True Phonemic English: How Sounding Out Vowels Changes the Language

How English would sound if vowels were pronounced exactly as spelled: True Phonemic English: How Sounding Out Vowels Changes the Language

Abstract: English is a language with complex spelling and pronunciation rules that have evolved over centuries. One thought experiment is to imagine how English would sound if vowels were pronounced exactly as they are spelled - a "phonemic" version of the language. This would result in drastic changes to the pronunciations of countless words. Common words like "read," "through," "thought," and "tough" would be pronounced as "reed," "throo," "thawt," and "tuff" respectively. Longer passages rendered in this phonemic English become quite difficult for native speakers to parse initially. While providing more consistent vowel pronunciations, this hypothetical version highlights the irregularities and exceptions deeply embedded in modern English. Exploring phonemic English allows an appreciation for the language's quirks but also sparks discussion around potential spelling and pronunciation reforms to ease learning and communication. Overall, this concept showcases how slight changes to sacred linguistic rules can render a familiar language strangely foreign.

.Standard English Passage:

The young student diligently studied for her exams, pouring over her notes and textbooks. She wanted to achieve the highest scores possible to secure admission into the prestigious university program of her dreams. Despite the occasional frustration and doubt, she persevered, motivated by her ambitious goals. Ultimately, her hard work paid off, and she celebrated her remarkable success.

Phonemic Vowel Pronunciation Passage:

Thuh yung studunt diliguntly studeed fur hur uxams, puring ovur hur nots and tuxtbuuks. Shee wantud too acheev thuh highust scors pussibul too sucyur admisshun intoo thuh prustijeeus yunivursitee prugram uv hur dreams. Duspight thuh uckashunal frustrashun and dout, shee pursuveerd, motiivated bigh hur ambishus gols. Ultiumutlee, hur hard wurk pade ouf, and shee culubratud hur rumarkubul succuss.

In the phonemic vowel pronunciation passage, words like "young," "studied," "notes," "textbooks," "achieve," "prestigious," "university," "frustration," "motivated," "ambitious," "ultimately," and "celebrated" are spelled differently to match the exact vowel sounds.

Here are a few more passages with a comparison between standard English and a phonemic vowel pronunciation:

Standard English Passage:

The curious child gazed up at the night sky, marveling at the twinkling stars that adorned the vast darkness. Her imagination ran wild, picturing fantastical worlds and alien civilizations among the celestial bodies. With each passing night, her wonder and fascination for the cosmos grew, fueling her dreams of one day becoming an astronaut and exploring the mysteries of the universe.

Phonemic Vowel Pronunciation:

Thuh cyoorius chighld gazd up at thuh nights skigh, marvuling at thuh twingkling stars that adoornd thuh vast darknus. Hur imajinashun ran wighld, pikchuring fantastikul wurlds and aleen sivilizeeshuns amung thuh culestiul bodees. With eech pasing night, hur wundur and fascineeshun fur thuh cosmus groo, fyooling hur dreams uv wun dae bucuming an astronot and uxploring thuh mistureez uv thuh yoonivurs.

Standard English Passage: 

The gentle rain tapped against the windowpane, casting a serene melody throughout the cozy living room. Curled up on the sofa with a steaming mug of tea, Sarah lost herself in the profound words of her favorite novel. The fragrant aroma mingled with the soothing rhythm of the raindrops, transporting her to realms of imagination and escapism unlike any other.

Phonemic Vowel Pronunciation:

Thuh jentul rane tapt agenst thuh winddoopane, casting a sureen meluddee throughowt thuh coozee living ruum. Curld up on thuh sofa with a steaming mug uv tee, Sara lost hurself in thuh prufoond wurds uv hur fayvrit novul. Thuh fragrunt aroma mingguld with thuh soothing rithm uv thuh randrops, transporting hur too realms uv imajinashun and uscapizm unlighk ennee uthur.

Standard English Passage:

The aroma of freshly baked bread wafted through the quaint bakery, tempting every person who passed by. Behind the counter, the skilled bakers kneaded dough with practiced hands, crafting each loaf with dedication and pride. Customers lined up eagerly, their mouths watering in anticipation of sinking their teeth into the warm, crusty delights that had made this bakery a local favorite.

Phonemic Vowel Pronunciation:

Thuh aroma uv freshlee baked bred waftud through thuh quant bakuree, tempting evree pursun hoo past bigh. Buhighnd thuh cowntur, thuh skild bakers kneedud doh with praktist hands, crafting eech lof with dediicashun and prighed. Custustumurs lighnd up eegurlee, thair mowths wauturing in antisiipayshun uv singking thair teeth intoo thuh waurm, crustee duelights that had made this bakuree a lokul fayvrit.

In each of these examples, the vowels are spelled to match their pronunciation, leading to very different spellings of common words when compared to standard English. This demonstrates how drastically English would sound if pronounced exactly as spelled.