American Pronunciation of Can and Can't

Sunny   Sun Aug 05, 2007 8:35 pm GMT
I wanna know how to pronounce American can and can't correctly. When I try to say "can", people think I'm saying "can't". Thanks!
beneficii   Sun Aug 05, 2007 8:40 pm GMT
Best way probably is just to emphasize the "n" not having a "t" after it. Perhaps rest on the "n" a little longer before stopping?

Trust me, even native speakers have to clarify themselves on this too and it sometimes isn't clear which one they're saying, especially if you say "can" too quick; I guess the glottal stop or whatever causes it to sound like there's a "t" at the end.
Gabriel   Sun Aug 05, 2007 8:43 pm GMT
"Can" usually has schwa, a weak vowel [k@n]. Try to pronounce it as if you were leaving out the vowel altogether, e.g. "I can do it" ["aI k@n "du: It]. It only takes [{] (i.e. the same vowel as in "cat") when it is especially emphasized or at the end of phrases: "

A: You can't do it.
B: Yes, I can! ["jEs aI "k{n]

"Can't" always has [{] and the "t" at the end is usually not released, or becomes a glottal stop.
Gabriel   Sun Aug 05, 2007 8:46 pm GMT
I forgot to add that for many NA speakers, the vowel in "can't" is notably raised, so my post should have read:
"Can't" always has /{/ which can be realized as [{], [E] or even [e]
Guest   Mon Aug 06, 2007 2:32 am GMT
Sometimes the best way do distinguish can from can't in speech is by the level of stress.

Examples:

He can go to work today.

He can't go to work today.

The "can't" is emphasized more than the "can" in these sentences. I supose that's why the vowel in "can" becomes a swcha.
Guest   Mon Aug 06, 2007 8:39 am GMT
I heard Americans saying "ken" for "can" and "caint" for "can't". They also mock at the British pronunciation saying : "I cunt hear what you're saying"
furrykef   Mon Aug 06, 2007 9:13 am GMT
<< I heard Americans saying "ken" for "can" and "caint" for "can't". >>

These pronunciations are stigmatized, but they do exist. They're most characteristic of rural Southern speech.

- Kef
Damian in London E14   Mon Aug 06, 2007 9:58 am GMT
***They also mock at the British pronunciation saying : "I cunt hear what you're saying***

That's nowhere close to any British pronuciation I know of....Not even in Glasgow....no way. Sorry - a wee bit off beam with that one. "Cant" - yes (Northern England; "cahnt" - yes (Southern England; "caaahhhnt" - yes (Cornwall :-) - but your version? No! 'I "cannae" believe it!', as a Scottish Victor Meldrew would say.

Anyway - I intrude....this thread is all about the American way but it was Mr/Miss/Mrs/Ms (or whatever) Guest who mentioned us Brits ....so I'm vindicated.
Travis   Mon Aug 06, 2007 1:04 pm GMT
>><< I heard Americans saying "ken" for "can" and "caint" for "can't". >>

These pronunciations are stigmatized, but they do exist. They're most characteristic of rural Southern speech.<<

Actually, "ken" (that is, /kEn/) is very, very commonly heard for "can" here in Wisconsin, such that pronouncing such with /kE{n/ is primarily found in careful speech here.
furrykef   Mon Aug 06, 2007 2:01 pm GMT
Oh, I should also note that "can't" pronounced like "cain't" is common in AAVE as well, although I don't think it's universal.

- Kef
Guest   Mon Aug 06, 2007 4:14 pm GMT
can't [kAENt] can be heard in Newcastle.
They have /AE/ for /A/: grass, past, last, can't
Guest   Mon Aug 06, 2007 8:50 pm GMT
''Vowel sounds are also quite unusual.

* "er" on the end of words becomes "a" (/æ/) ("father" is pronounced "fatha", both "a" sounds as in "hat").
* Many "a" sounds become more like "e" (/ɛ/): "hev" (/hɛv/) for "have" and "thet" for "that". ''


from Geordie article in Wiki
Guest   Mon Aug 06, 2007 9:00 pm GMT
In the chapter XII. of Peter Trudgill's ''English accents and dialects'' - Northumberland you can read:

''Again as in other northern accents, words like DANCE and DAFT have /AE/.''

Accordingly, in Longman Pronunciation Dictionary...[njukAEsl] is given as the local form.
Pete   Mon Aug 06, 2007 11:11 pm GMT
"can" and "can't" don't have the same vowel. "can" has a short vowel sound as in "cat", whereas "can't" has a diphthong as in "pad". I've heard people pronounce "can" with the diphthong in "pad" which I have often misheard as "can't".
Johnathan Mark   Mon Aug 06, 2007 11:17 pm GMT
When I was living in Indiana I could identify fellow Upper Midwesterners (Minnesota, Wisconsin) as those who pronounced can as [kEn].