How do you pronounce "AGAIN"?

Pete   Sat Dec 24, 2005 4:48 pm GMT
I know of four forms in which this is pronounced:

1.- [@'gEn]
2.- [@'ge(I)n]
3.- [@'gen]
4.- [@'{In]

Personally, I normally use number 2. What kind of accent has those pronunciations of the word "AGAIN"?

How do you pronounce it? and Where are you from?
Travis   Sat Dec 24, 2005 7:58 pm GMT
I myself use the pronunciation /@"gEn/ -> [@."gE~:n] for "again".
Kirk   Sat Dec 24, 2005 8:21 pm GMT
[@'gEn], here, so same vowel as Travis. I'm from California (and Travis didn't mention it here but he's from Wisconsin).
Lazar   Sun Dec 25, 2005 1:01 am GMT
Like Travis and Kirk, I pronounce it [@"gEn]. I'm from Massachusetts.
Guy   Sun Dec 25, 2005 6:47 am GMT
Same as the 3 above, it's [@g'En] for me.
Felix the Cassowary   Sun Dec 25, 2005 10:05 am GMT
Well, I suppose you're asking two questions here: do you use the DRESS vowel or the FACE vowel in "again", and what is the realisation of these vowels in your dialect. It's not usually a good idea to mix these two questions; they're quite different.

I'm an Australian, and I normally use the DRESS vowel, but if the rhyme (or assonance or whatever) demands it, I go for the FACE vowel. Maybe I'll also switch just because I feel like it. I often hear songs where the DRESS vowel is used but the rhyme wanted the FACE vowel or vice versa, it's really funny especially when the person who sang the song also wrote it (or was a part of the group that wrote it).

I usually pronounce the DRESS vowel as [e], probably lower than cardinal. I usually pronounce the FACE vowel as [æI].
Uriel   Sun Dec 25, 2005 10:16 am GMT
I never say "again" with the long A, I don't care what the rhyme calls for.
Mxsmanic   Sun Dec 25, 2005 2:26 pm GMT
I always pronounce it as /əˈgɛn/.
Lazar   Sun Dec 25, 2005 11:13 pm GMT
<<Well, I suppose you're asking two questions here: do you use the DRESS vowel or the FACE vowel in "again", and what is the realisation of these vowels in your dialect. It's not usually a good idea to mix these two questions; they're quite different.>>

Yes. [@"gen], for instance, could be an instance of someone using the "face" vowel in a North American dialect like Kirk or Travis', or of someone using the "dress" vowel if they were Australian.
Lazar   Sun Dec 25, 2005 11:15 pm GMT
That should be "for example" rather than "for instance" above, because I don't wanna use "instance" twice in the same sentence. ;-)
SpaceFlight   Tue Dec 27, 2005 3:20 am GMT
<<4.- [@'{In]>>

I don't know what you mean by that pronunciation, Pete? I'm sure you don't actually mean what [@'{In] indicates.
Kirk   Tue Dec 27, 2005 3:58 am GMT
I'm sure he meant [@"g{In]. I should also note that above I meant to write ["] instead of [']
SpaceFlight   Tue Dec 27, 2005 2:16 pm GMT
I pronounce ''again'' as /@gEn/ or /@gIn/. I never say /@geIn/ no matter what the rhyme calls for, and have never really heard anyone use that pronunciation in a nonjocular way or in a serious way. Does anyone ever actually use that pronunciation other than when they're trying to make certain rhymes fit?
Guy   Wed Dec 28, 2005 2:49 pm GMT
I hear a lot of Aussies and Britons say [@gEIn], [@geIn] or [@g{In]
SpaceFlight   Wed Dec 28, 2005 2:57 pm GMT
<<I hear a lot of Aussies and Britons say [@gEIn], [@geIn] or [@g{In]>>

I guess it must be common in those places then.