How do you pronounce "the"

[snapppyd]

I know there are a lot of grammar, spelling, etc. experts here.

I was noticing that when I watch Rachael she says "the oven". When I am about to say a word that begins with a vowel I tend the pronounce it as "thee".

'The' oven doesn't "flow" to my ears.

'Thee' oven sounds better. I hope this doesn't start one of those "dis wars"

eta: Dh just called and I asked him where he made his pizza. He said "thee" oven

 

[Robinrs]

Never thought about that. I always say "thuh" unless I'm quoting Shakespeare or the bible.

 

[vettechick99]

It can be pronounced both ways. I teach phonics and we teach it theee (with the long e) because we don't teach the schwa sound ("ugh"). But kids hear and read both ways. It doesn't take long for them to use it the both ways depending on what sounds more fluent (e.g. thugh oven is in thee kitchen).

 

[SaraJayne]

I know there are a lot of grammar, spelling, etc. experts here.

I was noticing that when I watch Rachael she says "the oven". When I am about to say a word that begins with a vowel I tend the pronounce it as "thee".

'The' oven doesn't "flow" to my ears.

'Thee' oven sounds better. I hope this doesn't start one of those "dis wars"

eta: Dh just called and I asked him where he made his pizza. He said "thee" oven

We say it the same way as you. Before a word starting with a vowel, it's 'thee'.

Otherwise, it's 'tha'.

 

[snapppyd]

We say it the same way as you. Before a word starting with a vowel, it's 'thee'.

Otherwise, it's 'tha'.

Oh good, I thought I was crazy. Rachael drives me crazy with "thu" oven.

 

[kathie859]

"thuh" is how we pronounce it. I was going to suggest dialect regionalism perhaps--but the poster above is a New Yorker and I'm in the upper south.

 

[snapppyd]

It can be pronounced both ways. I teach phonics and we teach it theee (with the long e) because we don't teach the schwa sound ("ugh"). But kids hear and read both ways. It doesn't take long for them to use it the both ways depending on what sounds more fluent (e.g. thugh oven is in thee kitchen).

Ha, I think thee oven is in thugh kitchen

 

[Meriweather]

thuh everything...............never heard anyone say thee.

in AZ now, but from CA and WA

 

[MIGrandma]

Always, "thuh." I think it sounds strange to say it with a long eeee sound.

 

[KristaTX]

I never thought about it, so I'm not positive. It probably varies for me. But right now thinking about it it seems like I pronounce it "thuh" every time. I'd say "thuh oven".

I'm sitting here saying it out loud now. It might be kind of a combination, actually. Something in between "thee" and "thuh".

 

[SaraJayne]

"thuh" is how we pronounce it. I was going to suggest dialect regionalism perhaps--but the poster above is a New Yorker and I'm in the upper south.

And I'm in the upper Midwest.

 

[luvmy3]

I know there are a lot of grammar, spelling, etc. experts here.

I was noticing that when I watch Rachael she says "the oven". When I am about to say a word that begins with a vowel I tend the pronounce it as "thee".

'The' oven doesn't "flow" to my ears.

'Thee' oven sounds better. I hope this doesn't start one of those "dis wars"

eta: Dh just called and I asked him where he made his pizza. He said "thee" oven

I assumed I said "thuh" for everything but I just tested it with oven and I do say "thee". I didn't even realize I was saying it that way.

 

[snapppyd]

Another one that drives me crazy is when people say melk instead of milk. My own sister does it, so I don't know how to explain it. I say milk, she says melk.

 

[luvmy3]

Another one that drives me crazy is when people say melk instead of milk. My own sister does it, so I don't know how to explain it. I say milk, she says melk.

We all call it melk here, but my ds always says "even though its really milk"

 

[scrapquitler]

I know there are a lot of grammar, spelling, etc. experts here.

I was noticing that when I watch Rachael she says "the oven". When I am about to say a word that begins with a vowel I tend the pronounce it as "thee".

'The' oven doesn't "flow" to my ears.

'Thee' oven sounds better. I hope this doesn't start one of those "dis wars"

eta: Dh just called and I asked him where he made his pizza. He said "thee" oven

In my house we almost always say "Thuh" And my mom's sister is my "AHNT" She is NOT an insect.

 

[MichelleinMaine]

I say it "thuh". I wasn't sure on oven's issue so I said the phrase out loud. Sort of came out like "I'll put it in th'oven", lol.

 

[Robinrs]

In my house we almost always say "Thuh" And my mom's sister is my "AHNT" She is NOT an insect.

Yeah, ANT drives me nuts, too! I've been "ahnt" since I was ten!

If it's regional (and a LOT of pronunciations are) I grew up in NY and now live in the South and have only use the "thuh".

I did a little searching and found the following, looks like snappy has a point about the vowel vs consonant difference: http://www.englishclub.com/pronunciation/the.htm

It is important to understand that it is what we say that matters, not what we write. It is the sound that matters, not the letter used in writing a word. So we use a long "thee" before a vowel sound, not necessarily before a vowel. Look at these cases:

we write with we say with
the house consonant (h) thuh house consonant sound
the hour consonant (h) thee our vowel sound
the university vowel (u) thuh youniversity consonant sound
the umbrella vowel (u) thee umbrella vowel sound

Emphatic the [thee]
When we wish to place emphasis on a particular word, we can use "emphatic the" [thee], whether or not the word begins with a consonant or vowel sound. For example:

A: I saw the [thuh] President yesterday.
B: What! The [thee] President of the United States?
A: Yes, exactly.

I DO remember using the "thee" emphatically as noted above, never before the vowel, though. You learn something every day!

 

[akclayton]

I love this discussion. fun..

It depends what I'm saying it with. I say "Thuh" sometimes and "Thee" sometimes.

I would say "In the Thee oven".

But I would say "Going to thuh park"

 

[snapppyd]

In my house we almost always say "Thuh" And my mom's sister is my "AHNT" She is NOT an insect.

In my family we all pronounce it "ant". I'm "ant Judy"

 

[LeeLee'sMom]

"Thee" oven is in thugh kitchen...IMHO it sounds better using "thee" when a word starts with a vowel... Thugh apple,,,just doesn't sound right then again ...I kind of like when I hear th'apple or such... think it is all personal preference. ANother one that cracks me up is when someone says 'member instead of remember or imporDant instead of important..where did the "D" come from? I think that may be a southern thing...just love listening to southerners .they have the best expression. A friend of mine is from the south and she is the best ..she comes out with words and expressions that I have never heard before but I know, whatever she is saying she means business... Being from MA everything is "wickid good"