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Thread: How do you pronounce вы?

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    How do you pronounce вы?

    How do you pronounce вы, as in "вы говорите пo-русски?"

    When I listen to my Pimsleur audio lessons, вы sounds like 'voo' to me, but I would think that from it's spelling it would be pronounced 'vegh' or 'vi' or something to that effect; (the ы sound is hard for me to transliterate, but I've definitely learned that it is not an 'oo' sound, as seems to be the case in the Pimsleur audio pronunciation.)
    Resources I recommend for learning Russian:
    Berlitz Russian Compact Dictionary http://amzn.to/cSVslk
    The New Penguin Russian Course http://amzn.to/cBJLSP
    Passport to Russian http://amzn.to/d8MG1Q

    http://imgur.com/QC32B.jpg

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    Re: How do you pronounce вы?

    No, it is not 'oo', of course. It's closer to 'ee' (Russian и), but it is not 'ee'. I'll try to display the difference to you with two examples:
    1. If you say "It is bla bla bla, is it?", the joint of s and i sounds completely like Russian зы (and the з is hard).
    2. If you say "Zealand", the 'zea' sounds completely like Russian зи (and the з is soft).

    I know, it's always hard to explain how Russian 'ы' sounds... Well, generally, it's like the 'i' in this, it, fit and so on...
    In Russian, all nationalities and their corresponding languages start with a lower-case letter.

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    Re: How do you pronounce вы?

    Quote Originally Posted by Оля
    I know, it's always hard to explain how Russian 'ы' sounds... Well, generally, it's like the 'i' in this, it, fit and so on...
    And try to draw back your tongue pronouncing [i] here.
    «И всё, что сейчас происходит внутре — тоже является частью вселенной».

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    Re: How do you pronounce вы?

    I've alwais wondered how could a nation, which have in it's language sound like "Ы", consider itself cultural!
    If my post contains errors of any kind, I'd appreciate anyone setting me straight.

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    Re: How do you pronounce вы?

    Explain yourself, please!
    «И всё, что сейчас происходит внутре — тоже является частью вселенной».

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    Re: How do you pronounce вы?

    SoftPretzel -

    What Rtyom says is a good start. Try pronouncing "ee" (as in "eel"). Notice where the tip of your tongue is, towards the front. Now try the same sound but pull the tip of your tongue back and to the bottom of your mouth.

    Also check out videos from Uncledavey, he goes over pronounciation of the alphabet and has a great image of your mouth, and where your tongue is for each vowel. I found it very helpful.

    http://www.youtube.com/user/usenetposts
    Пожалуйста, исправляйте мои ошибки.

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    Re: How do you pronounce вы?

    noheat, thank you very much for that advice. The tongue thing seems to work well to emulate the sound I've noticed in my audio lessons, although it seems a bit unnatural to me.
    Resources I recommend for learning Russian:
    Berlitz Russian Compact Dictionary http://amzn.to/cSVslk
    The New Penguin Russian Course http://amzn.to/cBJLSP
    Passport to Russian http://amzn.to/d8MG1Q

    http://imgur.com/QC32B.jpg

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    Re: How do you pronounce вы?

    It's close to the English vowel in will, bill, sill, sit, sh*t, lit, knit. In my dialect, anyway (AmE).

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    Re: How do you pronounce вы?

    wow, so much great advice from everyone! these are great forums
    Resources I recommend for learning Russian:
    Berlitz Russian Compact Dictionary http://amzn.to/cSVslk
    The New Penguin Russian Course http://amzn.to/cBJLSP
    Passport to Russian http://amzn.to/d8MG1Q

    http://imgur.com/QC32B.jpg

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    Re: How do you pronounce вы?

    Russian "ы" sounds like mumblings of a primitive (primeval) man.
    Strange though it may seem, one indian told me that (jokingly).
    If my post contains errors of any kind, I'd appreciate anyone setting me straight.

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    Re: How do you pronounce вы?

    Quote Originally Posted by Оля
    1. If you say "It is bla bla bla, is it?", the joint of s and i sounds completely like Russian зы (and the з is hard).
    2. If you say "Zealand", the 'zea' sounds completely like Russian зи (and the з is soft).
    I wonder if this explanation makes any sense to a native English speaker? Just of curiosity...
    In Russian, all nationalities and their corresponding languages start with a lower-case letter.

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    Re: How do you pronounce вы?

    I can't agree with your first statement. It's close, but nowhere near "completely like ..".

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    Re: How do you pronounce вы?

    Quote Originally Posted by gRomoZeka
    I can't agree with your first statement. It's close, but nowhere near "completely like ..".
    I mean if you pronounce "is" and "it" without a pause, together, as a solid word.
    In Russian, all nationalities and their corresponding languages start with a lower-case letter.

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    Re: How do you pronounce вы?

    to answer your question, Olya, yes it makes perfect sense, and the vowel in "is it" sounds exactly like the vowel in the words I quoted above. The first syll. of Zebra and Zeke sound the same as Zealand.

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    Re: How do you pronounce вы?

    Quote Originally Posted by Оля
    Quote Originally Posted by gRomoZeka
    I can't agree with your first statement. It's close, but nowhere near "completely like ..".
    I mean if you pronounce "is" and "it" without a pause, together, as a solid word.
    Я поняла, но произнеси "is it", а потом сразу "ыт". Да и просто произнеси "изыт" как это бы сказал человек, который не знает английского. Разница очевидная! В "it" будет более деликатный звук (что-то вроде прибалтийского акцента получается), а русское "ы" более грубое и ниже в горле. Мне так кажется...

    А что, все остальные действительно думают, что "i" в "is it" звучит совершенно по-русски?

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    Re: How do you pronounce вы?

    [quote=Оля]
    Quote Originally Posted by "Оля":p34liyig
    1. If you say "It is bla bla bla, is it?", the joint of s and i sounds completely like Russian зы (and the з is hard).
    2. If you say "Zealand", the 'zea' sounds completely like Russian зи (and the з is soft).
    I wonder if this explanation makes any sense to a native English speaker? Just of curiosity...[/quote34liyig]

    It does. That was actually more helpful than the pronounciation guide in my book.
    お前の無礼はこっちの第三言語の学

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    Re: How do you pronounce вы?

    Quote Originally Posted by gRomoZeka
    Я поняла, но произнеси "is it", а потом сразу "ыт". Да и просто произнеси "изыт" как это бы сказал человек, который не знает английского. Разница очевидная!
    Видимо, я не так произношу либо английское is it, либо русское ы. Для меня изыт звучит так же (ну или почти так же), как is it. Я вообще всегда удивляюсь, когда иностранцам советуют засовывать язык куда-то подальше в горло, а иногда еще и корчить страшные гримасы, чтобы произнести "ы". Я, например, при произнесении этого звука язык глубоко в горло не засовываю, и вообще произношу его без всякого напряжения горла (ну то есть, напряжение есть, но такое же, как и при произнесении других звуков).
    In Russian, all nationalities and their corresponding languages start with a lower-case letter.

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    Re: How do you pronounce вы?

    Quote Originally Posted by Оля
    Я вообще всегда удивляюсь, когда иностранцам советуют засовывать язык куда-то подальше в горло, а иногда еще и корчить страшные гримасы, чтобы произнести "ы".
    Я тоже не понимаю всех этих хитромудрых советов, особенно с иллюстрациями из анатомии. )))
    Помню, давали тут совет произносить "и", держа карандаш в зубах. Я на себе поэкспериментировала, и выяснила, что "и" прекрасно произносится и с карандашом, но вот если при этом стараться не шевелить языком, то выходит неплохое "ы"!

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    Re: How do you pronounce вы?

    "Ы" is like a mix of "u" and "i". I like call the "bi" letter because it looks like english "bi," and it goes both ways!

    Anyway, here's a LONG example of how "ы" is pronounced, the sound here is extended so you can hear how it sounds like in the first part of this song.

    "за два часа до темнотыыыыыы
    когда закончится играааа.
    Я перешёл с тобой на "тыыыыыыы"
    а ты осталась до утраааа"
    (с)
    "С чий очи сънувам, чий е този лик обречен?
    Смъртен глас ми се причува и отеква с вик далечен
    Как да зърна да погледна, чуждий образ да прегърна,
    на лицето ми студено грях в надежда да превърна.."

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    Re: How do you pronounce вы?

    The differences are slight, but Russian ы and English i are not the same sound. In English the tongue is more towards the front of the mouth, and slightly raised compared to the Russian. IMHO. (я не фонетист).

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