Why do we say 'probly' and 'libry' instead of probably and library?

A simple slip of the tongue can change the way we pronounce certain words

Girl in library
(Image credit: (Thinkstock))

We've all done it one time or another. Instead of enunciating the syllables in "probably," a slurred "probly" comes out instead. Why does this happen?

It's really a question of efficiency. English words tend to have one or two syllables that are stressed. In this case, we say PRO-bab-ly, not pro-BAB-ly or pro-bab-LY. This naturally also means that the stressed syllables are more interesting and important to your production and understanding of the word than the unstressed ones.

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Gretchen McCulloch is a linguist and polyglot. She has a master's in linguistics from McGill University and blogs daily at All Things Linguistic.