Thread: My tongue isn't cooperating in Rolling the R, pronouncing bl

How do you learn to roll an 'R'> I can approximate a rolled R if I contract my diaphram, but the R is very short and I cannot prolong it. I know the tongue must touch the palate in a natural manner... what next?

What is the trick?

Also, I cannot figure out the 'bl' sound... I can hear it but cannot figure out how to pronounce it... what is the mouth supposed to be doing?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

i in ill and ea in wealthy sound close to Ы (for my ear)

Originally Posted by Leof

i in ill and ea in wealthy sound close to Ы (for my ear)

and yet i and ea are different sounds to me. When I listen to the bl sound, it appears to have almost a gutteral "oo" before the tongue pulls back into a short-i sound... with a not-quite-there "L" on the end...

This is a difficult sound for me to hear and pronounce- I was told I might be "too old" to hear it (granted the young Russian telling me was 17... thinks I am 'old'

I think I can hear it, just not say it yet...