Is there a grammatical rule for pronouncing the word "the" one of 2 ways?

Question

Or is it just dialect?
eg. "the" said thee or "the" said with a short u
I am thinking this might be like the rule for a and an.

Answer 1

Yes there is a grammatical rule quoted in most dictionaries.

The:

"Pronunciation: before consonants usually [th]&, before vowels usually [th]E, sometime before vowels also [th]&; for emphasis before titles and names or to suggest uniqueness often '[th]E--
http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/the

Same as theo- ( used before vowels )

the [ stressed/emphatic ee, unstressed; before a vowel ee, unstressed; before a consonant ə ] CORE-- http://ca.encarta.msn.com/dictionary_/the.html I hope it helps.

Answer 2

As a rule, if the word before which it comes starts with a vowel, then it is pronounced, "thee"; otherwise, it's generally pronounced as "thuh."

Answer 3

There sure is. One uses the long 'eee' sound (as in weed) when the article preceeds a vowel. The neutral schwa vowel sound 'uh' (as in bug) is used when the article preceeds a consonant (or a consonant sound, like the word "one"). So one says 'theee' ant, but 'thuh' bug. It is indeed like the an vs. a rule.

Answer 4

I don't think there is a grammatical rule. Some pronounce it so that the e is prominent and some say it with the e sounding more like an a. It may depend on what you were taught in school.

Answer 5

Thee is a pronoun. (Second person, objective and considered archaic).

The (always pronounced thuh, and never as thee) is an adjective.

Answer 6

"Thee" if before a vowel sound, "thuh" before a consonant sound.

ex: I like thee orange ball more than thuh black one, but both more than thuh one that is striped.

Note on the last part "one" starts with a vowel, but has a consonant sound.

"Thee" is also used for emphasis - such as "She is THEE one for me!"

Answer 7

I pronounce "company" with a short "i" (like the sound in "youngster"). I pronounce "both" with a lengthy "e" (like the sound in "seat"). i'm initially from western Pennsylvania (jap US).

Answer 8

Pronunciation: before consonants usually "the", before vowels usually "thee", sometime before vowels also "the"; for emphasis before titles and names or to suggest uniqueness often "the".

Answer 9

dont know. i just say whatever sounds best at the particular moment. (i had to say particular, all of u guys sound so smart and professional.=) )

Answer 10

ooh yer, i would like to know this too. but i think you can say it however like "either" some say ee-thur others say i-thur