Replying to [Professor Carl]:


It could be the "almost soundless sound" "i" (like in "it"), though in reality you can't quite reproduce it in writing. If you say for example "mountain" the way at least Americans do (I don't know other native English speakers), the "ai" in the end is practically soundless, and that's the sound I'm talking about.


In a way it's similar to the sound you make if somebody punches your stomach or when you slightly cough. There definitely is a sound to be heard, but you can't write it, and this is the most common sound in English. - Well, that's my "vote" anyway!

Good shot... let's see what else the wind blows in.

Replying to [Professor Carl]:

mmmm.

o o

ok

do you mean, when some goes hmmm ?

Replying to [Professor Carl]: A liitle hard for me, maybe I need to see some examples than would list some.

Replying to [vxglobal]:

Could it depend on the accent of the specific region? For example, Texans speak quite different from New Yorkers.

Replying to [Professor Carl]:That is very true. I believe in proper UK english the most common sound is "schwa" while it could be different in the US and still different within northern/southern/eastern/western regions.

uh ...the sound of the hesitation or uncertain pause

Professor Carl:

The most common sound in English is the vowel sound of "the" -- it is called "schwa".


It is seen in the neutralization of vowels as they become weak syllables. Five hundred years ago, these vowels that are now in weakened syllables had a more distinct vowel value. Today, nope. Germex was right about the "i" of "it" being very weak, or unstressed. It is the vowel of "it, is, in, pin, etc." It is hard for the speakers of many languages to hear the difference between that "i" in "it", and the vowel sound of "end, bet, says (sez)". The HESITATION PAUSE is also correct, the vowel sound of that is the schwa. I was surprised to hear in France that the hesitation pause is a little different than in English, in France they say it with rounded lips. I hope cooleye gets this. The vowel sound of "the" is all over the place.