the 'uhn' sound at the end is called a schwa, in linguistics

We use it all the time for unstressed vowel sounds (ie, in 'chicken', the first vowel is the one you stress).

So basically, in loads of words, we actually pronounce the unstressed vowel the same however it's actually spelt.

We do it naturally. But it's often what marks out non-native English speakers - they tend to pronounce unstressed vowel sounds according to how they are spelt - ie differently, according to the letter in the spelling. Which is logical, but sounds unnatural to us.

So pronouncing a it bit like 'chickun' - where the second vowel sounds is kind of indistinct, and is pretty much the same as the second 'e' in 'Webber', say - is what marks you out as a completely fluent English speaker...

Posted By: Tricky Hawes on May 25th 2017 at 09:08:14

Message Thread

why do some people say chickin when they say chicken 🍗? (General Chat) - Chris Peacock, May 25, 08:13:47
- the 'uhn' sound at the end is called a schwa, in linguistics (General Chat) - Tricky Hawes, May 25, 09:08:14
  - (here's the BBC on it, trying (fruitlessly, probably) to teach non-native speakers to use (General Chat) - Tricky Hawes, May 25, 09:10:00
- I think I do that (General Chat) - camcan, May 25, 08:44:57
  - Kitch-un or kitchin? (General Chat) - SimonOTBC, May 25, 09:01:28
    - Kitc Hen (n/m) (General Chat) - Jumbo1, May 25, 09:43:19
    - Somewhere in the middle (General Chat) - camcan, May 25, 09:21:34
- Chickun (n/m) (General Chat) - Men without hats, May 25, 08:21:50
- Chick hen (n/m) (General Chat) - Jumbo1, May 25, 08:20:10

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