Longing,

Panda   Tue Jun 06, 2006 5:20 am GMT
How do americans pronouce the nasal ŋ.
Is it mostly merged with N or is it not?

This is very confusing because I've been to the states many times and It doesn't matter where I go, it seems like everybody pronounces prhases like "long ago" as "lonna go" or "long island" as "lon I lunnd", the only place in where I notice I different pattern was Cali, where they so pronounce ŋ. Also the G in singing, longer and younger is pronunced, but every website about american accent and all dictionaties I've seemed so far don't ackownledge this fact, Am I just mistaken?

No, I did not go to New York.
Panda   Wed Jun 07, 2006 4:31 am GMT
"In colloquial English -ng often sounds like -n at the end of a word."

So, that means that you pronounce "n" instead of "ŋ" at the end of such words?

And also, I noticed that the M-W.com pronunciation or "singing" is "siŋiŋ" while the pronunciation for "longer" is "loŋger". In words like that, How do you know when the "g" is pronounced and when it's not?
Guest   Wed Jun 07, 2006 5:16 am GMT
>>So, that means that you pronounce "n" instead of "ŋ" at the end of such words?<<

I'd have to agree with M-W.com here. Both instances of "ng" in "singing" as nasals is the most common pronunciation, hence "siŋiŋ". Though I don't say "siŋin" with a hard final "n" consonant, it can also be heard but is colloquial.

>>And also, I noticed that the M-W.com pronunciation or "singing" is "siŋiŋ" while the pronunciation for "longer" is "loŋger". In words like that, How do you know when the "g" is pronounced and when it's not? <<

I don't know why a "g" consonant is commonly pronounced in "longer" yet for "longing" neither "g" is pronounced. Strange... I don't think there's a rule....

Another thing, there are some people who actually pronounce a consonant "g" in "long" which can come across as a "k" hence you think you hear "lonk".

Where are you from originally?
sultan   Wed Jun 07, 2006 7:24 am GMT
hi
Kirk   Wed Jun 07, 2006 8:15 am GMT
<<
This is very confusing because I've been to the states many times and It doesn't matter where I go, it seems like everybody pronounces prhases like "long ago" as "lonna go" or "long island" as "lon I lunnd", the only place in where I notice I different pattern was Cali, where they so pronounce ŋ. Also the G in singing, longer and younger is pronunced, but every website about american accent and all dictionaties I've seemed so far don't ackownledge this fact, Am I just mistaken? >>

Well I'm from California and I definitely have /N/ (/ŋ/) where you indicate but that's hardly unique to this state.

It's worth noting that the "-ing" forms of verbs are commonly pronounced both with [N] and [n] in everyday speech even if people don't realize they actually do use [n] sometimes.

As with many/most other people I have no /g/ in "singing" but I do in "longer" and "younger."