Pronounciation question?

Question

Just wondering, how do people normally pronounce
"it is"
I tend to pronounce it as "eaD is", like the T is not aspired.
So sort of like read it like "itis"

Same as:
"what if"
"that is"
the "t" at the end is silent for me.

Is that how other people usually pronounce it too?
Appreciated if native speakers can help me with it.

Answer 1

Here is the rule: When "t" or "d" come between vowels and in front of an unstressed syllable, they are FLAPPED. That means that they are voiced and the tongue touches the alveolar ridge only very briefly. It might sound like a very quick "d" to you. It is NOT "laziness" or "sloppiness", it is a natural phonological rule of the language and even the self-proclaimed "grammar experts" do it when they are speaking normally.

As a non-native speaker, you are probably better off not trying to imitate this unless you are very confident in your use of English and in your ability to mimic native sounds. Native speakers will understand your "t" and "d" quite well if you don't flap them.

Answer 2

This can be a bit complicated.

In standard English, the voiceless /T/ sometimes becomes voiced, so it sounds like /D/. Thus "little" becomes "liddle." But now we get to suprasegmentals. Inflection and other difficult-to-write factors change things. Thus you can easily understand me if I tell you that my parents live in the white house but George Bush lives in the White House. What's the spoken difference between "the white house" and "the White House?" The physics involved are difficult to explain, but duration, pitch and energy are involved.

And English speakers tend to run words together, especially if the words are short. So you get "itis" as a run-together word with the medial "t" becoming a "d" as in "little/liddle."

Exacerbating this condition for you is the suprasegmental aspect of inflection and energy attached to "what if/whadif" because these words tend to get swallowed (spoken faster) since what comes after is more important in the utterance.

Answer 3

It's a French phrase so it must be said just like the French do..Noo-ga. (silent 't') The English do not like utilising French pronounciations in order that they name it Nuggat. It's a surprise they do not name Grand Prix, gr-and pricks.

Answer 4

You pronounce the T.

However, many English speakers have a lazy mouth and slurr it all together.

Answer 5

I'm one of those lazy people person above me.

yeah it's pronounced like that when talking normally or fast, but when I talk slow I say the "t"

Answer 6

I had to say the phrases out loud and found myself running the words together with a "D" sound also. When I emphasize the first word, I use the correct "T" sound. Interesting.

Answer 7

No, we native speakers pronounce the t. it is = eht is