There are many words where the ending <ance> is unstressed and is pronounced əns. Here is a list of examples:
acceptance balance compliance deliverance distance importance instance nuisance performance resistance substance temperance tolerance vengeance
If the word has only a single syllable or if the final syllable is stressed, then the most common pronunciation of the ending is ɑːns, as in
advance chance dance France enhance glance lance perchance prance stance trance
However, things are not always that simple, are they? Here are some words which fit in neither of the two lists above.
- askance can be pronounced either əˈskæns or əˈskɑːns
- entrance as a noun is ˈentrəns, but as a verb it is ɪnˈtrɑːns or enˈtrɑːns
- finance can be fɪˈnæns or faɪˈnæns or ˈfaɪnæns
- freelance is ˈfriːlɑːns
- happenstance can be ˈhæpənstæns or ˈhæpənstɑːns or ˈhæpənstəns
- nuance is ˈnjuːɑːns or ˈnjuːɒns or ˈnjuːɑ̃ːs (with a nasalised vowel)
- romance is ˈrəʊmæns or rəʊˈmæns
- séance is ˈseɪɒns or ˈseɪɑːns or ˈseɪɑ̃ːs (with a nasalised vowel)
2013_09_27