In any language, there are areas of overlap, where
one category has a great deal in common with a different category. In
this case, intonation and pronunciation have two areas of overlap. First
is the pronunciation of the letter T. When a T is at the beginning of a
word (such as table, ten, take), it is a clear sharp sound. It is also
clear in combination with certain other letters, (contract, contain,
etc.) When T is in the middle of a word (or in an unstressed position),
it turns into a softer D sound. (This is covered in more detail in
pronunciation.)
Betty bought a bit of
better butter.
Sounds like:
Beddy bada
bida bedder budder.
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It is this intonation/pronunciation shift that
accounts for the difference between photography (phoTAgraphy) and
photograph (PHOdagraph).