Canis

Pronounce as /ˈkæ.nɪs/. Start with a short “ka” as in cat, then a schwa-like or short “ni” sound, and finish with a light “s.” The primary stress is on the first syllable. In careful speech you can hear a crisp ‘n’ before the final ‘is’. An audio reference you can check alongside this guide is a pronunciation video that demonstrates the /æ/ to /ɪ/ shift clearly.

Common errors include misplacing stress on the second syllable or elongating the first vowel (like /ˈkæːnɪs/). Another pitfall is turning the second syllable into /iː/ or /ɪk/ instead of a short /ɪ/ before the final /s/. To correct, keep a crisp, short /æ/ in the first syllable and a brief, relaxed /ɪ/ in the second, with a soft hiss for /s/.

Across US, UK, and AU, the initial /k/ and /æ/ are similar, but rhotic vs non-rhotic features affect the Ending: US and AU typically keep /s/ with a clear sibilant; UK may have a slightly shorter, more clipped /ɪ/ before the final /s/. Overall, rhoticity doesn’t alter the core vowels, but vowel quality and speed differ in connected speech across regions.

The challenge lies in keeping a short, tense /æ/ followed quickly by /n/ and a light /ɪ/ before /s/ without adding extraneous vowels or elongating the first syllable. The subtle transition from /æ/ to /nɪ/ can sound clipped in fast speech, leading to /ˈkæ.nɪz/ or /ˈkeɪ.nɪs/. Focus on timing and a brief, even vowel length.

Normally not; the final /s/ is a voiceless alveolar fricative [s], not an affricate [z] or [ɪz]. In quick or careful speech, you may briefly hear a voiced quality if preceding vowel is tense or in connected speech, but the canonical pronunciation remains /ˈkæ.nɪs/ with a clear /s/.