pronunciation of 'perfect'

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary, Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, Cambridge English Pronouncing Dictionary, Longman Pronunciation Dictionary, agree that the pronunciation of 'perfect' (adjective) is /'pɜ:fɪkt/ in BE (/'pɝ:fɪkt/ in AE). Now I'm wondering how many native speakers, no matter where they live, would say /'pɜ:fɪkt/. I haven't heard any so far. It seems to me that most people say /'pɜ:fekt/ (/'pɝ:fekt/). Am I wrong? Why do the dictionaries prefer the /ɪ/?

Ditto for 'object' and 'subject' (/'ɒbdʒɪkt/ and /'sʌbdʒɪkt/ respectively, according to the dictionaries).

I say perfect as /'pr=f@kt/

I think that you heard British people, because in American accent is very clear /'p@rfikt/


American Heritage Dictionary, for adjective: (pûrfĭkt)

Merriam-Webster's Dictionary, for adjective: /'pər-fikt/

However, here the pronunciation is: /'p@rfekt/

http://www.forvo.com/word/perfect_(adjective)/

How could it have an /e/? In English almost all non-stressed syllables are a schwa?

I suspect it's a confusion of /ɪ/ and /ɨ/. Personally (US, Texas) I use the latter.

> Merriam-Webster's Dictionary, for adjective: /'pər-fikt/

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/perfect
Just click on the little red speaker. That's not /ɪ/, IMO.

To me: /'pœ:fɛkt/ as an adjective, /pɐ'fɛkt/ as a verb. "Object" and "subject" have still less of a difference in their noun and verb forms, with neither vowel being reduced.

“To me: /'pœ:fɛkt/ as an adjective, /pɐ'fɛkt/ as a verb.”

That’s non-standard. Please, don’t pollute the forum with your arcane dialectal forms.

<<That’s non-standard.>>

Nobody's yet shown that there *is* a "standard". So, no.