• Zagorath@aussie.zoneEnglish
    13·
    14 days ago

    thought - ah

    ?

    thought - or; if you pronounce it the UK/Aus/NZ way

    thought - o; if you pronounce it with a general American accent

    As for others:

    • thorough - uh (schwa)
    • hiccough - up
    • samus12345@lemmy.worldEnglish
      5·
      14 days ago

      I’m referring to American English specifically. “o” would make me think it’s pronounced “thoat”, but it’s the sound I meant.

      “thorough” rhymes with “oh” in Standard American English.

      “Hiccough” is a good one. I always hated that spelling and prefer “hiccup” for that reason.

      • zarkanian@sh.itjust.works
        3·
        13 days ago

        “Hiccough” is a good one. I always hated that spelling and prefer “hiccup” for that reason.

        TIL those are both pronounced the same way. (Gaol/jail is worse, though.)

      • Zagorath@aussie.zoneEnglish
        1·
        14 days ago

        Yeah o on its own is definitely unclear. I meant o as in “cot”. (As in the American cot-caught merger.)

        I feel “ah” would be a better shorthand for the vowel in “palm” or “bra”, or “car” in non-rhotic accents.