Page:A Danish and Dano-Norwegian grammar.djvu/21

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16. ə has a sound approaching that of French e in que, English i in bird. This sound only occurs in unaccented syllables, and its orthographic sign is e. Ex.: Gave gift, Gade street.

17. Immediately after another stressed vowel ə is often slurred in the pronunciation, so as almost to disappear: troəde believed. In some cases it is written but not pronounced at all; it can never be pronounced immediately after a single vowel with glottal catch (see § 76) nor after a short stressed vowel. In some cases there may be a choice between a long stressed vowel with pronounced ə and a short vowel without ə. The former is then used in more select language, and especially is the retaining of ə common in the passive form; Ex.: slaaes to be beaten, but slaas to fight, slaaet and slaa’t beaten, gaaet and gac’t gone. After i and u e is commonly retained (but befri liberate, forny renew, without e because of glottal catch).

18. i has, when long (i·), about the same sound as English ee in see; Ex.: Mine mien, Pibe pipe, smile to smile.

When short it has the same sound as English i in fill; this sound occurs a) when the same word in another form or