Thread: Mastering general American pronunciation step by step

Originally Posted by iCake

Short [o] in box is how Brits pronounce them. Americans go with a strong [a:] or a strong [o:] as far as I know.

Compare American pronunciation with British one here
Listen to "box" pronunciation here at the most famous American dictionary
And here

there are some regional variations. Seems there is a "Great lakes vowel shift" happening. Things like "block' are sounding more like 'black'!. Chicago etc.

Short [o] in box is how Brits pronounce them. Americans go with a strong [a:] or a strong [o:] as far as I know.

Terrible news. I don't understand then how the British and the Americans understand each other.

Sometimes we don't!


Scott

Originally Posted by maxmixiv

Terrible news. I don't understand then how the British and the Americans understand each other.

'Born' was my first intuition, and then I don't know why, I guessed again and guessed wrong! It's still very good, I wasn't guessing in all cases. And yes I do need to ask if I'm hearing it right, I don't always hear native speakers properly! Lots of cues as to what words are spoken is from context, not from perfect sound formation.

Hello again. I was working on my [ae] vowel as in back today, so let's see how it worked out

As usual I pronounced the vowel itself then as a part of some words. I hope you will make out what words I said but I'm more concerned with the vowel's quality than in consonants' one. I didn't work on them yet, however, it would be nice to know if you got the words. Thanks in advance!

Listen to my [ae]

Also, I tried to hone my [o:] as I realized that I tended to move my tongue back for this vowel for no apparent reason

Listen to my honed [o:], I hope I really honed it

The first link doesn't work. The 2nd link, 2nd word, I don't know what word it is. Again, if you're stressing the vowels too much then OK. If not there too strong. IMHO.

Scott

Originally Posted by fortheether

The first link doesn't work. The 2nd link, 2nd word, I don't know what word it is. Again, if you're stressing the vowels too much then OK. If not there too strong. IMHO.

Scott

Sorry, I pasted a wrong link, now it should work!

As for overstressing I do that to get the feeling of a vowel, correct emphasis, length etc will come if you know how to pronounce the sound correctly.

The link works now, I had to listen to the words a few times to understand them. The vowels on their own are good.

Scott

Originally Posted by iCake

Sorry, I pasted a wrong link, now it should work!

As for overstressing I do that to get the feeling of a vowel, correct emphasis, length etc will come if you know how to pronounce the sound correctly.

iCake,

Your honed [o:] is excellent! With the [ae] you are overstressing a little bit. This vowel should be somewhat shorter I think. But this kink should work out on its own. Keep it up!

I believe /aɪ/ and /oʊ/ are the diphthongs you did in that last post.

~Tara

Hello again. I've been working on the next two vowels for two days. And one of them was so darn crazy I don't even know if I'm any good at that vowel pronunciation yet.

So, today's vowels won't be named to see if you can recognize them
Also, I would like to see if you can type up the words I pronounced, there are 4 of them in each recordings.

Listen to the first vowel

Listen to the second vowel

Thanks in advance!

No show dome ? ?

Why sigh right ? ?

American English alphabet pronunciation:

http://youtu.be/QHRWlFEjdzs


Scott

Originally Posted by iCake

Hello again. I've been working on the next two vowels for two days. And one of them was so darn crazy I don't even know if I'm any good at that vowel pronunciation yet.

So, today's vowels won't be named to see if you can recognize them
Also, I would like to see if you can type up the words I pronounced, there are 4 of them in each recordings.

Listen to the first vowel

Listen to the second vowel

Thanks in advance!

Originally Posted by fortheether

No show dome ? ?

Why sigh right ? ?

American English alphabet pronunciation:

http://youtu.be/QHRWlFEjdzs


Scott

That was so bad?

Originally Posted by Tararwen

Know, show, dome, poke, bow... Why, shy, bright, live, pipe....

That's it

It's not so bad, I only listened two times. The words I understood were fine. Keep going!


Scott

Originally Posted by iCake

That was so bad?



That's it

Know, show, dome, poke, bow... Why, shy, bright, live, pipe....

Hi, again

As usual I practiced two vowels today. I hope you will hear the words I said there and the vowels will be okay.

Also, I would highly appreciate if you give me honest feedback and, if you can, a suggestion what to do to improve. Don't go easy on me. If it was bad, just say so, if it was horrible, don't hesitate to say so and so on.

the first vowel

the second vowel

Thanks in advance!

In the 1st file are you saying “oo”? If so, it’s fine.

All the words are excellent except the last thing at the end. What was that?

Loan
excuse
spoon
soon
you
?

2^nd file –

Vowel is excellent.

All words but “thought” and the last thing at the end are good.

Dog
Soggy
Thought (more practice needed with “th” part – a very common issue in my opinion)
What
?

In my experience I noticed several sounds that are difficult for Eastern Europeans to say. I made up a sentence for a friend to practice. It goes something like this:


I want to buy a vowel with one thousand treasures.


As for advise - practice, practice, practice.

Scott

Originally Posted by iCake

Hi, again

As usual I practiced two vowels today. I hope you will hear the words I said there and the vowels will be okay.

Also, I would highly appreciate if you give me honest feedback and, if you can, a suggestion what to do to improve. Don't go easy on me. If it was bad, just say so, if it was horrible, don't hesitate to say so and so on.

the first vowel

the second vowel

Thanks in advance!

Originally Posted by fortheether

In the 1st file are you saying “oo”? If so, it’s fine.

How can it be fine if you even have to ask me which vowel I pronounced?

Originally Posted by fortheether

All the words are excellent except the last thing at the end. What was that?

Loan
excuse
spoon
soon
you
?

noon
excuse
spoon
soon
you
blue

Originally Posted by fortheether

Dog
Soggy
Thought (more practice needed with “th” part – a very common issue in my opinion)
What
?

dog
soggy
talk
walk
law

It's obvious that my consonants suck

Originally Posted by fortheether

As for advise - practice, practice, practice

I will

At first it sounded like Russian 'у', that's why I asked if you were saying English 'oo'. You don't write what you're trying to say. No, your consonants don't all suck. I could still mostly understand what you were trying to say though. Obviously 'noon' blue' 'talk' and 'law' need practice, for 'noon' the second 'o' sounds like an 'a', for blue it sounds like the 'ue' are omitted. I just listened again now that I see what the words are. Yes practice is needed but don't be so hard on yourself!


Scott

Originally Posted by fortheether

At first it sounded like Russian 'у', that's why I asked if you were saying English 'oo'. You don't write what you're trying to say. No, your consonants don't all suck, just the 'th' in those last two files. I could still understand what you were trying to say though. Obviously 'blue' and 'law' need practice. Don't be so hard on yourself!


Scott

Well, the thing is I don't remember saying TH consonant except for the recording of the AH vowel where I said the word father.

I just edited my post, in your accent that how I heard it (referring to what I thought was 'th'). I only listen once or twice and write what I think you said. Overall the words are fine, yes more work is needed.

Scott

Originally Posted by iCake

Well, the thing is I don't remember saying TH consonant except for the recording of the AH vowel where I said the word father.