English Pronunciation is very tricky because the spellings come from such a huge mix up of different languages.
It’s the result of migrations, invasions, occupying forces, trade from the surrounding seas and even invited foreign monarchs, so it really is a complete miss-mash of various languages.
Our history is full of different groups of people from different countries, speaking different languages, coming to stay or live here, as well as all the travellers coming in or travelling from, all around our island coast, as we have always traded with the rest of the world.
A sea faring nation, born out of us being an island, we have always had a strong exchange of DNA and ideas, which has made us great innovators, but with a right old mongrel language, which I love.
Spelling and Pronunciation
I can’t spell it easily, as I am deeply dyslexic, but I love the sounds and feel of words in my mouth, and when I use techniques to create a warm, rich, resonant sound, I love the way my words resonate in my body.
(I can teach you how to do this – sound more resonant with a richer, warmer sound.)
However! In this blog I’m talking about pronunciation – even that word for me – is difficult to spell – because the spelling is not how we pronounce it.
We pronounce it like this: preu-nun-see- ay- sheun.
The Ubiquitous French Pronunciation of A Myriad of Spellings
In that first phonetically spelt syllable, you will notice a rare combination of vowels ‘eu’.
In English the only words with that spelling that I know of are: amateur, saboteur, raconteur and chauffeur. All, deeply French words and ending with a French sound.
That sound became ubiquitous in the English language after the Norman invasion in 1066.
This successful invasion began the current dynasty of our royal family, unified the land and completely changed or rather introduced a very stiff, feudal, class structure with the French speaking land owners at the top.
Depending on whether you have a regional accent or what we call now a ‘standard’ or ‘neural accent’, will determine whether you make a sound like ‘ahh’ or even ‘err’..or make a French, sound, for numerous syllables in the the English language
eg How we pronounce the word ‘water’
In a strong London accent one would pronounce the word like this: waw-tah
Or if perhaps you have a strong Forest of Dean accent you might might pronounce it like waurrr- terrr
When you hear what is considered a posh English accent you might hear, war-teu.
(If you speak any French, pronounce the ‘er’ at the end of water as eu – in the same way as if you are saying: Je, beurre, le, leur, or peut.)
After 1066 the French speakers were in power. They were the occupying force so to speak, so those who had money, land, privilege and power, spoke French not English.
Until 1320, the law of this land was written in French.
How The Indigenous Population And The Invaders, Adapted Their Language & Pronunciation To Thrive
Because the Normans didn’t eradicate the indigenous population, but rather organised, controlled, and eventually interbred, the two populations mixed and so did their languages and likewise the sounds they made ie how they pronounced the new much larger pool of words..
The French sounds handed down through the generations, tended to be the sounds of the ‘haves’ – the people with land, power, privilege and so education and so they became the sounds to aspire to, if you wanted to succeed in the new power structure.
Education & privilege have historically and to some extent still are, rather like the chicken and eggs syndrome but thank goodness, nowadays it is written into the law that all children have the right of education until they are 16 and this new government, whatever you think of them, are examples of a much fairer education system than in the middle ages.
People Judge You or Appraise or Pigeonhole You, By Your Pronunciation
Pronunciation still separates people, even though it is not admitted publicly.
For example, if you pronounce h with an expulsion of air, literally pronouncing the h as you pronounce the letter in a word, rather than pronouncing it as ‘aitch’, the person listening to you knows immediately, that you are not one of the 8% of the population who were lucky enough to go to grammar school or private school.
This might sound very petty, but if you are a barrister or a banker – it will serve you well if you speak in a similar accent to your clients. It removes the gaps, reduces the friction, oils the wheels etc.
People like working with people they can identify with and with whom they feel comfortable.
My best friend at drama school became a Hollywood film star and I’ll never forget her saying, “People like working with people they fancy,” she was the most beautiful woman I had ever met, “get over it”.
She had a very pragmatic attitude to life and was extremely ambitious – beauty, brains, drive and pragmatism – the combination of which served her well.
The last time I spoke to her – her voice was completely different – less nasally and distinctly different from the South East England, Surrey sounds she had at college.
Her voice sounded really attractive …a much, much more open sound, not nasally at all.. and warm and sexy and Californian.
She was and is a survivor. She adapted.
Pronunciation Is A Great Tool: A Great Advantage if Used Wisely.
Excellent pronunciation in the language of your geography or trading areas, for the person or people you are trying to communicate with, is rather like enabling them or facilitating them to look through a clear, smear free glass pane window to the view.
All they experience, is the view, they are not hindered by slimey smears or dark spots, so no need for squinting or searching for view spots: they can simply see what you are showing them.
This is the value of clear communication.
This is why I think a neutral, well spoken accent i.e. a good, clear well defined and pronounced pronunciation- in any language – is such an advantage.
Notice how Israeli spokespeople always speak in a well spoken, apparently indigenous accent of the country in whose news channel they are expressing their war strategies.
Their words go in to the listeners’ ears much more easily, as there are no barriers, the message and content is easier to accept, as the audience does not have to make any effort to understand the words and the accent is familiar and comfortable.
Organising your spokespeople to learn authentic accents of the countries from whom you need support, is an important and very significant diplomatic strategy.
So!
Pronunciation is your friend 🙂
So whether you pay someone like me, or listen to hours and hours of audio books which really can help IF YOU CHOOSE YOUR READERS’ VOICES CAREFULLY – remember, this skill will bring you prosperity, success…
… and perhaps even a little privilege and power.
Please use your voice for good. 🙂