This post contains notes pertaning to the next most common of the *OL* sounds.
First draft of "ol" > /əʊl/ notes
-
acrolect
The Macmillan English Dictionary gives this transcription, but the audio sample has the vowel sound /ə/.
- bankroll
This is the sole representative of the many compound nouns formed by the addition of -roll. In this case adding another noun has produced a new verb too: to bankroll something is to make its development possible by making funds available.
- below-the-fold
link to el- ɪ note
- boll
The Macmillan English Dictionary gives this transcription, but the audio sample has the vowel sound /ɒ/ (sharing the vowel sound with atoll, doll, folly, jolly, knoll, moll, poll, and toll[bridge|booth] (but not toll itself) . See also note 15.
- ecolabel
This is the sole representative of the many words (and neologisms) that use the prefix eco-.
- folk (and its derivatives), holm-oak, and yolk
These words could be in a section of their own, as they have no /l/ sound.
- gasholder
This is the sole representative of the many words that use hold to make a compound word when the string -hold has a clear containing sense. This does not apply to some -hold words – for example freehold.
- gentlefolk
This is the sole representative of the many compound nouns formed with -folk.
- goldfinch
As the gold in this compound is metaphorical it escapes the exclusion given in note 10.
- goldmine
This is the sole representative of compound words constructed with the prefix gold-.
- mold (and its derivatives), molt, and smolder
These words are American English variants of words that – by dint of the general exclusion of words with double vowels – are not included here.
- monolingual
The Macmillan English Dictionary gives this transcription, but the audio sample has the vowel sound /ə/.
- oleander
The Macmillan English Dictionary gives this transcription, but the audio sample has the vowel sound /ɑ/.
- polarity
The Macmillan English Dictionary gives this transcription, but the audio sample has the vowel sound /ə/.
- poll
This is unlike many other -oll words, which have the vowel sound /ɒ/. In the fairly uncommon usage that refers to a truncated part, some speakers always prefer /ɒ/.
- profiterole
Students of ESOL should note that neither of the es in this word is a Magic E. The first represents a new syllable (in a four-syllable word), leaving the second vowel as /ɪ/, and some speakers pronounce the second o with a sound more like the French [ɔ] or at least the British English /ɒ/.
- prolapse
The vowel sound in the prefix – unlike words such as collapse – is not normally reduced to /ə/.
- proletarian
As in the case of profiterole (see note 16) the e in this word is not a magic E; the word has five syllables.
- small-holder and small-holding
These two escape the exclusion given in note 7 because what is held is not (except comparatively) small, and in any case the object of comparison – a farm – is not expressed.
- stronghold
This escapes the exclusion given in note 7 because the object of the holding (typically a building) is not specified; what is held is a position of strength.
- threefold
This is the sole representative of compound words constructed with the suffix -fold.
- tollgate
This is the sole representative of compound words constructed with the prefix toll-.
- townsfolk
This escapes the exclusion made in note 8 because – unlike menfolk and youngfolk – the suffix -folk is not simply added to the defining noun/adjective.
- troll
Also heard with /ɒ/. Both pronunciations are both common and acceptable.
- wholly
Compare sole/solely (both in the Magic E section).
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