• Chetzemoka@kbin.social
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    1 year ago

    It’s less a difference in pronunciation and more a difference in the sounds available in the speaker’s native language. Similarly to the way that native Japanese speakers will “mispronounce” the “arr” sound in English words because there is no “arr” sound in the Japanese language. The “t” sound in many Indian languages is made using the tongue and not the teeth (and sometimes retroflex with the tip of the tongue facing backward) making it much softer than in English and giving it more of a “th” sound to our ears.

    • InvisibleShade@kbin.social
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      1 year ago

      Most common Indian languages do have a hard ‘T’ sound too. For example, look up the pronunciation of “sword” in Hindi.

      I think this scenario might just boil down to the unawareness of the correct pronunciation.

      • mongoosedadei@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        I agree most of them do have a hard ‘T’, but “talwar” (I’m guessing this is the word you’re referring to) is pronounced with a “th”. Probably the words for “firecracker” (pataka) or “holiday” (chuttee) are more representative.

      • BackStabbath@lemm.ee
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        1 year ago

        Sword in Hindi is pronounced with a soft “th” sound. I don’t know where you got your info from.