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How to pronounce "ой" adjective ending if not stressed

Posted: May 7th, 18, 23:18
by RP01
Hi,

Hard stem adjectives in genitive, dative, instrumental and and prepositional case for feminine have the ending "ой".

When the stress is on the end (e.g. молодóй) it is easy to hear that "ой" pronounced consitently as "óй".

But when it is not stressed it is quite hard to figure out how it is pronounced (based on forvo recordings eg.).
E.g.:
- новой: I hear something like "нóвий"
- старой: I hear something like "стáрэй"

Simply based on spelling rules the unstressed "о" should be pronounced as a short "a" and it would mean that in these cases "ой" to be pronounced as "aй" with short "a". But based on the examples seeemingly that is not the case e.g. новой not sounds like "новaй" or старой like "старaй" (at least as I hear it).

Can you please help how generally pronounce the "ой" adjective ending when not stressed? (Maybe it is relly like "aй" and its just me who hear it wrongly?)

Thank you
RP

Re: How to pronounce "ой" adjective ending if not stressed

Posted: Dec 11th, 18, 08:52
by Mashenka
My answer may not be accurate. But I hear Russian speakers in films pronounce the endings the same way. I hope someone else can weigh in on this as well.

Re: How to pronounce "ой" adjective ending if not stressed

Posted: Dec 13th, 18, 01:45
by Jeremy Katz
RP01 wrote:Hi,

Hard stem adjectives in genitive, dative, instrumental and and prepositional case for feminine have the ending "ой".

When the stress is on the end (e.g. молодóй) it is easy to hear that "ой" pronounced consitently as "óй".

But when it is not stressed it is quite hard to figure out how it is pronounced (based on forvo recordings eg.).
E.g.:
- новой: I hear something like "нóвий"
- старой: I hear something like "стáрэй"

Simply based on spelling rules the unstressed "о" should be pronounced as a short "a" and it would mean that in these cases "ой" to be pronounced as "aй" with short "a". But based on the examples seeemingly that is not the case e.g. новой not sounds like "новaй" or старой like "старaй" (at least as I hear it).

Can you please help how generally pronounce the "ой" adjective ending when not stressed? (Maybe it is relly like "aй" and its just me who hear it wrongly?)

Thank you
RP


In the long run you won't miss if you pronounce "a" instead of "o". It's not incorrect, if you want a general informal rule.
I think it's about the letter infront of "o". In first case we have "в", a voiced of "ф", and in the second we have an voiced unpaired. I can only suggest to analyze further with that in mind as well.

Re: How to pronounce "ой" adjective ending if not stressed

Posted: Dec 15th, 18, 03:39
by Mashenka
Can the differences in pronunciation be regional?
Thanks for the insight.

Re: How to pronounce "ой" adjective ending if not stressed

Posted: Dec 15th, 18, 03:40
by Mashenka
Can the differences in pronunciation be regional?
Thanks for the insight.

Re: How to pronounce "ой" adjective ending if not stressed

Posted: Dec 15th, 18, 19:01
by Jeremy Katz
Mashenka wrote:Can the differences in pronunciation be regional?
Thanks for the insight.


Yes, they can, but these are mostly minor. Basically, the distinct "o" can be heard up south, in Kuban' region. near Ukrainian border and thereabouts, however, not at the end of the word. The ending "o" could be seen clearly in pre-revolutionary Russia, not sure about the exact time period, short to the Revolution or before that as well.

Re: How to pronounce "ой" adjective ending if not stressed

Posted: Dec 25th, 18, 14:43
by medicalhealth
thanks for this content