English Pronunciation

Hi Friends,


I am doing my M.Phil in English, and I am looking for a thesis topics on THE PRONUNCIATION OF ENGLISH. Now I am not pretty sure about the topics that I have to cover under the topic " The Pronunciation of English". Please help me what are the topics I should cover my topics. I have to prepare a thesis upto 80 to 90 pages. I know I have to cover the sounds of Vowel, Consonants and Diphthongs, what are more Ihave to cover???????????


Thanks a million

For starters, just what variety of English are you concerned with here, or are you truly concerned with treating English in a crossdialectal manner (which is easier said than done)?

It's such a broad issue - pronunciations vary so widely - each version is valid among speakers in their own regions, as we all know. The way the Brits pronounce certain words, for example, can diffe from the way Americans do - usually by the stress being placed on different syllables.

Take the word "controversy" for instance - it can vary even here in the UK with many people adopting the American way by placing the stress on the first syllable instead of on the second, as is/was usual in the UK. Then there is the well known difference in the way we both say "lieutenant" - on the face of it, the American version seems to be more logical, but for historical reasons the Brits still insert an "f".

Those are just two examples.

Here's an interesting link - how mistakes/variations in English pronunciation differ by nationality:

http://www.btinternet.com/~ted.power/phono.html

An 'f' in lieutenant? Did I hear you right?

<<An 'f' in lieutenant? Did I hear you right?>>
I think he's right. I think Brits say lef-tenant

No kidding! How can you do such a broad topic? It's worth multiple PhDs already...

if you know how to suggest a proper topic, or if your mentor is still mentally stable, I couldn't believe that there exists a topic like such.

and if you are truly in doubt, you shouldn't ask here. Here is only for quick-fixes and some chit-chat style academic posts, not homework or very serious research questions.

............ LOL, and you aren't into vain discussions, you wouldn't post at all.

And how about the pronunciation of "anti", "multi", "semi"? The first time I heard the American version of semi-final on TV, I had to ask my friend what the newscaster just said.

<<And how about the pronunciation of "anti", "multi", "semi"? >>

I think Americans use both versions of pronunciation for those words - the same goes for "data".

I am pretty sure I am the only person in this country that still pronounces "lieutenant" as "leftentant". I get odd looks all the time when I say it too, but damn it I'm English and I will refuse to pronounce my words any other way!!

The same with "Sony", it's "Son-ee" not "So-nee". Ha ha, what the hell, it's all good fun.