | /tʃeɪˈɔːŋˈsɑːm/ | |
| clientele | /ˌkliːɒnˈtɛl/ | /ˌklaɪənˈtɛl/ | |
| cloisonné | (1) /klwɑːˈzɒneɪ/ (2) /klwʌˈzɒneɪ/ | /ˌklɔɪzəˈneɪ/ | The original French pronunciation is[klwazɔne]. |
| corral | (1) /kɒˈrɑːl/ (2) /kɒˈræl/ | /kəˈræl/ | |
| cosmosA2[151] | /ˈkɒzmɒs/ | (1) /ˈkɒzmoʊs/ (2) /ˈkɒzməs/ | |
| dachshund | (1) /ˈdæksənd/ (2) /ˈdæʃənd/ (3) /ˈdækshʊnd/ | /ˈdɑːkshʊnd/ | |
| dal segno | /dælˈsɛnjoʊ/ | /dɑːlˈseɪnjoʊ/ | The original Italian pronunciation is[dalˈseɲɲo]. |
| Dante | (1) /ˈdænti/ (2) /ˈdænteɪ/ | /ˈdɑːnteɪ/ | |
| dilettante | (1) /ˌdɪlɪˈtænti/ (2) /ˌdɪlɪˈtænteɪ/ | (1) /ˈdɪlətɑːnt/ (2) /ˌdɪləˈtɑːnt/ | BrE reflects the word's Italian origin; AmE approximates more to French. |
| divisiveA2 | /ˈdɪˈvaɪsɪv/ | /ˈdɪˈvɪzɪv/ | |
| Don Quixote | /ˈdɒnˈkwɪksət/ | /ˌdɒnkiˈhoʊteɪ/ | Compare to Spanish[doŋkiˈxote] |
| epochA2 | /ˈiːpɒk/ | /ˈɛpək/ | |
| foreheadAB2 | /ˈfɒrɪd/ | /ˈfɔːrhɛd/ | |
| fracas | /ˈfrækɑː/ | (1) /ˈfreɪkəs/ (2) /ˈfrækəs/ (3) /frəˈkɑː/ | The BrE plural is Frenchfracas/ˈfrækɑːz/. For AmE examples (1) and (2), the plural is anglicizedfracases |
| fusillade | /ˌfjuːzɪˈleɪd/ | /ˌfjuːsəˈlɑːd/ | |
| Galápagos | /ɡəˈlæpəɡɒs/ | /ɡəˈlɑːpəɡoʊs/ | |
| glacier | (1) /ˈɡlæsiər/ (2) /ˈɡleɪsiər/ | /ˈɡleɪʃər/ | |
| harem | (1) /ˈhɑːriːm/ (2) /hɑːˈriːm/ | /ˈhærəm/ | |
| holocaustA2 | /ˈhɒləkɔːst/ | (1) /ˈhoʊləkɔːst/ (2) /ˈhɔːləkɔːst/ | |
| impasse | (1) /æmˈpɑːs/ (2) /ˈæmpɑːs/ | (1) /ˈɪmpæs/ (2) /ɪmˈpæs/ | |
| IranA2 | (1) /ɪˈrɑːn/ (2) /ɪˈræn/ | /aɪˈræn/ | |
| IraqA2 | (1) /ɪˈrɑːk/ (2) /ɪˈræk/ | /aɪˈræk/ | |
| jaguar | /ˈdʒæɡjuər/ | /ˈdʒæɡwɑːr/ | |
| jalousie | (1) /ˌʒælʊˈziː/ (2) /ˈʒælʊziː/ | /ˈdʒæləsi/ | |
| junta | /ˈdʒʌntə/ | /ˈhʊntə/ | The BrE pronunciation is anglicized; the AmE is closer to Spanish. |
| kudos | /ˈkjuːdɒs/ | /ˈkuːdoʊs/ | |
| Lanzarote | /ˌlænzəˈrɒti/ | /ˌlɑːntsəˈroʊti/ | The original Spanish pronunciation is[lanθaˈɾote], also[lansaˈɾote] in Canarian Spanish. |
| lapsang souchong | /ˌlæpsæŋsuːˈʃɒŋ/ | /ˌlɑːpsɑːŋˈsuːʃɒŋ/ | |
| lieutenantB2 | (1) /lɛfˈtɛnənt/ (2) /ləˈtɛnənt/ | /luːˈtɛnənt/ | The 2nd British pronunciation is restricted to theRoyal Navy. Standard Canadian and Australian pronunciation is the same as the British. |
| liqueur | /lɪˈkjʊər/ | (1) /lɪˈkɜːr/ (2) /lɪˈkʊər/ | |
| longitudeB2 | /ˈlɒnɡɪtjuːd/ | /ˈlɒndʒətuːd/ | |
| Los AngelesB2 | /lɒsˈændʒɪliːz/ | (1) /lɔːsˈændʒələs/ (2) /lɔːsˈæŋɡələs/ | The original Spanish pronunciation is[los ˈaŋxeles]. |
| Ludwig | /ˈlʊdvɪɡ/ | /ˈlʌdwɪɡ/ | The original German pronunciation is[ˈluːtvɪç]. |
| machismo | (1) /mæˈtʃɪzmoʊ/ (2) /məˈtʃɪzmoʊ/ (3) /məˈkɪzmoʊ/ | (1) /mɑːˈtʃiːzmoʊ/ (2) /məˈtʃiːzmoʊ/ | AmE reflects the word's Spanish origin; BrE example (3) approximates more to Italian. |
| mama[152] | (1) /ˈmæmə/ (2) /məˈmɑː/ | /ˈmɑːmə/ | |
| methyl | /ˈmiːθaɪl/ | /ˈmɛθəl/ | |
| Meuse | /mɜːz/ | /mjuːz/ | The original French pronunciation is[møz]. |
| milieuA2 | (1) /ˈmiːljɜː/ (2) /miːlˈjɜː/ | (1) /mɪlˈjuː/ (2) /miːlˈjʊ/ | |
| Möbius | /ˈmɜːbiəs/ | (1) /ˈmoʊbiəs/ (2) /ˈmeɪbiəs/ | The original German pronunciation is[ˈmøːbi̯ʊs] and this is approximately reproduced in BrE. |
| Neuchâtel | /ˌnɜːʃæˈtɛl/ | /ˌnuːʃəˈtɛl/ | The original French pronunciation is[nøʃɑtɛl]. |
| NicaraguaB2 | (1) /ˌnɪkəˈræɡjuə/ (2) /ˌnɪkəˈræɡwə/ | /ˌnɪkəˈrɑːɡwə/ | The original Spanish pronunciation is[nikaˈɾaɣwa]. |
| oreganoB2 | /ˌɒrɪˈɡɑːnoʊ/ | (1) /əˈrɛɡənoʊ/ (2) /ɒrˈɛɡənoʊ/ | |
| Otranto | /ɒˈtræntoʊ/ | /oʊˈtrɑːntoʊ/ | The original Italian pronunciation is[ˈɔːtranto]. |
| pedagogyB2 | /ˈpɛdəɡɒɡi/ | (1) /ˈpɛdəɡɒdʒi/ (2) /ˈpɛdəɡoʊdʒi/ | |
| penult | /pɛˈnʌlt/ | (1) /ˈpiːnʌlt/ (2) /pɪˈnʌlt/ | |
| phthisic[153] | (1) /ˈ(f)θaɪsɪk/ (2) /ˈtaɪsɪk/ | (1) /ˈtɪzɪk/ (2) /ˈθɪzɪk/ | |
| premierA2 | /ˈprɛmiər/ | (1) /prɪˈmɪər/ (2) /ˈpriːmɪər/ | |
| première | /ˈprɛmiɛər/ | (1) /prɪˈmɪər/ (2) /prɪˈmjɛər/ | |
| progress | (noun) /ˈproʊɡrɛs/ (verb) /proʊˈɡrɛs/ | (noun) /ˈprɒɡrɛs/ (verb) /prəˈɡrɛs/ | In both British and American, the noun has stress on the first syllable. The verb has stress on the second syllable. Canadians follow the British pronunciation. |
| ProvençalA2 | (1) /ˌprɒvɒ̃ˈsɑːl/ (2) /ˌprɒvɒ̃ˈsæl/ | (1) /ˌproʊvɒ̃ˈsɑːl/ (2) /ˌproʊvənˈsɑːl/ | |
| provostA2[154] | /ˈprɒvəst/ | /ˈproʊvoʊst/ | |
| quasi- | /ˈkweɪzaɪ/ | (1) /ˈkwɑːzi/ (2) /ˈkwɑːsaɪ/ | |
| quinine | /ˈkwɪniːn/ | (1) /ˈkwaɪnaɪn/ (2) /ˈkwɪnaɪn/ | |
| Raphael | /ˈræfeɪəl/ | (1) /ˈræfiəl/ (2) /ˌrɑːfaɪˈɛl/ | |
| Rawalpindi | /ˌrɔːlˈpɪndi/ | /ˌrɑːwəlˈpɪndi/ | |
| renegue/renege | (1) /rɪˈniːɡ/ (2) /rɪˈneɪɡ/ | (1) /rɪˈnɪɡ/ (2) /rɪˈnɛɡ/ | BrE uses two spellings & pronounced/rɪˈniːɡ/ or/rɪˈneɪɡ/. In AmE the word is usually spelledrenege & pronounced/rɪˈnɪɡ/ or/rɪˈnɛɡ/. |
| Richelieu | /ˈrɪʃəljɜː/ | (1) /ˈrɪʃəluː/ (2) /ˈrɪʃəljuː/ | The original French pronunciation is[ʁiʃ(ə)ljø]. |
| Rioja[155] | /riˈɒkə/ | /riˈoʊhɑː/ | The original Spanish pronunciation is[ˈrjoxa]. |
| risotto | /rɪˈzɒtoʊ/ | (1) /rɪˈsɔːtoʊ/ (2) /rɪˈsoʊtoʊ/ (3) /rɪˈzoʊtoʊ/ | |
| Roquefort | /ˈrɒkfɔːr/ | /ˈroʊkfərt/ | The original French pronunciation is[ʁɔkfɔʁ]. |
| Salzburg | /ˈsæltsbɜːrɡ/ | /ˈsɔːlzbɜːrɡ/ | The original German pronunciation is[ˈzaltsbʊʁk]. |
| Santander | (1) /ˌsæntənˈdɛər/ (2) /ˌsæntænˈdɛər/ | /ˌsɑːntɑːnˈdɛər/ | The original Spanish pronunciation is[santanˈdeɾ]. |
| Schleswig-Holstein | /ˌʃleɪzvɪɡˈhɒlstaɪn/ | /ˌʃlɛswɪɡˈhoʊlstiːn/ | |
| Silesia | (1) /saɪˈliːsiə/ (2) /saɪˈliːziə/ | (1) /sɪˈliːʃə/ (2) /sɪˈliːʒə/ | |
| sloughA2 | /slaʊ/ | /slʌf/ | sense "bog"; in metaphorical sense "gloom".Homograph "cast off skin" is/slʌf/ everywhere. |
| StavangerA2 | (1) /stəˈvæŋər/ (2) /stæˈvæŋər/ | (1) /stɑːˈvɑːŋər/ (2) /stəˈvɑːŋər/ | The original Norwegian pronunciation is[stɑˈvɑ̀ŋːər]. The BrE pronunciation/stəˈvæŋər/ is common and also occurs in AmE. |
| Strasbourg | /ˈstræzbɜːrɡ/ | /ˈstrɑːsbɜːrɡ/ | The two original pronunciations are: French[stʁasbuʁ] & German[ˈʃtʁaːsbʊʁk]. |
| Taranto | /təˈræntoʊ/ | (1) /ˈtɑːrəntoʊ/ (2) /ˈtɑːrɑːntoʊ/ | The original Italian pronunciation is[ˈtaːranto]. |
| tourniquet | /ˈtʊərnɪkeɪ/ | (1) /ˈtʊərnɪkɪt/ (2) /ˈtɜːrnɪkɪt/ | |
| Trondheim | /ˈtrɒndhaɪm/ | /ˈtrɒnheɪm/ | TheUrban East Norwegian pronunciation of this word is[ˈtrɔ̂nː(h)æɪm]. |
| Tunisia | /tjuːˈnɪziə/ | /tjuːˈniːʒə/ | |
| turquoiseA2 | (1) /ˈtɜːrkwɔɪz/ (2) /ˈtɜːrkwɑːz/ | /ˈtɜːrkɔɪz/ | |
| Van Gogh | (1) /ˌvænˈɡɒx/ (2) /ˌvænˈɡɒf/ | /ˌvænˈɡoʊ/ | The original Dutch pronunciation is[vɑŋˈɣɔx]. |
| vaseA2[156][157] | /vɑːz/ | (1) /veɪs/ (2) /veɪz/ | |
| Z (the letter) | /zɛd/ | /ziː/ | The spelling of this letter as a word corresponds to the pronunciation: thus Commonwealth (including, Canada)zed and U.S.zee. |
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