Newsgroup: it.cultura.linguistica.inglese
Titolo: Pronunciation of Express

If you see here:
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/express
It seems the phonetic is with the "I" like in "pit", but I could swear I
heard "E" almost as in "end".
I can surely say I'm confused.
What's the correct way of saying "express"?
Regards,
GD

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The correct pronunciation is with an E, but in normal uninflected speech it 
can very often sound like an I.
At the ticket window I might say:
"I would like a ticket on the Express to Boston."
Arriving in Boston early, I might say to my friend:
"I got here quickly because I took theIxpress."
I'm a little surprised that the phonetic shows I instead of E, but that's 
probably because it frequently sounds as I.
-- 
Joe/Joey da New York

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Anche secondo altri dizionari la corretta pronuncia sarebbe quella
della "i" di "hit" e di "pit", però tieni conto che la prima sillaba
di "express" non è accentata, quindi il suono potrebbe risultare meno
distinto.
A proposito: ho letto che in alcuni accenti non si distingue tra la
pronuncia della "i" di "pin" e della "e" di "pen" (davanti a nasale),
tendendo in pratica a dire "pin" anziché "pen", tanto che occorre
specificare "ink pen" per indicare la penna.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phonological_history_of_English_high_front_vowels#Pin-pen_merger
Pin-pen merger

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I noticed an analogous phenomenon in the pronunciation of:
- perfect: /pɜ:fɪkt/ according to Cambridge English Pronouncing
Dictionary and Longman Pronunciation Dictionary;
- basket: /ba:skıt/ according to the same authoritative dictionaries.
However, it is apparent that the vowel pronounced by the vast majority
of native speakers, no matter where they live, is not the /ı/.
There are many other examples.


Consultando il dizionario vedo che in inglese britannico la pronuncia 
corretta ï¿œ I, in inglese americano E.
-- 
Ciao Pizzi

 pronuncia corretta ï¿œ I, in inglese americano E.
Nel mio vecchio diz. ï¿œ Expert, non Ixpert.
La maggior parte delle parole in  ex- ha la pronuncia Ex-, con
la Ix- ho trovato:
extrados (iks'treid@s) estradosso;
example (eg- oppure ig-zampl)
-- 
ï¿œï¿œï¿œ
 O 

 probably because it frequently sounds as I.
So, if I understand it correctly, as usual I may add, there isn't the
good-way and the bad-way. Well, I'm only glad to hear I didn't pronounce
it incorrectly for years.

 corretta I, in inglese americano E.
Quale dizionario?
Il Cambridge dà la pronuncia I anche per l'americano
(ho verificato anche il Cambridge di American English).
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/define.asp?key=express*1+0&dict=A

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I believe it depends heavily on the natural kinds of elision that occur in 
normal, uninflected speech.
If you showed me the word on paper and asked me to pronounce it, it would 
definitely say "Express."
If I were admonishing someone with a given phrase, I would probably say:
'I Ixpressly told you not to do that!" because my emphasis would be on 
"PRESS." 
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Giovanni Drugo 09:54, venerdï¿œ 21 agosto 2009 :
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Correct... uncorrect; I'd use the words common and uncommon.
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http://dictionary.cambridge.org/define.asp?key=express*1+0&dict=A
Oxford del '60 dï¿œ la doppia pronuncia e anche il lingoes online.
-- 
Ciao Pizzi

 e anche il lingoes online.
Ma Lingoes non è una raccolta di dizionari?

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"Uncorrect"? Not correct, that.
It's correct/incorrect.
You will find "uncorrected" as a past tense adjectival form:
(--"This is an uncorrected version of the article."
 --"Well, where is the corrected copy?")
But "uncorrect" doesn't exist as an adjective.
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 But "uncorrect" doesn't exist as an adjective.
Is that error common or uncommon?
Rare or unrare?
Unique or ununique?
:-)
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I'm uncertain. I think it's rather unubiquitous.
The fact is, while you can correct something, you can't uncorrect it.
Well, you *can*, but it's  called "messing it up."
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 Well, you *can*, but it's  called "messing it up."
To my surprise, "uncorrect" can be found in a couple of dictionaries,
both as an adjective and as a verb.
The Webster 1913 edition has it with meaning "incorrect" (adj.), but
that's probably obsolete.
http://machaut.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/WEBSTER.sh?WORD=uncorrect
The Random House Unabridged Dictionary, on the other hand, lists it as
a verb used on ships:
un⋅cor⋅rect
  /ˌʌnkəˈrɛkt/   [uhn-kuh-rekt]
–verb (used with object) Navigation.
1. 	to convert (a true course) into a magnetic course.
2. 	to convert (a magnetic course) into a compass course.
Origin:
1495–1505; un- 2 + correct
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/Uncorrect?r=66

 
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/Uncorrect?r=66
Well there's a usage I haven't come across. I guess I don't spend enough time 
sailing.
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