pronunciation

[raji]

1.How is the "w" in Taiwan pronounced in spanish.
Is it like "v" as in van or "b" as in bee.

2.Also I have a confusion with the "v" in spanish.
Is it always pronounced as "b"?

Is volver pronounced as "bol-ber"?Sometimes I notice the "v" in spanish pronounced as "v" as in van.

[CrOtALiTo]

Yes, the B in Spanish sound like to the V, only que these word're used in distinct sentences, for example:

Volver. Ok
Bolver. Bad
Bolber. Bad

Vaca. This word's ok.
But, Baca. This word's bad although sounds same boths.

Beso. This word's ok.
Veso. This word's bad.

Becerro. ok
Vecerro. Bad

Visera. Ok
Bisera. Bad.

Viseversa. Ok
Biseversa. Bad.

Volovan. Ok
Bolovan. This word's ok in only a pet name, but still so, the word of this formt is bad.

Bestia. Ok
Vestia. Bad

These're some examples, all these words sounds same, but it doesn't write same.

Regards.

[Rusty]

Originally Posted by raji

1.How is the "w" in Taiwan pronounced in spanish.
Is it like "v" as in van or "b" as in bee.

2.Also I have a confusion with the "v" in spanish.
Is it always pronounced as "b"?

Is volver pronounced as "bol-ber"?Sometimes I notice the "v" in spanish pronounced as "v" as in van.

The pronunciation of the v and the b is identical. However, when these consonants are between vowels, the lips aren't totally closed, so you get a softer sounding consonant.

The w, used in loanwords and foreign terms, is pronounced like the 'oo' in boot, so it sounds like the English w.

[Alfonso]

Originally Posted by Rusty

The pronunciation of the v and the b is identical. However, when these consonants are between vowels, the lips aren't totally closed, so you get a softer sounding consonant. This is called sonido bilabial fricativo.

The w, used in loanwords and foreign terms, is pronounced like the 'oo' in boot, so it sounds like the English w.

I'm sorry Rusty, I can't really understand your explanation about w, as I would pronounce boot like /bu:t/ (IPA, AFI, I hope it's clear).

BTW, "w" has got its own phoneme in Spanish, /w/, which is said to be "uau". It's a semivowel or semiconsonant sound (depending on the phonetic context) really important in the evolution of the language. Nowadays, it's pronounced, as Rusty said, in loanwords and foreign terms: /w/ (IPA, AFI).

[Rusty]

Originally Posted by Alfonso

I'm sorry Rusty, I can't really understand your explanation about w, as I would pronounce boot like /bu:t/ (IPA, AFI, I hope it's clear).

BTW, "w" has got its own phoneme in Spanish, /w/, which is said to be "uau". It's a semivowel or semiconsonant sound (depending on the phonetic context) really important in the evolution of the language. Nowadays, it's pronounced, as Rusty said, in loanwords and foreign terms: /w/ (IPA, AFI).

The part I said about pronouncing 'w' like the 'oo' in boot is so that Raji would get the idea that it is pronounced the same way as in English. Most English speakers don't realize that the 'w' is very nearly an 'oo' sound, followed by a vowel (or diphthong). For example, many Spanish-English dictionaries give 'uáter' as the approximate English pronunciation of water, where u = oo.

[Tomisimo]

In some dialects (in Spanish), the w at the beginning of a word sounds like gu. water = guáter.

[poli]

Originally Posted by Tomisimo

In some dialects (in Spanish), the w at the beginning of a word sounds like gu. water = guáter.

That's right like in the word hueso, huevo but oddly never in the word oeste.There must be a linguistic law here. (when the Spanish equivalent of W starts with an H, sometimes a G is sounded as in a glottal stop.)
Has anyone ever heard huésped pronounced with a G? I haven't.

[Jane]

Originally Posted by Tomisimo

In some dialects (in Spanish), the w at the beginning of a word sounds like gu. water = guáter.

Like you also have in `¡Que guay!´.
The `guay´ is pronounced as `why´...

[Alfonso]

Originally Posted by Rusty

The part I said about pronouncing 'w' like the 'oo' in boot is so that Raji would get the idea that it is pronounced the same way as in English. Most English speakers don't realize that the 'w' is very nearly an 'oo' sound, followed by a vowel (or diphthong). For example, many Spanish-English dictionaries give 'uáter' as the approximate English pronunciation of water, where u = oo.

OK, but "oo" in "boot" is not followed by a vowel. So, why do you say that boot contents a /w/ sound? How would you transcribe phonetically "boot"?

[Alfonso]

Originally Posted by Tomisimo

In some dialects (in Spanish), the w at the beginning of a word sounds like gu. water = guáter.

I have never heard such a pronunciation, which sounds really funny to me. It's common to say, and to write, váter. Where did you hear that pronunciation, David?