Kit vs Fleece
Lesson summary
The sound that is usually pronounced [i] (as in French riz) by French speakers comes in two varieties, that you may know as "short i" and "long i".
As is turns out, "short" or "long" is far from being the only difference between these sounds. They're entirely different sounds.
Short i (/ɪ/)
This sound is essentially the same as the French é, as in été. This may come as a surprise, as both the spelling and the phonetic character are confusing.
This is a short sound, make sure you pronounce it that way.Long i (/i:/)
The realisation of /i:/ depends on the speaker's accent.
Speakers of RP use the authentic [i:] sound, the same as in French riz.
Speakers of SSB use a very slightly different sound, the diphtongue [ɪj], which could be approximated by quickly saying é-ille.
Examples
In the following examples, notice the pairs: bit/beat, shit/sheet, ...
Short i (/ɪ/)
- Kit
Play all[kit]
[kɪt]→
[kʰɪt] - Bit Play all[bit][bɪt]→[bɪt]
- With Play all[wiz][wɪz]→[wɪð]
- Shit Play all[ʃit][ʃɪt]→[ʃɪt]
- Mid Play all[mid][mɪd]→[mɪd]
- Rid Play all[ʁid][ʁɪd]→[ɹɪd]
- Grit Play all[gʁit][gʁɪt]→[gɹɪt]
- Hit Play all[hit][hɪt]→[hɪt]
- Little Play all[litəl][lɪtəl]→['lɪtɫ]
- Big Play all[big][bɪg]→[bɪg]
- Will Play all[wil][wɪl]→[wɪɫ]
- Sit Play all[sit][sɪt]→[sɪt]
- Piss Play all[pis][pɪs]→[pʰɪs]
Long i (/i:/)
- FleeceRP Play all[flis][fli:s]→[fli:s]SSB Play all[flis][flɪjs]→[flɪjs]
- KeepRP Play all[kip][ki:p]→[kʰi:p]SSB Play all[kip][kɪjp]→[kʰɪjp]
- BeatRP Play all[bit][bi:t]→[bi:t]SSB Play all[bit][bɪjt]→[bɪjt]
- NeedRP Play all[nid][ni:d]→[ni:d]SSB Play all[nid][nɪjd]→[nɪjd]
- BeRP Play all[bi][bi:]→[bi:]SSB Play all[bi][bɪj]→[bɪj]
- SheetRP Play all[ʃit][ʃi:t]→[ʃi:t]SSB Play all[ʃit][ʃɪjt]→[ʃɪjt]
- MeadRP Play all[mid][mi:d]→[mi:d]SSB Play all[mid][mɪjd]→[mɪjd]
- ReadRP Play all[ʁid][ʁi:d]→[ɹi:d]SSB Play all[ʁid][ʁɪjd]→[ɹɪjd]
- GreetRP Play all[gʁit][gʁi:t]→[gɹi:t]SSB Play all[gʁit][gʁɪjt]→[gɹɪjt]
- HeatRP Play all[hit][hi:t]→[hi:t]SSB Play all[hit][hɪjt]→[hɪjt]
- SeatRP Play all[sit][si:t]→[si:t]SSB Play all[sit][sɪjt]→[sɪjt]
- PeaceRP Play all[pis][pi:s]→[pʰi:s]SSB Play all[pis][pɪjs]→[pʰɪjs]
Example sentences
- Kitty
- A little bit of mead
- I'm reading
- I'm taking a big sheet