Thread: Mastering general American pronunciation step by step

Everything sounded really great! The OY didn't sound off at all. Your UR words also sounded good; girl, bird and burn need just a bit of fine tuning. If I understand correctly about soft consonants (thanks again for your help, by the way) it almost sounds like soft G and B on those words. I don't know if that helps or if it's the right way to explain it. But what you were practicing, the UR sound, was done very well. Really good job!

Oh, and on that video: a few of her pronunciations were a "general American accent", but most were more of either a doped up California surfer or a bad Southern accent. And I have never heard anyone say renaissance that way, if that is indeed what she said. I know it was done for laughs, but that is not really what a "general American" sounds like.

Originally Posted by coco

Your UR words also sounded good; girl, bird and burn need just a bit of fine tuning. If I understand correctly about soft consonants (thanks again for your help, by the way) it almost sounds like soft G and B on those words. I don't know if that helps or if it's the right way to explain it.

It helps A LOT. I think you just might be right, these soft consonants just entrenched themselves so deeply in me so sometimes they all go out. I wish I could help it