This is an All Ears English podcast, episode 2466.
Picky Pronunciation Part 1. Should I use two or three syllables?
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Do you sometimes hear a native speaker say three syllables in a word when you think it should be two?
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Number E. Hey Aubrey, how are you doing today?
How's everything? I'm great. How are you, Lindsay?
Good. Glad to be on the microphone today.
I have a question for you, a hot take question.
You ready? All right. Let's hear it. Yeah.
All right. So in English, do you say restaurant or do you say restaurant?
Ooh, that is a good question. I feel like I say both.
I think sometimes I'll say restaurant when I'm speaking quickly and every now and then I will say restaurant.
I'll make it three syllables. Interesting.
So this is really interesting. What about you, Lindsay?
I almost always say, pretty much always say restaurant.
Restaurant. Restaurant. Because I'm focusing on what kind of restaurant I want to go to, you know, speaking so fast, I think, oh, do we want Thai, a Thai restaurant?
I think I say restaurant two syllables more as well.
But the really interesting question is which is correct.
Yes. Good question. We're going to find out in this episode, right, Aubrey?
Exactly. This is inspired by one of our students, Jiri.
Hello. Shout out to Jiri in our Q&A. who noticed on an episode of All Ears English that you and I pronounced this differently.
One of us said restaurant. And the other ones had restaurant, restaurant.
And so he said, which is correct. I'm like, interestingly, both, right?
This is a regional dialect. You'll hear them both in the United States, at least.
Neither is wrong. I love when our listeners are listening so closely that they hear those really tiny differences.
That means we're doing something right here, and so are our listeners.
But Aubrey, this is the first of a two-part series.
Right? Exactly. Because today we're talking about words that could be pronounced with two or three syllables.
And then in part two, we're talking about words that could be pronounced with three or four syllables.
Those are longer words and you'll definitely want to hit follow.
Don't miss that one because a few of the words we're going to cover today native speakers do drop one of those syllables and this is a common English Learner mistake to add to pronounce all four syllables so you'll definitely want those details Yes, I love it.
So let's go through a handful of words today and see You know, if we can pronounce these with three syllables or what are the rules here?
Yes. Yeah. And the good news is here for a lot of words like this.
Both are correct, right? Don't stress about it.
It's not the end of the world. But it is interesting to know why native speakers are pronouncing these words multiple ways.
So first we talked about restaurant. That's our first example, right?
We went to a great new restaurant last night.
Both ways are correct. You will hear native speakers pronounce this with three syllables.
And maybe... Maybe we could pronounce that one more time, the two ways, Aubrey.
What would be the first way that you sometimes say?
What's that? Sometimes with three syllables.
Restaurant. Restaurant. And so it's a schwa in the middle.
Restaurant. Right. And with two syllables, restaurant, restaurant.
Okay, so we're really skipping the schwa sound entirely.
Restaurant. Eliminating that second syllable, making it two syllables, restaurant.
Mm-hmm. Okay. Which would make it a little harder to spell because then you might... spell it without that vowel in the middle because it looks like it should be three syllables.
Oh, yeah. We're not even talking about spelling today.
But a lot of these, when you do shorten it, the spelling doesn't quite work.
Yeah. Okay. What's the next one? Unexpected.
All right. The next one is probably. And we will hear people shorten this to two syllables probably, especially when they're speaking very quickly.
Right. So but both are accepted, of course, either he'll probably be late or he'll probably be late.
This is more about how fast you're speaking.
Yeah, this is the kind of word that gets all smushed up, right?
I'll probably be there. What I say actually is probably I'll probably be there tomorrow.
Right. I'll probably be there tomorrow. I skip the B entirely.
Right. That's true. That does happen a lot too.
Still two syllables. But we eliminate the B as well.
And it almost looks like it would be spelled P-R-O-L-L-Y, prolly.
Yes, yes. Strange, right? What about difference?
Yeah, different. So again, you could say different.
This is spelled like it would be three syllables.
Most likely, and I hear that on podcasts, TV shows, more often I hear these squished together and turned into two syllables, different.
Unless sometimes you might hear it in a song, for example, and it makes sense for the cadence of the song, the rhythm.
Good point, right? Or maybe a news anchor who's trying to enunciate very clearly.
They might pronounce all three syllables, but usually we would say, oh, we were on different flights. and we make it two syllables.
And I think it's important to point out that when different becomes a verb like differentiate, we don't. do the same thing.
So these rules, what we're telling you, the freedom you have with the two or the three syllables doesn't apply.
You can't say differentiate. You have to say differentiate.
We need that middle syllable. Don't you think, Aubrey?
Absolutely. With differentiate, we pronounce each syllable. but with some of the other versions of this word, like for example, differently.
We will usually make that three syllables.
We won't always say differently. It would probably be differently. because there's no time at that point as the word expands, and becomes a different part of speech, there's no time to then pronounce that middle syllable, I guess.
Yeah, it's interesting. So often for these words that we do drop syllables, If we're adding just ly or maybe ing, we'll often keep that syllable dropped.
But when it becomes a word with a totally different meaning, like differentiate or we're adding more syllables, then that's true, the pronunciation changes.
Hmm, interesting. What about family? Ooh, this is a good one.
Yes, right? So some people will pronounce this three syllables, family.
And then a lot of people drop that third syllable and they'll say family, family.
Do you live close to your extended family?
Right. And again, you hear the family more in. kind of a sing-songy way.
I feel like when you hear songs or poems, do you agree with that, Aubrey?
Yeah, that happens a lot. Like you said for the cadence, right?
If you're needing a certain speaking rhythm.
Or if someone is maybe reading from a script, they might say it differently.
But in general conversation... daily conversations.
Often this is about ease of speech, quickness of speech that we drop that syllable.
Did you ever used to watch the show Family Matters?
Yes, I loved Family Matters. That's a great show.
Me too, me too. It makes me think, I think they had an intro. song or it was either that or step by step with the, with, Danny Tanner.
Was that Step by Step? Did you watch that one too?
Danny Tanner was Full House, right? Full House.
Yes. We're getting all of our 80s, 90s shows.
We are. Yeah, we overlap there for sure.
But a lot of these shows that we loved in the 80s, were based on families living in a house in San Francisco.
So the intro would zoom in on the home. Usually they would use the word family in the intro song.
And I could see in that sing songy way saying family family.
Right. Family. Yes. That's interesting in the song.
But then when people said the name of the show, Family Matters, right?
Yes. And I'm glad you brought that up because it gave you the chance to say the word.
Plural. You said families. And same goes for that.
You know, we don't always say families. We often will drop that middle syllable still when it's plural and say families.
So as we said, as the word gets longer and more cumbersome, there's less time to pronounce that middle syllable.
And I'm glad you mentioned family ties. That's another great one with Michael J. Fox as like a baby, total baby, 22 year old or something. like, Oh my gosh, so good.
I know I watched his, there was a documentary about his life and it's showed how he got that job.
It's fascinating. I can't remember which streamer it's on, but if you have a chance to watch it, it's really fascinating.
Really good stuff. We have to recommend our listeners to go back and watch these amazing shows from the 80s because they're a fun reflection of culture at that time.
Yes, but it makes me think of just like with differentiated.
There are other forms, other versions of these words like familial.
And you couldn't drop that middle syllable because it's a different meaning.
It's said in a different way. So we couldn't drop that and say familial.
It wouldn't even be really difficult to even say.
Okay, so we're just really talking about the shorter forms of the word, usually nouns most of the time.
Okay. Let's move on to the next one, Aubrey.
All right. The next one is every. And so really it could be every, and sometimes people will pronounce this with three syllables, but often every.
Dropping that middle syllable will say every.
He runs at least a mile every morning. Exactly.
And again, in the sing-song you weigh, I could hear someone say, Every day, something like that.
It's probably something to be three syllables in a song or a poem every day.
Yes, exactly. Or if you want to emphasize, if you want to say every day I do this.
Yeah. But even if I emphasize that, actually, if I were trying to say, hey, I do this every day, I would still honestly not...
I would not use the three syllables. I'd say every day, every single day.
I would use another word like single. Totally.
And definitely in just regular conversation, it's always just every conversation.
Right. The only time you would hear that is if someone every now and then with these words is Because they are three syllables, someone will intentionally for emphasis or to be funny or something.
They'll be like, every time I do the right, they'll intentionally pronounce all three syllables for some reason.
But that's another good point. Just like regular conversation.
No, that's another good point, though. People do.
Oh, and that's kind of trendy right now that people.
And I think it's a little condescending when people do it, but they do it.
They pronounce every syllable of a word.
Do you know what I'm saying here? Yes, I know what you're saying.
When normally we wouldn't in a conversation.
Yes. But for some reason, it might be to be condescending.
Yes, like sometimes you're slowing down your speech almost to imply that the other person needs you to speak more slowly.
Who knows? there could be any kind of reason.
Yep. I was listening to Pod Save America over the weekend and I think it was Jon Favreau or one of the other hosts, it's pretty famous, was interviewing Mark Cuban.
Mark Cuban's ideas on politics are very optimistic because he's never been in politics. and the way that the co-host of Positive America was talking to Cuban. was doing that.
It was a little condescending. It was pronouncing the syllables and I was getting annoyed.
Because I was like, you're a Washington insider.
Listen to some different ideas. Oh, that's interesting.
Yeah. Interesting. That one's going to come up on part two.
Interesting. Anyways, good stuff. So listen for this, guys, in podcasts. movies, TV shows, little jingles at the beginning of a show.
You'll hear it. Really interesting. What else, Aubrey?
We have more though. Yes, we have a few more here.
So chocolate. It's just actually spelled and is three syllables, chocolate, but rarely will you hear it that way.
We almost always drop it and say chocolate.
Yeah, exactly. And then camera. I rarely hear camera.
Camera is what I say. Yeah, I also just say camera.
It's also interesting to think about these might be different in other English-speaking countries.
This is very much... American pronunciation.
Yes. Yes. A hundred percent. And then memory.
Do we hear it any other way? I say memory to syllables.
I have no memory, memory of that. Yeah.
Is that how you would say that phrase? You could say memory, three syllables, same plural, memories.
Or you can drop that middle syllable and say memory or memories.
Yeah. Yeah. It's personal pronunciation quirk, right?
Sometimes we do this. We all have our own. way of pronouncing and then favorite, favorite or favorite.
Right. Favor it. Just for me, it takes too long, you know.
I just want a lot of it, especially because we're talking about, you know, just regular conversations and the most for the most part, that's when we're really we're Speaking quickly, we're dropping these syllables.
Yes, exactly. And then one more. What is it, Aubrey?
Business. which really is three syllables, business, but we rarely say that.
We really usually pronounce this Two syllables, business.
She's completing a business degree. Or that's none of my business.
Yeah, it's almost always the two syllables.
Exactly. Which makes it more difficult to spell because there's that I that's basically silent, right?
Exactly. English is not spelled the way it's spoken.
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Hiring indeed is all you need. All right, Aubrey, let's finish up our episode today with a fantastic role play.
So here. We are cousins working in a family owned restaurant.
Sounds fun, right? Sounds good. Let's use a bunch of these.
I'll start us off. All right. Every time I walk in here, I still smell grandma's marinara sauce.
It's probably my favorite smell. Same that smell is a memory in itself.
I can't believe this place still feels the same after all these years.
It's impressive when a family-owned restaurant is able to stick around so long.
I think it helps that we try to keep it authentic, just with a few different touches now and then.
As long as that chocolate souffle stays on the menu, I don't think we'll ever go out of business.
So true. I saw someone bust out a camera and take a photo of it last night.
I'm not surprised the presentation is gorgeous.
Makes me want to try it. I know, right? It sounds delicious.
Yeah, right. I love it. All of them here, I think.
Nice. So we started with every time I walk in there.
I mean, did you say every or every here, Aubrey?
I think I just said every. I was trying to just say these how I normally would, right?
Every time I want, but it wouldn't be incorrect. to say every time I walk in here, but that wouldn't be my personal pronunciation or from the region that I'm used to, right?
Arizona and the Northwest. Also, it is about what we hear most on Podcasts, TV, movies that have the American accent.
A lot of these, what we're saying, this is what native English speakers say.
That's what we hear most often as well. Oh, for sure.
I love it. And then you said it's probably my favorite smell.
And I know you shortened to two syllables for probably.
Probably. What about favorite? Yeah, I think I did find myself kind of saying favorite, favorite.
Really? Okay. Favorite. So three. As I said it, I was like, oh, it's probably my favorite smell.
Yeah. I think I use both for that. That one feels a little more natural.
Two or three in my mind. Yeah, I agree.
And then you said that smell is a memory in itself or memory of I think you probably said it two syllables, memory.
Yeah, probably. It smells of memory in itself.
Memory. Oh. That was kind of three there, isn't it?
No, three, not memory. No, wow. It's so close.
It's somewhere in between. It's two and a half, Aubrey.
I know, it's true. It kind of is two and a half because you're sort of saying all three, but so quickly that the one almost gets assimilated.
Interesting. Exactly. Two and a half is my answer.
All right. That's good. Okay. And then I said it's impressive when a family owned a restaurant.
So family as two syllables and also restaurant.
I definitely said there as two syllables. two syllables.
And then he said, I think it helps that we try to keep it authentic just with a few different touches now and then.
And you could have said just with a few different touches now and then.
But do you have time for it is the question.
We're saying it quickly. Right. With the cadence of our speech.
And then you said as long as that chocolate souffle stays on the menu.
This is rare that I hear anyone pronounce this three syllables.
Chocolate souffle would... sound a little strange, but it's possible, right?
Depending on someone's speech. Or like we said, possibly in different English accents globally could be valid.
Then you said, so true. I saw someone bust out a camera and and take a photo of it last night.
So I didn't say camera or you didn't say camera, right?
Or did you? Nope. I said camera. I always say that's two syllables camera.
Yeah. Chocolate camera and business. are the three that I don't know that I've ever heard someone say with three syllables.
Possibly, right? But much more rarely. What should we leave our listeners with today?
This has been an interesting episode, something a little different today.
Yes, I know pronunciation in English is really interesting, especially where there's often no right or wrong answer. right there are regional dialects all over the world from different countries and even within a country a lot of different options so I'm excited about this series, right?
Today, you're finding out a lot of these three syllable words that we actually pronounce with two syllable words.
And you'll definitely want to hit follow for the follow up with three or four syllable words.
And for me, I think a big takeaway here is listening for the context of where a word is placed.
We've talked today about jingles and at the beginning of sitcoms, songs, condescending language on a podcast.
I mean, The syllables can be placed and used in different ways depending on what we're trying to do.
Are we just getting the message across or are we trying to rhyme or create a certain rhythm? in what we're saying, so be ready to see a word appear in different places differently.
Yes, that's such a good point, right? And observe language as you're hearing it.
Is it different in a song depending on the cadence or in just a regular conversation?
Yeah, for sure. Yeah, really interesting.
All right. So as Aubrey said, hit the follow button for the next part of this two-part series.
Aubrey, have a good day. You too. See you next time.
Bye. Bye. Thanks for listening to All Ears English. to know your English level?
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