# Cannot, pronunciation



## akelas

Hello, 

Where does the accent fall in "cannot", first or second syllable? I've played the audio on word reference and Oxford dictionary already, but I can't  catch it.
Plus, is there a slight pause between the two syllables? (Can-not) I don't think there is a pause, but if pronounced with more emphasis I think I hear a pause. I'm not sure..

Thanks.


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## chileno

I hear it as Can-nót


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## The Newt

It can be accented on either syllable, depending on the emphasis desired.


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## akelas

Thanks chileno, 
I hear the same, but the phonetic  transcription gives *ˈkænɒt*, accent falling on first syllable.


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## akelas

Hi Newt,
When and on which syllable must I place the stress then?


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## The Newt

akelas said:


> Hi Newt,
> When and on which syllable must I place the stress then?



I think it's just a matter of the speaker's own preference (and possibly regional habit). I suspect that in the US we tend to emphasize by accenting the second syllable.


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## akelas

Thanks again Newt.
Besides what you just posted, I've found this on cambridge  dictionary:

 UK  /ˈkæn·ɒt/    (1st syllable)  
 US /ˈkæn·ɑt, kænˈnɑt  (either 1st or 2nd )


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## The Newt

akelas said:


> Thanks again Newt.
> Besides what you just posted, I've found this on cambridge  dictionary:
> 
> UK  /ˈkæn·ɒt/    (1st syllable)
> US /ˈkæn·ɑt, kænˈnɑt  (either 1st or 2nd )



That sounds about right, yes.


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## gengo

akelas said:


> Where does the accent fall in "cannot", first or second syllable?



The normal stress is on the first syllable, and we only stress the second for emphasis, because the second syllable is the word "not," so stressing that part emphasizes the negation.

Of course, we almost always contract the word in speech to "can't," unless we want to stress the negation very heavily, in which case it is more like two words:  can NOT.

As you may know, it is correct to write this either as one word or as two words.


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## Rodal

I don't think there is an accent in neither one, the first or second syllable, unless you are stressing the second syllable to emphasize the negation as gengo said.


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## akelas

Ok. 
Thanks a lot.


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## Steven David

akelas said:


> Hello,
> 
> Where does the accent fall in "cannot", first or second syllable? I've played the audio on word reference and Oxford dictionary already, but I can't  catch it.
> Plus, is there a slight pause between the two syllables? (Can-not) I don't think there is a pause, but if pronounced with more emphasis I think I hear a pause. I'm not sure..
> 
> Thanks.




The second syllable is stressed in "cannot". 

The first syllable is often, or sometimes, schwa neutral vowel.


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## chileno

What I've found out is that when people talk alluding the stress on the first syllable, they use "can't" and then when accented on the second syllable when used to emphasize.


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## Steven David

We should remember that "can't" is a one-syllable word. And "cannot" is a two-syllable word.

In "cannot", the first syllable can be schwa. The idea that the first syllable in "cannot" can be schwa is a sure sign that the second syllable receives the stress in "cannot", not the first syllable. And this is how we pronounce "cannot", with stress on second syllable. Even when the first syllable is not schwa, the stress is on the second syllable in "cannot". As a point of emphasis, someone could give equal stress to both syllables: "cannOt" as opposed to "cAnnOt".

It's the same thing with other negated modal verbs, which, of course, are two words or contracted to make one word.

We can compare "cannot" and "should not".

We should NOT DO that. < "Not" and "do", receive sentence stress unless someone decides to place stress on a different word for some reason. The vowel in "should" is often schwa when not contracted with "not".

This is exactly as it is with "cannot".

We cannOt DO that. < "Not" and "do", receive sentence stress unless someone decides to place stress on a different word for some reason. The vowel in "should" is often schwa when not contracted with "not".

We shouldn't do that. < "Shouldn't" and "do" receive sentence stress unless someone decides to place stress on a different word for some reason.

This is exactly as it is with "can't".

We can't do that. < "Can't" and "do" receive sentence stress unless someone decides to place stress on a different word for some reason.

__________



akelas said:


> Thanks chileno,
> I hear the same, but the phonetic  transcription gives *ˈkænɒt*, accent falling on first syllable.



I would say, then, that the phonetic transcription is wrong.

In this dictionary entry, it's the same. However, it's also listed with schwa as the first syllable. This dictionary entry does not agree with me. Even if the first syllable is not schwa, then the second syllable still receives stress. I do not hear it any other way. And it wouldn't make sense to stress the first syllable when it's the second syllable that carries the negated meaning.

*can·not *(kăn′ŏt, kə-nŏt′, kă-)

cannot

(Note: These are not IPA symbols. American dictionaries use other phonetic symbols.)


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## gengo

Steven David said:


> The idea that the first syllable in "cannot" can be schwa is a sure sign that the second syllable receives the stress in "cannot", not the first syllable. And this is how we pronounce "cannot", with stress on second syllable.



When you say "we," you exclude me and many other native speakers.  As I said above, I normally stress the first syllable of "cannot," unless I want to emphasize the negation.


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## FromPA

Cannot is actually two words (can not). You can stress each word any way you’d like.


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## Bevj

FromPA said:


> Cannot is actually two words (can not). You can stress each word any way you’d like.


I agree.


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## gengo

FromPA said:


> Cannot is actually two words (can not). You can stress each word any way you’d like.



I understand your point (and agree with it), but cannot is in fact a single word, which can also be written as two words.

*cannot*
 (ˈkæn ɒt, kæˈnɒt, kə-) 
_v._
a form of can not.


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## brit66

As a Brit, I would only use cannot when I really want to emphasise this word, otherwise I would just say can't.
E.g. 
I *cannot* be seen to be condoning this behaviour. (I am very upset)
I *can't *be seen to be condoning this behaviour. (This has less emotion)

Regarding the stress, I can only speak for UK English, where I believe both are possible.


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## FromPA

gengo said:


> I understand your point (and agree with it), but cannot is in fact a single word, which can also be written as two words.
> 
> *cannot*
> (ˈkæn ɒt, kæˈnɒt, kə-)
> _v._
> a form of can not.


It’s two word that can be written as one word.


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## gengo

FromPA said:


> It’s two word(s) that can be written as one word.



Sorry, but "cannot" cannot be two words.


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## Amapolas

En cuanto a la acentuación/pronunciación, yo he oído todas las citadas más arriba, por parte de diversos hablantes y en diversos contextos.


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## akelas

Thank you all folks.
This thread and all your responses lead me to the realization that sometimes there's not a definite answer, even though coming from native speakers of English. See, I even checked four reputable dictionaries (Reference, Oxford, Cambridge, Webster) only to discover different phonetic  transcriptions. And from movies, radio and natives speech I think I've heard all combinations of cannot, coinciding with all your posts. 

Bottomline, I'll stick to CAN'T


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## Steven David

That sounds reasonable. With that, I would just advise that you pronounce "can" in such a way that it's always distinguishable from "can't". The vowel in "can" is normally neutral vowel schwa in normal speech and faster speech. 

In "can", the vowel is not schwa when "can" is spoken with emphasis. Without emphasis, it's possible for "can" to sound like "can't" and cause a misunderstanding.


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## akelas

Thanks. 
I'm aware of that. And when I say can't, I make sure to hit that final t. 
I also can catch the difference  between  the British and American pronunciations, when the latter has a kæn't almost e sound.


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## Steven David

Yes, British English and American English do not pronounce "can't" the same way. However, it may be interesting to note that some people in the six New England states of the United States do pronounce "can't" as the British do. This is considered regional and not part of what we could call "Standard American English".


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## akelas

I see. 
The can't Ame/Brit pronunciation reminds me a bit of the difference in uttering the  æ sound when Americans and Britons say the word "dance"
In American I almost hear an e, "dens" as if saying the word "dense"
 That's really funny.


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## Steven David

akelas said:


> I see.
> The can't Ame/Brit pronunciation reminds me a bit of the difference in uttering the  æ sound when Americans and Britons say the word "dance"
> In American I almost hear an e, "dens" as if saying the word "dense"
> That's really funny.





Yes, there are a number of words in which this happens. And this is notable as one way to compare British and American pronunciation.


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## Forero

akelas said:


> Thanks again Newt.
> Besides what you just posted, I've found this on cambridge  dictionary:
> 
> UK  /ˈkæn·ɒt/    (1st syllable)
> US /ˈkæn·ɑt, kænˈnɑt  (either 1st or 2nd )


I disagree. For me, "cannot" (= "can't") and "can not" have different meanings. So when I stress the last syllable of "cannot", it still only has one /n/ sound, not two. And "cannot" stressed on the last syllable has a schwa sound in the first syllable, not an /æ/.


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## Cenzontle

> For me, "cannot" (= "can't") and "can not" have different meanings.



"You cannot go" = you are not able or permitted to go.
"You can go, or you can not go (whichever you prefer) =  you have a choice.
It is a common error to write it as two words when it means "can't".
When it's two words, meaning the option of not going is available to you, the "n" is prolonged.
Otherwise, it's not helpful to think of a "pause" between the two components.


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