The fun fundamentals of English Pronunciation /ðə i:jelesju: ɪ z ɪ n ʃɜ rfi:ld ru:m θri:wəna ɪ n/ Brett W Harmony

Our own pronunciation becomes more important when we communicate in an international environment. Communicating fluently and clearly is most important You don’t have to speak like the Queen to do this.

This is a crash “course” in how to break down and deal with the aural English communication system. Vowels Not Vowels Stress Strategies

Unfortunately, English spelling does not always reveal a word’s pronunciation. How many letters are in the English Alphabet? ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ 26

Unfortunately, English spelling does not always reveal a word’s pronunciation. ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ How many vowels do we use when speaking? 12 vowels and 8 two vowel combinations A= æ, a, ɔ, eɪ

If this is a map to your mouth, your tongue is the car. Let’s take a drive through the E.U.!

There are some mistakes with vowels you don’t want to make. I rested in peace on a sheet on the beach. I rested in /p i: s/ on a /ʃ i: t/ on the /b i: tʃ/. How relaxing! I rested in /p ɪ s/ on a /ʃ ɪ t/ on the /b ɪ tʃ/. Oh Dear!!

Vowel pronunciation is governed by the vowel length, your Tongue, Jaw and Lips How /i:/ is different than / ɪ / It’s Longer It’s a bigger smile More pressure on your tongue University of Iowa site ml

Say this short phrase, but be sure to say the vowel longer and with a smile! I stepped on… University of Iowa site ml

Some vowels is all about the jaw. How / æ / is different than / e / A wide open mouth University of Iowa site ml

Things to think about when working on your Vowels Mouth Wide Open? or almost Biting? Open for lower Vowels LipsRounded or in a smile as needed TongueMove it to where it needs to go.

You need more than your tongue to get to where you want to go on this map.

Fortunately, with consonants, English spelling sometimes helps with pronunciation ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ How many consonants? 24 consonants

The Periodic table of English Consonants

How do you Pronounce “TH?” Stick out your tongue! Pronounce the following sentence: There are 3,033 of them on Thursday. / ð/ ere are / Ɵ / ree / Ɵ / ousand and / Ɵ / irty- / Ɵ / ree of / ð/ em on / Ɵ / ursday. Stick out your tongue 7 times, but what’s the difference?

Voice and Voiceless Consonants Partners

The Voiced “TH” All of the little words in English which begin with “th” use / ð/:  Them  Then  Those  This  These  They  Their  Thus  There  Than  The

Strategies for Practicing Consonants H Hands Use fingers and hands to remind you how to do it. U Uncomfortable feeling If it feels weird, then you’re probably doing it right! M Mouths Sometimes you see some teeth, a tongue, or nothing.

English’s Overall System of Meaning is Stress But what is stress?

The vowel is the key to finding stress. The stressed vowel sound is different by being Higher Louder Longer

English’s Overall System of Meaning is Stress How many syllables in the following words? Conduct Progress Rebel Suspect Which syllable has the stress? The first or second? It depends on whether the word is a verb: “I con duct ed an experiment” Or a noun “Your con duct on the beach was horrible.”

What does it mean to be unstressed? to rest in peace on a sheet on the beach! The unstressed Vowel sound is: Lower Shorter Quieter /ə/

How Unstressed Syllables Affect Listening How do you say the following sentences? You should not have done that! We could not have seen to it earlier. Did you hear what I was saying? How does Liz say it?

How Unstressed Syllables Affect Listening How do you say the following sentences? You should not have done that! We could not have seen to it earlier. Did you hear what I was saying?

Practice these words NounsVerbs insult object contract project rebel record pervert increase convert conflict

Strategies for Stress revolve around vowels Wait for stressed vowels Take your time pronouncing those stressed vowels Shorten those unstressed vowels Don’t even worry about the vowel in unstressed syllables. Say it, but don’t worry. Practice Talk, and sing, and read poetry aloud, and rap. Rhythm helps.

Now what do you do? VowelsUnderhill’s phonemic chart ConsonantsThe mirror in your bathroom StressYour mobile phone

References and Useful Tools all on our Blackboard Learn Virtual Learning Site English Articulatory Anatomy from University of Iowa BBC Learning English/ Pronunciation Tips ounds/con_voiced_6.shtml Howjsay.com t Speech accent Archive:

ELSP Pronunciation classes are only an hour, at lunchtime, available through online registration. Hope to see you again soon!

The fun fundamentals of English Pronunciation /ðə i:jelespi: ɪ z ɪ n ʃɜ rfi:ld ru:m θri:wəna ɪ n/ Brett W Harmony

The fun fundamentals of English Pronunciation The ELSP is in Sherfield Room 319 (near our friends in ISS) Brett W Harmony