How do you pronounce "the"?
May 14, 2007 at 3:34 AM Thread Starter Post #1 of 33

dizzyorange

500+ Head-Fier
Joined
Nov 21, 2005
Posts
720
Likes
23
English is not my native language but I've practiced it enough to the point where most people say I sound like I'm from Ohio (or they're just messing with me). I thought I had pretty much mastered basic pronunciation.. until I came upon this little rule:

"The" is pronounced thee before vowels and thuh before consonants, except in emphasis where it's always thee.

I realize I say thuh all the time.
frown.gif
Now I have to think before each use of the article. BOO.

For you native speakers, did you learn to follow this rule or is it just something you do unconsciously?
 
May 14, 2007 at 4:01 AM Post #5 of 33
I say "thuh." Sometimes "thee" though. It all depends on what I'm talking about.
 
May 14, 2007 at 4:11 AM Post #6 of 33
English is also not my native language. I think I say both but I dont think about it. I say which ever way sounds better...
 
May 14, 2007 at 4:37 AM Post #8 of 33
English is not my native language either, is almost been 7 years since I moved to America, and I must say, the first three years are tough.

But anyway, Yes, I pronounce them differently under different condition.
It took me a long, long, long time to learn how to pronounce "th" sound though
 
May 14, 2007 at 4:46 AM Post #9 of 33
I usually only say thee when I'm saying "the answer is..." I find that people who say thee all the time sound more proper than those who say thuh, however I myself say thuh, because we southerners are lazy (and crazy
smily_headphones1.gif
)
 
May 14, 2007 at 5:41 AM Post #12 of 33
How about "da" like in "da bomb"?
smily_headphones1.gif
 
May 14, 2007 at 5:48 AM Post #13 of 33
Quote:

Originally Posted by Singapura /img/forum/go_quote.gif
How about "da" like in "da bomb"?
smily_headphones1.gif



My geek circle at my school likes to use that term too, like "OMG Amd/ATI is like totally being PWNED by da leet Intel".
 
May 14, 2007 at 6:31 AM Post #14 of 33
I don't think I always follow that rule. When I say "the" before a word that starts with an "o," I say "thuh" because it's pretty much the same sound, so they slur in to each other. "Thuh octopus" with no pause in between.
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top