Thread: why is o sometimes pronounced like an a

why is o sometimes pronounced like an a?? for example. the word "kogda" is pronounce "kagda" but "nemnogo" is pronounced "nemnogo".

Is there a pattern to this? If so I would greatly appreciate your input.

Thank You

O is reduced to an a or a schwa in unstressed positions.

In the sylable immediately before the stress it sounds most like an unstressed A.

In all other positions its more like a schwa.

Он - On
Она a-na
Оно a-no
Они a-nee
Москва Ma-skva
Молоко Ma-la-ko

If you say the English words father and leader at normal speed, the er is reduced to a schwa.

They say schwa is the worlds most common vowel sound in spoken language.

Originally Posted by pilotbowman

why is o sometimes pronounced like an a?? for example. the word "kogda" is pronounce "kagda" but "nemnogo" is pronounced "nemnogo".

Is there a pattern to this? If so I would greatly appreciate your input.

Thank You

I would rather say that the pronunciation of немного sounds more or less like "nemnoga", which is in line with TATY's explanation.

Originally Posted by Старик

Originally Posted by pilotbowman

why is o sometimes pronounced like an a?? for example. the word "kogda" is pronounce "kagda" but "nemnogo" is pronounced "nemnogo".

Is there a pattern to this? If so I would greatly appreciate your input.

Thank You

I would rather say that the pronunciation of немного sounds more or less like "nemnoga", which is in line with TATY's explanation.

Yes, it's not Nemnogo. It's more like Nemnoga.

Also, Е is reduced to И in unstressed positions.

It is reduced, but not very much, and it depends on a speaker. I read that in some periods it occured more often, but then unstressed E tended to be E again. Now I don't hear much plain И in ustressed E position. Only some people say it plain И (TV man Дроздов, for example).
On the other hand the unstressed A is often plain A now, and not a schwa. Espessially in Moscow -- in the case of some people to that extent that it hurts ears.

Originally Posted by TATY

O is reduced to an a or a schwa in unstressed positions.

In the sylable immediately before the stress it sounds most like an unstressed A.

Thanks for the explanation. This sound trips me up sometimes. When I was starting out in my study, I thought I was imaginating when I heard the "a" sound instead of the "o" sound. Now that I know better, it's just a matter of memorizing the stress location and practicing the word over and over again.

what the hell is schwa?

schwa is that little upside down e symbol

Its also an old cyrillic letter used in Kazakh, Bashkir, Udmurt languages.

A schwa is an "uh" sound. It can be represented with a variety of symbols.

schwa is the a in sofa, atomic, the u in but, the o in ignition. Basically, your tongue is raised only slightly from the floor of your mouth. If you say "ah' you can feel your tongue touching, but with 'uh' it raises up a mite.

Originally Posted by saibot

schwa is that little upside down e symbol

Oh thank god. I thought that it was just Taty's lisp or something.....you know as in, "The Schwa of Iran".

Well, ok. I guess whoever though of that is pretty... ok i dont want to get banned again.

You know we took a poll while you were gone Dogboy, too see how many thought you were rotten enough to be banned. But that thread got deleted with in a couple of days by MR Administration, too bad! It would of been fun if it was still going when you made it back..

Я знаю точно что злой как сатана Himself, но у меня есть weak spot в моем сердце для Noobsов. С сегоднащего дня, называй меня КРУТИН.

потому что я so крутой.


Actually i am not that bad of a guy am i? No worse than Mike calling people blubbering idiots. I mean, i dont say that. But when the 15,000th person asks what the difrence between сейчас and теперь is, i dont know man, i guess im rotten as pumpkin on women's day.

Originally Posted by Dogboy182

No worse than Mike calling people blubbering idiots. .

So what ever happened to Mike anyway? I kind of miss the thrashings I used to take from him!

Why do so many people not know this o-a rule, anyway? It's one of the first things they teach you in any book. And if you didn't know the rule, I'd be surprised if you actually figured it out somehow. My suspicions are rising...perhaps they simply find it a good conversation topic??!?!

I wonder, can somebody explain the difference between "right now" and "at this time"...

And what

Originally Posted by alexei

I wonder, can somebody explain the difference between "right now" and "at this time"...

No one would ever say "at this time" in present. I would say it talking about the past (or future) Like, "I went in the store, bought some cookies around 3:45, and at this time is when the robber came in and shot me"

Right now is just сейчас.