[dizzyorange]

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.

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?

 

[rlanger]

I do it subconsciously.

Thee, flows much more naturally into words starting with vowels, and thuh flows more naturally into words starting with consanants.

 

[arnoldsoccer4]

I always say thuh, don't know anyone that says thee.

 

[Assorted]

It should flow nicely in iambic pentameter, so it comes out subconsciously.

 

[Mrvile]

I say "thuh." Sometimes "thee" though. It all depends on what I'm talking about.

 

[MrSlacker]

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...

 

[feh1325]

both...or is it bolth

 

[DSlayerZX]

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

 

[jewman]

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

)

 

[mrdeadfolx]

"Thuh" if the next word starts with a consenant, and "thee" when it starts with a vowel. "THUH guy at the counter said the tickets were ten bucks", or "I got THEE only floor seats left".

 

[dj_mocok]

anything with "th" is too damn hard to pronounce for non-english speakers.

 

[Singapura]

How about "da" like in "da bomb"?

 

[Assorted]

Quote:

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

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".

 

[ilovesocks]

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.

 

[mrdeadfolx]

th'octopus