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Teacher Talk

AMERICAN ENGLISH

jayyy

jayyy

India

 American English speakers don't always speak words perfectly. They sometimes shorten words and phrases to make them sound more natural.
These are called "Reductions."
For example: Give me = Gimme, What is her = Whatser

1. Reductions formed with what + is + word

  • whassup

    • Formation: whassup = what + is + up

    • Usage: Hey, whassup?

    • Meaning: Hey, what is up?

  • whatser

    • Formation: whatser = what + is + her

    • Usage: Whatser name?

    • Meaning: What is her name?

  • whatsiz

    • Formation: whatsiz = what + is + his

    • Usage: Whatsiz name?

    • Meaning: What is his name?




2. Reductions formed with word + me
  • gimme

    • Formation: gimme = give + me

    • Usage: Please gimme the book.

    • Meaning: Please give me the book.

  • lemme

    • Formation: lemme = let + me

    • Usage: Please lemme go with you.

    • Meaning: Please let me go with you




3. Reductions formed with word(s) + you
  • betcha

    • Formation: betcha = bet + you

    • Usage: Betcha can't eat just one.

    • Meaning: Bet you can't eat just one.

  • doncha

    • Formation: doncha = don't + you

    • Usage: Doncha think that exam was hard.

    • Meaning: Don't you think that exam was hard.

  • getcha

    • Formation: getcha = get + you

    • Usage: I'm planning to getcha some new clothes.

    • Meaning: I'm planning to get you some new clothes.

  • gotcha

    • Formation: gotcha = got + you

    • Usage: I already gotcha some new clothes.

    • Meaning: I already got you some new clothes.

  • howarya

    • Formation: howarya = how + are + you

    • Usage: Howarya doing today?

    • Meaning: How are you doing today?

  • howdya

    • Formation: howdya = how + do + you

    • Usage: Howdya make delicious sushi?

    • Meaning: How do you make delicious sushi?

  • howjya

    • Formation: howjya = how + did + you

    • Usage: Howjya get the money for school?

    • Meaning: How did you get the money for school?

  • howujya

    • Formation: howujya = how + would + you

    • Usage: Howujya get the answer to this problem.

    • Meaning: How would you get the answer to this problem.

  • jya

    • Formation: jya = did + you

    • Usage: Jya go to class today?

    • Meaning: Did you go to class today?

  • waddaya

    • Formation: waddaya = what + are + you

    • Usage: Waddaya doing tonight?

    • Meaning: What are you doing tonight?

  • waddaya

    • Formation: waddaya = what + do + you

    • Usage: Waddaya think of this restaurant?

    • Meaning: What do you think of this restaurant?

  • wancha

    • Formation: wancha = want + you

    • Usage: I wancha to do your homework.

    • Meaning: I want you to do your homework.

  • whajya

    • Formation: whajya = what + did + you

    • Usage: Whajya do today?

    • Meaning: What did you do today?

  • whenjya

    • Formation: whenjya = when + did + you

    • Usage: Whenjya decide to study English?

    • Meaning: When did you decide to study English?

  • wherjya

    • Formation: wherjya = where + did + you

    • Usage: Wherjya go today?

    • Meaning: Where did you go today?

  • whojya

    • Formation: whojya = who + did + you

    • Usage: Whojya go to the park with today?

    • Meaning: Who did you go to the park with today?

  • woujya

    • Formation: woujya = would + you

    • Usage: Woujya like to go to the movies tonight?

    • Meaning: Would you like to go to the movies tonight?




4. Reductions formed with word + have
  • coulda

    • Formation: coulda = could + have

    • Usage: I coulda eaten one more donut.

    • Meaning: I could have eaten one more donut.

  • mighta

    • Formation: mighta = might + have

    • Usage: I mighta gone to the party if she wasn't going.

    • Meaning: I might have gone to the party if she wasn't going.

  • musta

    • Formation: musta = must + have

    • Usage: She musta been really tired after working so many hours.

    • Meaning: She must have been really tired after working so many hours.

  • shoulda

    • Formation: shoulda = should + have

    • Usage: You really shoulda come with us.

    • Meaning: You really should have come with us.

  • woulda

    • Formation: woulda = would + have

    • Usage: I woulda come if I wasn't working.

    • Meaning: I would have come if I wasn't working.




5. Reductions formed with word + of
  • frunna

    • Formation: frunna = front + of

    • Usage: Your shoes are in frunna the door.

    • Meaning: Your shoes are in front of the door.

  • kinda

    • Formation: kinda = kind + of

    • Usage: I kinda like eating at restaurants.

    • Meaning: I kind of like eating at restaurants.

  • kindsa

    • Formation: kindsa = kinds + of

    • Usage: What kindsa food do you usually eat at restaurants?

    • Meaning: What kinds of food do you usually eat at restaurants?

  • lotsa

    • Formation: lotsa = lots + of

    • Usage: I plan on eating lotsa food at the buffet.

    • Meaning: I plan on eating lots of food at the buffet.

  • lotta

    • Formation: lotta = lot + of

    • Usage: There was a lotta food at the buffet.

    • Meaning: There was a lot of food at the buffet.

  • outta

    • Formation: outta = out + of

    • Usage: Hey, let's get outta here.

    • Meaning: Hey, let's get out of here.

  • sorta

    • Formation: sorta = sort + of

    • Usage: What sorta book are you looking for?

    • Meaning: What sort of book are you looking for?

  • typa

    • Formation: typa = type + of

    • Usage: What typa food did they serve?

    • Meaning: What type of food did they serve?




6. Reductions formed with word + to
  • gonna

    • Formation: gonna = going + to

    • Usage: I'm gonna have to work every day next week.

    • Meaning: I'm going to have to work every day next week.

  • gotta

    • Formation: gotta = got + to

    • Usage: I gotta get up early to go work.

    • Meaning: I got to get up early to go work.

  • hafta

    • Formation: hafta = have + to

    • Usage: I hafta work overtime tonight.

    • Meaning: I have to work overtime tonight.

  • hasta

    • Formation: hasta = has + to

    • Usage: She hasta work this weekend.

    • Meaning: She has to work this weekend.

  • oughta

    • Formation: oughta = ought + to

    • Usage: You oughta find a better job.

    • Meaning: You ought to find a better job.

  • wanna

    • Formation: wanna = want + to

    • Usage: I really wanna find a better job.

    • Meaning: I really want to find a better job.




7. Reductions formed with word + me
  • donno

    • Formation: donno = don't + know

    • Usage: I really donno the answer to the question.

    • Meaning: I really don't know the answer to the question.

  • dunno

    • Formation: dunno = don't + know

    • Usage: I really dunno the answer to the question.

    • Meaning: I really don't know the answer to the question.

09:08 AM Sep 12 2010 |

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born2loveAllah

Algeria

may Allah ’s peace and blessings be upon u brother
thanks a lot for the explanations
may Allah bless and rewared u

01:49 PM Sep 12 2010 |

englishteacher24/7

United States

Jayyy,

Congratulations, on a job well done, I couldn't have taught it better myself!

I'm preparing to post a new lesson entitled: "Analyzing A Child's Method of Learning To Speak Fluent English" in the Teacher's Talk Forum.  

This is one more source to help everyone improve their English.

Continue your good work, we should all network and multiply the effectiveness!

06:34 AM Sep 14 2010 |

PinkButterfly

United States

Hi Jayy, that was a really good observation. "You broke it down" (explaining something) fantasticallySmile

I'm originally from the US and sometimes I don't know exactly what some people are saying when they speak.

Mr. English Teacher, I'm looking forward to your next discussion because I feel children who grow up in home where multiply languages are fluently spoken, are very fortunate indeed.

I don't know if this is related to your upcoming lesson so it is just a comment!

 

06:44 PM Sep 19 2010 |

mielkriestian

Philippines

this one is good, a very helpful to understand how americans speak…good job

05:09 AM Sep 20 2010 |

Meyra

Meyra

Turkey

Jayy thanks for this useful explanation,I was like discovering again everything which I heard in American English :)

10:21 AM Sep 20 2010 |

bahaa alden

Egypt

hey

I need to help me learn english

02:58 PM Sep 20 2010 |

teen romantic

Syrian Arab Republic

thanks , 

this is  nice

we will still waiting you in more and more 

10:01 PM Sep 22 2010 |

onvipa

Thailand

Thank you This is very good

03:09 PM Oct 04 2010 |