Results 1 to 5 of 5

Thread: Alessya

  1. #1
    Подающий надежды оратор
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Posts
    13
    Rep Power
    10

    Alessya

    Hi everyone,

    Okay, the name Alessya should be pronounced like “al-es-sya”, right? I’ve been trying to say this correctly for six weeks now, but the feedback from the Alessya in question is not good!

    Do I have a special problem or is it difficult for most beginners with English as native tongue to say “sya” correctly?! I can say “s” and “ya” separately (obviously), but as soon as I try to say “sya” fluently I introduce an extra unwanted sound like “si-ya

    I can say “shya”, but “sya” feels completely unnatural; and the more I try the more stilted it becomes. I can also say “al-es-ya”, but she definitely seems to want two “s” sounds in there.

    Maybe this isn’t a question as such. Just wanted to see if it’s a known difficulty for beginners... or maybe someone has a tip for getting it right that will save me.

    Thanks,

    Simon

  2. #2
    Старший оракул
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
    Posts
    937
    Rep Power
    16

    Re: Alessya

    Quote Originally Posted by becksie
    Hi everyone,

    Okay, the name Alessya should be pronounced like “al-es-sya”, right?
    No. It's pronounced a-le-s'a. "S" with an apostrophe is a "soft" (a.k.a palatalized) "s". There is no "y", nor "i", between "s" and "a".

    Quote Originally Posted by becksie
    I can say “shya”, but “sya” feels completely unnatural; and the more I try the more stilted it becomes. I can also say “al-es-ya”, but she definitely seems to want two “s” sounds in there.
    That is rather strange. There is the single "s" there.

    Quote Originally Posted by becksie
    Maybe this isn’t a question as such. Just wanted to see if it’s a known difficulty for beginners...
    Yes, it's a common difficulty for all English-speakers, because there are no distinction between "hard" and "soft" consonants in English.

    Quote Originally Posted by becksie
    or maybe someone has a tip for getting it right that will save me.
    Живёт в белорусском полесье кудесница леса Алеся...
    Налево пойдёшь - коня потеряешь, направо пойдёшь - сам голову сложишь.
    Прямой путь не предлагать!

  3. #3
    Подающий надежды оратор
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Posts
    13
    Rep Power
    10

    Re: Alessya

    Thanks for the detailed help. And for the video: brilliant!... I will listen to it repeatedly until the pronunciation is imprinted onto my brain.

    Cheers.

  4. #4
    Старший оракул
    Join Date
    Jan 2003
    Location
    Гражданин мира
    Posts
    914
    Rep Power
    15

    Re: Alessya

    No. It's pronounced a-le-s'a. "S" with an apostrophe is a "soft" (a.k.a palatalized) "s". There is no "y", nor "i", between "s" and "a".
    To be MORE exact it is pronounced [s'ä], where ä means a little bit more forward vowel than the ordinary [a] after hard consonants.
    I think every time there's a discussion about soft consonants a lot is being said about the quality of the soft consonants, and nothin is said about the quality of the vowels after them, but it is important in order to pronounce correctly all the combination. Native Russian speakers are not aware of this (except those with philiogical knowledge) because this is not a so called "phonematic distinction", [ä] being only a positional variant of general "a". (And so with ü and ö)

  5. #5
    Moderator Lampada's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2004
    Location
    СССР -> США
    Posts
    18,025
    Rep Power
    35

    Re: Alessya

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NaqTQTmFkWo


    Группа Сябры

    Алеся

    Живёт в белорусском полесье
    Кудесница леса – Алеся.
    Считает года по кукушке,
    Встречает меня на опушке.

    Припев:
    Алеся, Алеся, Алеся!
    Так птицы кричат,
    Так птицы кричат,
    Так птицы кричат
    В поднебесье.
    Алеся, Алеся, Алеся.
    Останься со мною, Алеся,
    Как сказка, как чудо, как песня.

    Боясь, что вернутся морозы,
    Заплачут в апреле берёзы.
    Алеся к ветвям прикоснётся,
    Росою слёза обернётся.

    Припев.

    Живёт в белорусском полесье
    Кудесница леса – Алеся,
    Живёт в ожидании счастья,
    А с ним нелегко повстречаться.

    Припев:
    Алеся, Алеся, Алеся...
    "...Важно, чтобы форум оставался местом, объединяющим людей, для которых интересны русский язык и культура. ..." - MasterАdmin (из переписки)



Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  


Russian Lessons                           

Russian Tests and Quizzes            

Russian Vocabulary