4 ms·
> /ʒ/ does not occur in word-initial position in English I never noticed that until now. While it's obviously not an English word, plenty of English speakers h
by hunter2_ 5y ago
> /ʒ/ does not occur in word-initial position in English
I never noticed that until now. While it's obviously not an English word, plenty of English speakers have discussed French explorer Jacques Cousteau. I can't think of any other examples.
- FreeFull 5y agoJean Luc Picard is a well-known name from fiction, too.
- marton78 5y ago... and it bothers me a lot how it's consistently mispronounced as John-Luc in the eponymous series.
- open0 5y ago"genre" is one of the few. One of the languages I know allows for a word-initial /ŋ/, which English does not have at all.
- eythian 5y agoNew Zealand English (through Māori influence) has this, in names like Ngaire and places like Ngaio. This said, a lot (perhaps most, though it'll be regional I expect) of speakers will pronounce it as though the 'g' isn't present.
- bradrn 5y agoA couple of years ago I had a geology class in which the lecturer (albeit a non-New Zealander) consistently pronounced Ngāuruhoe with initial /n/. Interesting to know that New Zealanders pronounce it with /ɡ/ instead. (I, of course, pedant that I am, insisted on pronouncing it with an initial /ŋ/.)
- hunter2_ 5y agoAh, good call. Vietnamese, by chance? I'm guessing that because the only initial /ŋ/ word on my radar is the name Nguyen.