phonetic irregularity
[/fəˈnɛtɪk ɪˌrɛɡjuˈlærɪti/]
nounpl: phonetic irregularities
irregularidade fonética
1. A deviation from standard or expected pronunciation patterns in a language; a sound change that does not follow regular phonological rules
The pronunciation of 'tough' and 'through' represents a phonetic irregularity in English.
A pronúncia de 'enough' e 'though' representa uma irregularidade fonética no inglês.
2. An exception to consistent sound patterns within a language or dialect
Portuguese has some phonetic irregularities in the pronunciation of words borrowed from other languages.
O português tem algumas irregularidades fonéticas na pronúncia de palavras emprestadas de outros idiomas.
3. A linguistic phenomenon where a word's pronunciation does not match its orthography or expected patterns
The phonetic irregularity in the word 'island' makes it difficult for language learners.
A irregularidade fonética na palavra 'island' torna difícil para os aprendizes de língua.
This is a technical linguistic term commonly used in educational contexts in both Brazil and Portugal. Language teachers frequently reference phonetic irregularities when explaining pronunciation challenges in English and other languages. The term is particularly relevant in Brazil where English language learning is widespread, and teachers need to explain why certain English words do not follow predictable pronunciation patterns.
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