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Post # 1
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Join Date: 31 Mar 2010
Location:  MalaysiaPosts: 1 |
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Tips for Speaking Clearer English |
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The varied dialects in India make each person's accent unique, but there are some common pronunciation differences for many Indian speakers.These are some of the most commonly mispronounced sounds for Indian speakers of English:
1. saying an S sound instead of a Z sound Many Indian speakers use an s sound for a z sound. S and Z use the exact same tongue and mouth shape; the difference is in the voicing. The S sound is produced without the voice, but the Z sound requires the voice. To feel the difference, put your hand on your throat and try saying S-s-s-s. You should not feel anything. Now try saying Z-z-z-z. You should feel a vibration in your throat. Practice saying words like sip and zip. 2. saying a K sound instead of a G sound This is a very similar issue to the one above. K and G sound are both produced in the back of the throat, but the K is unvoiced and the G is voiced. Try saying K-k-k and then G-g-g-g. You should feel the tickle or vibration on your throat when you say the G sound. Practice saying coat and goat. 3. saying a V sound instead of a W sound The V sound is made by placing the top teeth on the bottom lip, turning on the voice, and blowing. The W sound is made by rounding the lips as if to make an O sound and then turning on the voice as the lips open slightly. You can practice as in the example above, using the words wine and vine. 4. Saying an F sound for a V sound. If you put the top teeth on the lower lip and blow without turning on the voice, you will make an F sound. To make the V sound, you need to turn on your voice. Practice by saying fine and vine. 5. Leaving off Final Sounds Final consonants are very important in English, but many Indian speakers will let the final consonant drop off. When this happens, it is difficult for the listener to determine what word has been spoken. For example, cat, can, and cad could all sound like "ca". Be sure to enunciate the final consonants in words. The bes |
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