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As a NZer I got thrown when going to California, by asking the front desk staff to do something and then waiting patiently when they said "I can't do that". Tur
by paragraft 5y ago
As a NZer I got thrown when going to California, by asking the front desk staff to do something and then waiting patiently when they said "I can't do that". Turns out when you come from a place where there's a vowel difference between "can" and "can't", that's what you listen for. I didn't at all pick up on the "t" sound at the end.
- robocat 5y agoHere's an American saying and explaining the spoken difference between can and can't: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=o_GHV6RTy9c https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=o_GHV6RTy9c I agree, it certainly sounds queer to my ear. She says can't has a short vowel, whereas in NZ English it is important that the vowel length is spoken long.