laan5 jam1懶音懒音

Jyutpinglaan5 jam1

Yaleláahn yām

名詞

Definition

Lazy pronunciation; the omission or simplification of sounds in speech to save effort or speak faster.

colloquialcommunicationother

How it's used

Refers to the phenomenon where speakers omit or simplify certain sounds to save effort, often resulting in the merging of distinct phonemes. It is a highly sensitive topic in Hong Kong, as many people view it as a sign of declining language standards among younger generations. Educators and media professionals often actively work to correct these habits to maintain clear pronunciation.

Examples

keoi5佢gong2講je5嘢hou2好do1多laan5懶jam1音，teng1聽lok6落hou2好m4唔cing1清co2楚。

He has a lot of lazy sounds when he speaks, it's hard to understand.

nei5你gong2講je5嘢ho2可m4唔ho2可ji5以m4唔hou2好jau5有gam3咁do1多laan5懶jam1音aa4呀？

Can you try not to have so many lazy sounds when you speak?

Common phrases

gau2糾zing3正laan5懶jam1音

to correct lazy sounds

mun5滿hau2口laan5懶jam1音

full of lazy sounds

Common mistake

Do not confuse this with regional accents or natural speech speed, as it specifically refers to the loss of distinct phonemic features like the nasal initial consonants or the distinction between certain vowel endings.