basics of speaking

BASICS OF

SPEAKING

DEFINITION OF TERMS AccentIn linguistics, an accent is a manner of pronunciation of a particular individual,

location, or nation. Accents typically differ in:

a) quality of voice, b) pronunciation of vowels and consonants, c) stress, and d) prosody.

Although grammar, semantics, vocabulary, and other language characteristics often vary concurrently with accent, the word 'accent' refers specifically to the differences in pronunciation, whereas the word 'dialect' encompasses the broader set of linguistic differences. Often 'accent' is a subset of 'dialect'.

DEFINITION OF TERMS Dialect – a regional variety of language distinguished by features of

vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation from other regional varieties and constituting together with them a single language.

Pronunciation – refers to the way a word or a language is spoken, or the manner in which someone utters a word. If one is said to have "correct pronunciation", then it refers to both within a particular dialect.A word can be spoken in different ways by various individuals or groups, depending on many factors, such as: the area in which they grew up, the area in which they now live, if they have a speech or voice disorder,

their ethnic group, their social class, or their education. Twang – exaggerated nasality in speech (as in some regional dialects). Slang – the use of informal words and expressions that are not

considered standard in the speaker's language or dialect but are considered more acceptable when used socially.

Accent Neutralization Rev(1) 2/6/12

Tongue Teeth Lips Throat Jaw Diaphragm Mouth Palette

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ACCENT ARTICULATORS


TIPS ON PRACTICING PRONUNCIATION Listen well to distinguish the different sounds. Watch the mouth movements carefully. Mimic or shadow the mouth positions. Open your mouth when pronouncing the sounds. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes when practicing.

Remember to fix those errors as soon as you recognize them.

Don’t get frustrated when you don’t get it right after series of trials. Learning a new accent or neutralizing your sound takes a lot of patience and determination.

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VOWELS

VOWEL SOUNDS

\ a \ - mat, gag, tabulate \ ā \ - fatal, aorta, maintenance \ ä \ - father, star, calm \ aú \ - hour, now, county \ e \ - bet, best, terrible \ ē \ - clean, feel, treason \ i \ - tip, fulfill, active \ ī \ - site, stride, buy, knight \ o \ - bother, cost, stop \ ō \ - bone, know,

grocery

\ ó \ - walnut, four, core \ ói \ - coin, destroy,

employed \ ü \ - rule, youth, union \ ú \ - pull, wood, book,

curable, fury \ ә \ - american, collide,

mother \ әr \ - further, merger \ әl \ - table, culture bird

bird

CONSONANTS

THE BIG FOURPlosives

speech sound produced by complete closure of the oral passage and subsequent release accompanied by a burst of air.

P vs. F

FricativesA consonant, such as f or s in English, produced by the forcing of breath through a constricted passage. Also called spirant.

B vs. V

PLOSIVESp, b, t, d, k, and g

FRICATIVESf, v, th, dh, s, z, sh, zh, and h

CONSONANT SOUNDS

\ b \ - baby, rib \ d \ - did, adder \ g \ - go, big, gift \ j \ - job, gem, edge,

join, judge \ k \ - kin, cook, ache \ p \ - pepper, lip \ t \ - tie, attack, late,

later, latter

\ ch \ - chin, nature \ f \ - fifty, cuff \ s \ - source, less \ sh \ - shy, mission,

machine, special \ th \ - thin, ether \ th \ - then, either \ v \ - vivid, invite \ z \ - zone, raise \ zh \ - vision, measure

CONSONANT SOUNDS


The American T

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TH(SOFT TH, NON-VOICED TH, VOICELESS TH)

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SOFT OR UNVOICED TH

Like an S between the teethMost people replace this with a T sound

Example: Thing becomes ting

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thirtythriftythoroughthanksthinkforthseventhbirthbreathSethteeth

brothpathPerththeaterthousandthumbfaiththrallthornthoughtmath

beneaththirstthrillthiefElizabethetherealethylEthicsmothmythworth

TH(HARD TH, VOICED TH)

HARD OR VOICED TH

Like a DInstead of being in back of the teeth, it’s ¼ inch lower and forward

between the teethMost people replace this with a Z or D sound

Example: That becomes Dat/Zat

featherfarthergatheringeitherneithersmoothwhetherslitherotherhither

smotherthyworthyNetherworldthouweatherthentheethemthis

thatthosethesetheretheythemtogetherbrotherfathermother

T – TH EXERCISEBatBateClotHeartNotingTanTank Tat

BathBatheClothHearthNothingThanThankThat

TenTicket TootToughTreat TreeWit Write

ThenThicketToothThoughThreatThreeWithWrithe

The thirty-three thankful thieves thought that they thanked the other thirty-three thankful thieves throughout Thursday.

Three thin thieves thought a thousand thoughts. Now if three thin thieves thought a thousand thoughts how many thoughts did each thief think?

FIVE RULES OF THE AMERICAN T1. Plosive T or Top of the staircase.2. Unstressed T or Middle of the staircase.3. Held T or Bottom of the staircase.4. Held T before N5. Silent T

PLOSIVE T OR TOP OF THE STAIRCASE

If T is at the beginning of the word, or if it is placed in a STRESSED syllable, it is pronounced with a popping T sound.

Example:Stop touching Ted’s toes.

TimeintentpertaincontentcontractAtoneturtle

retainpretendcurtailsubtractattendIntentionTrust

PLOSIVE T OR TOP OF THE STAIRCASE

UNSTRESSED T OR MIDDLE OF THE STAIRCASE

An unstressed T in the middle of a staircase between 2 vowel sounds = soft D sound.

Example:Betty bought a bit of bitter butter.

UNSTRESSED T OR MIDDLE OF THE STAIRCASE

bettermeetinglettersgreetingsbittercommitteebutterbottom

thirtygreaterprettynotifycitiesquarterlytotalsarticles

HELD T OR BOTTOM OF THE STAIRCASE

T is HELD at the end of a word.Tongue does the T position, but the air is not released.

Example:She hit the hot hut with her hat.

HELD T OR BOTTOM OF THE STAIRCASE

seatsheetsetpeststatepostunitaccount

bestmetcountinternetconnectmostmanagementagreement

HELD T BEFORE N

T & N are very close in the mouth. No need to pop the T. Make a sharp upward sliding T sound, then quickly drop for the N

sound.

Example:The cotton curtain is not in the fountain.

HELD T BEFORE N

mountainbuttoncottoncertainlybittenkitten

forgottenwrittenconsultantsentencemartincurtain

THE SILENT T

T & N are so close in the mouth that the T can simply disappear.

Example:He had a great interview.

THE SILENT T

centertwentyinterruptprintersinterviewinternetrepresented

internationaldisadvantageinterferedrepresentativeinterceptinterstatepercentages

WHAT IS PITCH?

“Pitch is the highness or lowness of your tone.”

PITCH

Low Pitch – used in statements, narration, end, conclusions, and questions that start with the 5W’s and 1 H.“What is your name?”“What seems to be the problem?”

High Pitch – suspended tone used after questions or in series.“Are you going to see her tonight?”“I’m going to see her, have dinner and then go dancing”.

Extra High Pitch – used to express emotions such as excitement, fear, etc.“Oh my God! He’s going to see me tonight!”

WHAT IS TONE?

“Tone, in linguistics, is a variation in the pitch of the voice while

speaking.”

“It is shown or heard in how something is being said.”

WHAT IS INTONATION?

“Intonation, is the variation of the TONE of the voice while speaking.”


Intonation patterns:1.Statement2.Question3.Surprise4.Disbelief5.Sarcasm6.Teasing

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STRESSStress is the emphasis placed on a syllable in

a word or on a word in a sentence.

There are two types of stress:Word stress

- Deals with the syllable that will be prominent in a word.

Phrase stress- Deals with the words that will be prominent in a string of words.

CHARACTERISTICS OF STRESSED AND UNSTRESSED SYLLABLES

Do you know the differences between stressed syllables and unstressed syllables? Look at the chart below first.

So, when you say a word more than one syllable, remember to make the stressed syllable louder, longer, clearer, and higher pitched.

Loudness

Vowel Length

Vowel Clarity Pitch

Stressed syllables

loud long full high

Unstressed syllables

quiet short reduced low

WORD STRESS

NOUNrecord

addressprotestconvictobjectsubjectaddict

VERBrecord

addressprotestconvictobjectsubjectaddict

PHRASE STRESS

Read the following phrases. Stress on the appropriate word.

An American customerA Filipino teacher

A Japanese productAn Italian teacher

Spanish food

PHRASE STRESS

I didn’t steal your tuna sandwich.






LIAISONS

Connection of words that allow us to speak in sound groups.

Not pronounced one by one. End of a word attaches to the beginning of the next word.

LET’S PRACTICE!

The dime.The dime easier.They tell me the dime easier.They tell me the dime easier to understand.They tell me that I am easier to understand.

LIAISING PATTERNS

1. Consonant/Vowel2. Consonant/Consonant3. Vowel/Vowel4. T, D, S, or Z + Y

LIAISON RULE 1: CONSONANT/VOWEL

Words are connected when a word ends in a consonant sound and the next word starts with a vowel sound, including the semivowels

W and Y.

My name is..

Hold on

[my naymiz]

[hol don]

CONSONANT/VOWEL EXERCISE1. read only 2. fall off 3. follow up 4. come in 5. call him 6. sell it 7. take out 8. fade away 9. 6-8 (six eight) 10.MA

LIAISON RULE 2: CONSONANT/CONSONANT

Words are connected when a word ends in a consonant sound and the next word starts with another consonant that is in a similar

position.

Get tired

Half full

Meant to be

Ge(t) tired Hæ(f) fullMen(t) uh be

CONSONANT/CONSONANT EXERCISE

1. Business style 2. credit check 3. the top file 4. sell nine new cars 5. sit down 6. some plans need luck 7. check cashing 8. let them make conditions 9. had the 10. both days

LIAISON RULE 3: VOWEL/VOWEL

When a word ending in a vowel sound is next to one beginning with a vowel sound, they are connected with a glide between the two

vowels.

What’s a glide?It’s either a slight [y] or [w]

sound. The position of your mouth from the vowel sound will determine

the glide.

FOR EXAMPLE:

Go away.

I also need the other one.

The apple.

Go(w)away.

I(y)also need thee(y) other one.

Thee (y) apple.

VOWEL/VOWEL EXERCISE

1. go anywhere 2. so honest 3. through our 4. you are 5. he is 6. do I? 7. I asked 8. to open 9. she always 10. too often

LIAISON RULE 4: T, D, S, OR Z + Y

When the letter or sound of T, D, S or Z is followed by a word that starts with Y, or its sound, both sounds are connected.

T + Y = CHD + Y = J S + Y = SH Z + Y = ZH

ActuallyGraduationInsuranceCasual

LIAISON RULE 4: T, D, S, OR Z + YMore Examples:

T + Y = CH Don't you like it?

D + Y = J Did you like it?

Z + Y = ZHWho's your friend?

[Donchoo like it?]

[Didja like it?]

[Hoozhier friend?]

basics of speaking

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