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Why is "women pronounced as wimin?

What is the reason for the first syllable having /ɪ/?

What is the reason for the second syllable having /ɪ/?

chasly - supports Monica
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Elaine
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  • The answers are in the question above. If someone wants to post a new answer please visit the older question. – Mari-Lou A Nov 09 '15 at 08:40
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    For the same reason Mozart is pronounced Mote's Art, and Balzac Ball Zack. It's a quirk of fate. – Ricky Nov 09 '15 at 08:55
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    @Mari-LouA But that question itself and the answers only concerns the first syllable. They don't ask about or explain why the second syllable is pronounced with a KIT vowel, instead of, for example, with a SET vowel, which is what we might expect! :-) – Araucaria - Him Nov 09 '15 at 09:23
  • @Mari-LouA ... and which is a question I'd be very interested to hear an answer for, if anybody actually knows ... – Araucaria - Him Nov 09 '15 at 09:27
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    @Araucaria the older question asks why "woman" is pronounced as it is. That includes both syllables as far as I'm concerned, IOW the entire word. Not just the first three letters. Jeez... Ah, you've edited the question. Well, I still think the older question is asking about pronunciation. – Mari-Lou A Nov 09 '15 at 09:29
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    @Mari-LouA Well, I agree that the title sums up the question like that, but the question proper explains what the OP actually wants to know. It says "As far as I know, it is the only word where wo is pronounced as wee. What is the reason for this? Does it have to do with the origin of the word?" – Araucaria - Him Nov 09 '15 at 09:31
  • @Araucaria there's no need for being melodramatic. I get it. So we need two questions on the pronunciation of women? Fine, I'm not retracting my VTC. – Mari-Lou A Nov 09 '15 at 09:32
  • @Mari-LouA Sorry, didn't mean for the bold to come across that way ... No we don't, but I think a VTC-er needs to make that question over there suitably broad in the body of the question ... – Araucaria - Him Nov 09 '15 at 09:35
  • I read the previous question and found the existing answers unsatisfactory. I've added a new answer there. I don't claim it is authoritative -- it isn't. However I hope it will be of some use. – chasly - supports Monica Nov 09 '15 at 11:36

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