• bstix@feddit.dk
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    5
    ·
    edit-2
    1 year ago

    I guess you’re a native speaker. As a foreigner, I can only nod my head. We know.

    They’re/their/there are completely different words. They mean different things and they’re pronounced ever so slightly different, and you’ll get you hand chopped off by a centimeter ruler if you do it wrong.

    “There” is clearly longer than “their”.

    “There” is one tone. “Their” is rising.

    • PeriodicallyPedantic@lemmy.ca
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      2
      ·
      1 year ago

      It differs by region and dialect. The English speaking world has wildly different pronunciations, even within relatively close proximity.

    • Darthjaffacake@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      1
      ·
      1 year ago

      Honestly I thought the distinction was just American but you’re right, I think English uses slight intonation for context on nouns/verbs/prefixes but in a way we don’t always write down or care about.