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HelpPronunciation question (As and Es)
I've been wondering this for some time now. I asked whether people would pronounce Elissa and Alyssa differently, because I would, but most said they wouldn't.
I remember asking once whether Amber and Ember were pronounced the same and most said there was a big difference.
So I'm wondering if you would pronounce these the same:
Alyssa, Elissa
Amber, Ember
Amelia, Emilia
Al, Elle
Alice, Ellis
I can't even really say, I want to say Alyssa and Elissa differently, but they come out sounding almost (if not exactly) the same. I can't really tell. I actually say Elissa more like eh-LISS-a and Alyssa more like al-LISS-a, so the first syllable sounds longer.
Could you tell me whether you pronounce them differently, how you pronounce them differently and whether the difference is slight or bigger?
Oh and where are you from?
I remember asking once whether Amber and Ember were pronounced the same and most said there was a big difference.
So I'm wondering if you would pronounce these the same:
Alyssa, Elissa
Amber, Ember
Amelia, Emilia
Al, Elle
Alice, Ellis
I can't even really say, I want to say Alyssa and Elissa differently, but they come out sounding almost (if not exactly) the same. I can't really tell. I actually say Elissa more like eh-LISS-a and Alyssa more like al-LISS-a, so the first syllable sounds longer.
Could you tell me whether you pronounce them differently, how you pronounce them differently and whether the difference is slight or bigger?
Oh and where are you from?
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Replies
I think, at least in my native dialect, that if a syllable is unstressed, most vowels make a sort of schwa sound. Thus Elissa/Alyssa/Ilyssa all sound the same as do Amelia and Emilia. This comes out in a lot of more modern names that have spellings in the top 7000 like Amari/Imari/Emari, Amani/Emani/Imani, Aliyah/Elliyah/Illiyah etc.
Al and Ell, Alice & Ellis, Amber & Ember sound different because you're stressing the A/E.
But what do I know, I recently got bitched out by a Kerry because I pronounced her name like Carrie, which sounds exactly the same to me!
Where I'm from we also say "bury","berry" and "Barry" the same, but "Don" and "Dawn" are totally different. Go figure.
Al and Ell, Alice & Ellis, Amber & Ember sound different because you're stressing the A/E.
But what do I know, I recently got bitched out by a Kerry because I pronounced her name like Carrie, which sounds exactly the same to me!
Where I'm from we also say "bury","berry" and "Barry" the same, but "Don" and "Dawn" are totally different. Go figure.
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I pronounce them all the same, except for Amber and Ember, which I pronounce AM-ber (rhyming with Tram) and EM-ber (rhyming with Gem) respectively.
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Alyssa and Elissa are the same for me.
Amber and Ember are different- each pronounced exactly as they are written. I think it's a pretty noticable difference.
Amelia and Emilia are the same.
Al and Elle are different- again, pronounced as written. It's a noticable difference.
Alice and Ellis are different- "al-liss" and "el-liss."
Amber and Ember are different- each pronounced exactly as they are written. I think it's a pretty noticable difference.
Amelia and Emilia are the same.
Al and Elle are different- again, pronounced as written. It's a noticable difference.
Alice and Ellis are different- "al-liss" and "el-liss."
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Where are you from?
The reason Ember and Amber sound totally different is because the actual vowel sounds ("e" and "a") are being pronounced. Unaccented vowels often turn into the schwa sound ("ə", sounds like "uh"), and that is why Alyssa and Elissa sound almost the same. I'm talking about my own accent, of course. I am from California, US.
Alyssa, ə-LIS-ə
Elissa, kind of in between e-LIS-ə and ə-LIS-ə
Amber, AM-bər
Ember, EM-bər
Amelia, ə-MEEL-yə
Emilia, kind of in between e-MEEL-yə and ə-MEEL-yə
Al, AL
Elle, EL
Alice, AL-is
Ellis, EL-is
The reason Ember and Amber sound totally different is because the actual vowel sounds ("e" and "a") are being pronounced. Unaccented vowels often turn into the schwa sound ("ə", sounds like "uh"), and that is why Alyssa and Elissa sound almost the same. I'm talking about my own accent, of course. I am from California, US.
Alyssa, ə-LIS-ə
Elissa, kind of in between e-LIS-ə and ə-LIS-ə
Amber, AM-bər
Ember, EM-bər
Amelia, ə-MEEL-yə
Emilia, kind of in between e-MEEL-yə and ə-MEEL-yə
Al, AL
Elle, EL
Alice, AL-is
Ellis, EL-is
This message was edited 6/27/2011, 1:24 PM
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I pronounce them all different. I am from OH/PA.
For most the difference is very slight. In normal conversation, you probably wouldn't notice the difference. Amber/Ember is a little more pronounced and Al/Elle is very different.
For most the difference is very slight. In normal conversation, you probably wouldn't notice the difference. Amber/Ember is a little more pronounced and Al/Elle is very different.
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I'm from the US West Coast and lived about 15 years in Texas.
Alyssa - like in alike. "uhl-"
Elissa - like in elicit. "ehl-" but it's almost neutral. It would be hard to tell the difference from how I say Alyssa except the vowel is just a tad shorter in Elissa. BTW I met a woman in Texas whose name was Elissa pronounced uh-LEE-sa.
Amber - like in ambulance. A as in cat
Ember - like in empire. "EHM" Very different from Amber
Amelia - "uhm" somewhat long
Emilia - "ehm" almost neutral but shorter, similar to Alyssa/Elissa, only it's easier to hear the difference because there's no L right after.
Al - like in alcohol. Almost like the vowel in the verb bow
Elle - like the letter L, like in elbow. EHL. very different from Al, much shorter
Alice, Ellis - same difference as in Al/Elle
Alyssa - like in alike. "uhl-"
Elissa - like in elicit. "ehl-" but it's almost neutral. It would be hard to tell the difference from how I say Alyssa except the vowel is just a tad shorter in Elissa. BTW I met a woman in Texas whose name was Elissa pronounced uh-LEE-sa.
Amber - like in ambulance. A as in cat
Ember - like in empire. "EHM" Very different from Amber
Amelia - "uhm" somewhat long
Emilia - "ehm" almost neutral but shorter, similar to Alyssa/Elissa, only it's easier to hear the difference because there's no L right after.
Al - like in alcohol. Almost like the vowel in the verb bow
Elle - like the letter L, like in elbow. EHL. very different from Al, much shorter
Alice, Ellis - same difference as in Al/Elle
This message was edited 6/27/2011, 10:07 AM
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I'm from the Pacific Northwest. We merge vowels up here (cot-caught) so this may account for pronunciation. (Merry-Marry-Mary and Dawn-Don are also the same to me).
Alyssa / Elissa - sound the same.
Amber / Ember - sound different.
Amelia / Emilia - sound the same.
Al / Elle - sound different.
Alice / Ellis - sound different.
All that sound different are only slightly distinguishable. You have to listen a little closely, but there is a noticeable difference. Alice / Ellis and then Al / Elle are probably the most noticeable (stronger AL/EL emphasis); Amber / Ember, slightly less so, but it's still there. The others aren't distinguishable at all.
[revised for clarity]
Alyssa / Elissa - sound the same.
Amber / Ember - sound different.
Amelia / Emilia - sound the same.
Al / Elle - sound different.
Alice / Ellis - sound different.
All that sound different are only slightly distinguishable. You have to listen a little closely, but there is a noticeable difference. Alice / Ellis and then Al / Elle are probably the most noticeable (stronger AL/EL emphasis); Amber / Ember, slightly less so, but it's still there. The others aren't distinguishable at all.
[revised for clarity]
This message was edited 6/27/2011, 10:14 AM
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No, 'ah' and 'eh' sound different in my accent. I'm British and speak with a Northern accent.
This message was edited 6/27/2011, 9:15 AM
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Alyssa and Elissa would be almost the same. Uh-LISSA vs. ill-ISSA. But I think the difference would be so slight as to be unnoticeable.
Amber and Ember are noticeably different. AM-ber, EMM-ber.
Amelia sounds like uh-MEEL-ya. Emilia begins like "ih": im-MEEL-ya. Again very very slight and probably almost unnoticable.
Al and Elle are noticeably different. Al is more nasally; ryhmes with Hal. Elle is said just like the alphabet letter.
Alice is nasally again, AL-iss. Ellis is not. L-iss. (actually, we have a street named Ellice here and I think it is sooo beautiful, the name I mean). The difference is noticeable.
I live in Mid-Canada (Manitoba).
Amber and Ember are noticeably different. AM-ber, EMM-ber.
Amelia sounds like uh-MEEL-ya. Emilia begins like "ih": im-MEEL-ya. Again very very slight and probably almost unnoticable.
Al and Elle are noticeably different. Al is more nasally; ryhmes with Hal. Elle is said just like the alphabet letter.
Alice is nasally again, AL-iss. Ellis is not. L-iss. (actually, we have a street named Ellice here and I think it is sooo beautiful, the name I mean). The difference is noticeable.
I live in Mid-Canada (Manitoba).
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I am from a part of the states where we pronounce our "A's" with an extremely nasal accent. (I avoid using "a" names because of this). So to me, all of those would be pronounce very differently. Our "o's" are also often pronounced like an "A" as well.
example, box is pronounced like bAx.
E is one of the only safe vowels LOL
example, box is pronounced like bAx.
E is one of the only safe vowels LOL
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It depends on the stress. If a syllable isn't stressed, the vowel (a, e, i, o, or u) sometimes turns to a schwa. In Amber, Ember, Al, Elle, Alice and Ellis, the stress falls on the first syllable, making them the normal short a and short e. In Alyssa and Elissa, the stress is on the LIS, and in Amelia and Emilia, the stress is on the /MIL/, making the a's and e's at the begining turn into schwas. For me, if I'm not paying full attention, I can get them confused, but there is a difference. I'm from NE Wisconsin.
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I don't say any of them the same.
Alyssa = Ah=liss-uh, Elisa = Eh-liss-uh
Amber = Am-ber, Ember = Em-ber
Amelia = Ah-meel-yuh or Ah-meel-ee-uh, Emilia = Eh-meel-yuh or Eh-meel-ee-uh
Al = Al, Elle = El (sorry, can't explain it better than that)
Alice = Ah=liss, Ellis = Eh-liss
I'm from Australia and in my accent none of them sound alike (at least I don't think they do, anyway).
Alyssa = Ah=liss-uh, Elisa = Eh-liss-uh
Amber = Am-ber, Ember = Em-ber
Amelia = Ah-meel-yuh or Ah-meel-ee-uh, Emilia = Eh-meel-yuh or Eh-meel-ee-uh
Al = Al, Elle = El (sorry, can't explain it better than that)
Alice = Ah=liss, Ellis = Eh-liss
I'm from Australia and in my accent none of them sound alike (at least I don't think they do, anyway).
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Alyssa (UH-liss-uh)
Elissa (EE-liss-uh)
Amber (AM-burr)
Ember (EHM-burr)
Amelia (uh-MEE-lee-uh)
Emilia (ee-MEE-lee-uh)
Al (I don't know how to type this one out. It's just a short A sound.)
Elle (Same case as above, but with a short E sound.)
Alice (AL-iss; short A sound)
Ellis (ELL-iss; short E sound)
I'm from the USA, but I've got no definitive accent, since I grew up in Connecticut, two places in Ohio, Rhode Island, and I now live in Wisconsin (though I'm home in RI for the summer).
Elissa (EE-liss-uh)
Amber (AM-burr)
Ember (EHM-burr)
Amelia (uh-MEE-lee-uh)
Emilia (ee-MEE-lee-uh)
Al (I don't know how to type this one out. It's just a short A sound.)
Elle (Same case as above, but with a short E sound.)
Alice (AL-iss; short A sound)
Ellis (ELL-iss; short E sound)
I'm from the USA, but I've got no definitive accent, since I grew up in Connecticut, two places in Ohio, Rhode Island, and I now live in Wisconsin (though I'm home in RI for the summer).
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All of those are different to me. I do agree that the difference in sound when you actually do say them is so faint it's hard to even distinguish. But it's there. Notice how when you say Alyssa or Amelia, your throat feels more open than when you say Elissa or Emilia. Same with Amber/Al/Alice vs. Ember/Elle/Ellis, although the As make a slightly different sound than those other two A names.
I'm from Michigan.
I'm from Michigan.
This message was edited 6/27/2011, 4:00 AM
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Must be your accent, I prn them differently
Alyssa, Elissa - Ah-liss-ah and Eh-lee-ssa
Amber, Ember - Ahm- ber and Ehm-ber
Amelia, Emilia - Ah-meel-ee-ah, Eh-meel-ee-ah
Al, Elle -ahl and ehl
Alice, Ellis - ah-liss and Eh-liss
A - I pronounce Ah
E - I pronounce Eh
I'm from the US, but have lived in Scotland for a long time.
Alyssa, Elissa - Ah-liss-ah and Eh-lee-ssa
Amber, Ember - Ahm- ber and Ehm-ber
Amelia, Emilia - Ah-meel-ee-ah, Eh-meel-ee-ah
Al, Elle -ahl and ehl
Alice, Ellis - ah-liss and Eh-liss
A - I pronounce Ah
E - I pronounce Eh
I'm from the US, but have lived in Scotland for a long time.
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Alyssa, Elissa- I pronounce these pretty much the same unless corrected by the person.
Amber, Ember- Amber is AHM-ber and Ember is EM-ber. The difference is noticeable in my pronunciation.
Amelia, Emilia- I want to say I pronounce these differently, but I don't really. I do think of them differently when I see them written down. Same with Alyssa and Elissa.
Al, Elle- Al is AHL and Elle is EHLL. I can't really explain it. Al sounds like Albert, and El sounds like Eleanor.
Alice, Ellis- Alice is AH-lice and Ellis is EL-liss. There is a difference.
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