Why do Americans pronounce centaurs "centars"???

[niklinna]

Definitely time for the International Phonetic Alphabet!

Here are a couple soundboards I found. They aren't great, and one of them is definitely just for General American English, but it's a start.

IPA Chart

International Phonetic Alphabet for American English — IPA Chart

Find examples of American English words for each sound of the American English language. Watch a video with a native speaker pronouncing each word.

easypronunciation.com

 

[Weiley31]

I prefer the Dunk'O Roos pronunciation myself.

 

[Cadence]

I’m an Army Brat in the USA, so moving every 2-4 years (including 3 years in Bavaria) weirded my accent & pronunciation.

For me:

Au(aw)spicious
Au(aw)dacity
Au(aw)to
Clau(ow)strophobia
Menopau(ah)se
Plau(aw)sible

18 years in northern Illinois followed by 10 in central (before 23 down here in South Carolina) and those all seem like what I have. I might be 50-50 with Clawstrophobia and Clostrophobia.

How do you say the thing on top of the house. roo + f or rhymes with wolf and hoof?

 

[FitzTheRuke]

How do you say the thing on top of the house. roo + f or rhymes with wolf and hoof?

Neither? (Oh oh, we probably pronounce that word differently too!)

For me (West Coast Canadian - and I've never heard a Canadian pronounce out as oot. Never.) roof is like the roo in kangaroo with an f at the end, or like "Oof. I fell down." with an R at the beginning.

Meanwhile "wolf" has an l in it. Like a sheep's wool with an f. Wulf.

And hoof doesn't quite have the longer oo sound. I can't think of a way to spell it. Closer to huf but not quite huff, if you get what I mean. Anyway doesn't quite rhyme with roof. Although it would if you were from Washington State. (Though I've heard them pronounce that Warshington. Not all of them, though.)

 

[niklinna]

Why do Canadians pronounce about 'aboot'?

They don't—but since the sound they actually pronounce isn't in your phonemic repertoire, and /u/ is the closest thing you have, that's what it sounds like to you.

 

[dragoner]

Every time I hear this (just been listening to dungeoncast episode) it drives me nuts, like fingernails on a blackboard...there is a 'u' in it, so is "Centaur" like "Dinosaur".....aargh

Wait until you hear them say kilometer.

 

[Cadence]

Neither? (Oh oh, we probably pronounce that word differently too!)

For me (West Coast Canadian - and I've never heard a Canadian pronounce out as oot. Never.) roof is like the roo in kangaroo with an f at the end, or like "Oof. I fell down." with an R at the beginning.

Meanwhile "wolf" has an l in it. Like a sheep's wool with an f. Wulf.

And hoof doesn't quite have the longer oo sound. I can't think of a way to spell it. Closer to huf but not quite huff, if you get what I mean. Anyway doesn't quite rhyme with roof. Although it would if you were from Washington State. (Though I've heard them pronounce that Warshington. Not all of them, though.)

The L in wolf is silent for me I think. I want to say I pronounce roof, wolf, and hoof to rhyme with the way I'd say neuf and boeuf. But my French pronunciation is probably really bad (and slow) for the few words I remember.

[And the "woof" sound of a dog. My son also pronounces the singular of wolves like I do, but my wife gets the L in wolf and pronounced roof like you do.]

 

[FitzTheRuke]

The L in wolf is silent for me I think. I want to say I pronounce roof, wolf, and hoof to rhyme with the way I'd say neuf and boeuf. But my French pronunciation is probably really bad (and slow) for the few words I remember.

[And the "woof" sound of a dog. My son also pronounces the singular of wolves like I do, but my wife gets the L in wolf and pronounced roof like you do.]

Woof is the same as hoof but not the same as roof. For me. Neuf and boeuf would be completely different. (Though I wouldn't say my French is very good either. I may be Canadian, but I speak Japanese nearly as well as I do French, which is not great.)

On the original subject... I definitely put an oar in Centaur. Cent-oar. Like rowing fifty boats. Minotaur is the same but definitely min and not mine. If any of that makes sense.

 

[TarionzCousin]

(Though I've heard them pronounce that Warshington. Not all of them, though.)

Some Oregonians pronounce it that way, too--but only some from all over the state; not a specific region. It's odd.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

18 years in northern Illinois followed by 10 in central (before 23 down here in South Carolina) and those all seem like what I have. I might be 50-50 with Clawstrophobia and Clostrophobia.

How do you say the thing on top of the house. roo + f or rhymes with wolf and hoof?

Roof rhymes with Goof. Hoof…depends. Sometimes it rhymes with roof, but others it’s more of a “huhhf”…”hoof” with a shorter “o” sound.