Reference page
Silent and deleted sounds
Silent vowels
Despite the spelling, the vowels in brackets () below are never* pronounced- choc(o)late, ev(e)ning, fam(i)ly, reas(o)nable, veg(e)table
- ref(e)rence, diff(e)rence, pref(e)rence
- int(e)rest
- ev(e)ryone, ev(e)rywhere
- rest(au)rant, antipersp(i)rant, diff(e)rent
- sov(e)reign
- cam(e)ra, op(e)ra, mem(o)rabilia
- nat(u)ral, gen(e)ral, sev(e)ral, lib(e)ral, mack(e)rel, min(e)ral water (but not mineral)
- fav(ou)rite
- desp(e)rate, temp(e)rate, sep(a)rate (adjective/noun, not verb), temp(e)rament
- temp(e)rature, lit(e)rature
- mis(e)rable, pref(e)rable, consid(e)rable, deciph(e)rable, mem(o)rable, hon(ou)rable, fav(ou)rable, comp(a)rable
- temp((o)ra)ry, contemp(o(ra))ry, lib(ra)ry, bound(a)ry, secret(a)ry, urin(a)ry, document(a)ry, comment(a)ry, laborat(o)ry, respirat(o)ry, myst(e)ry, mem(o)ry
* 'Never' for a given accent of English. In longer words especially, US English uses different stress patterns from British English, which means different vowels are demoted to [ə] and eligible for deletion. E.g. l[ə]BOr[ə]try in British English vs laBOraTOry in US English.
Deleting the vowel in -ally
The vowel in al is always pronounced in -ally when deleting it would leave only 2 syllables:
- e.g. usually, actually, finally, totally, normally
In longer words, [ə] is always deleted when it is in _cally_ or _pally_:
- e.g. specifically, typically, physically, automatically
- principally, municipally
In other long words, [ə] is only optionally deleted, e.g. in rapid speech
- e.g. originally, especially, personally, accidentally, occasionally