Pronunciation of English Vowel Sounds 4 - Central Vowels - Part 2 (with captions)

Topic: Central vowels
Practice 3 vowel sounds.
This is a lesson in TWO PARTS.

A version of this video with NO CAPTIONS is available at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s1ObwcvUsFo


NOTE: I'm very sorry to announce as of January 2012 links to EnglishCafe will no longer be active due to the site closing. I was very lucky to be a part of that online community while it lasted. I'm also sorry for the loss of additional materials for learners.


TEACHERS: A classroom activity on r-colored vowels is posted on my WordPress blog.
http://englishwithjennifer.wordpress.com/2011/02/18/truth-or-dare-an-activity...


Music credits:
"radioFlier" by Desibell retrieved from http://www.flashkit.com/loops/Pop-Rock/Pop/radioFli-desibell-5647/
"Smart, Easy Listening" by Enrique Plazaola retrieved from http://www.flashkit.com/loops/Easy_Listening/Instrumental/smart_e-Enrique_-9644/

FOR MORE MUSIC BY ENRIQUE PLAZAOLA, please visit http://www.enrique-plazaola.com/

Category:

Education

Tags:

• JenniferESL
• Jennifer Lebedev
• English with Jennifer
• central vowels
• r colored vowels
• vowels followed by r
• rhotic vowels
• rhotacized vowel
• American r
• American English
• American accent
• accent reduction
• phonetics
• IPA
• ESL
• EFL
• TESL
• TEFL

[plan8]

this is great stuff, but maybe you should specify US/ American English

[JenniferESL]

@plan8

I note this in the introduction of the series. I think you'll like the ending I have planned. In my final video, you'll be able to compare my accent to others'. Before that, though, I need to address diphthongs.

[MasamuneJJ]

I noticed that I've tended to skip the gliding part. (ex.) HEAR : /hi/ + /er/ ---(2 beats)

but I should pronounce (cf.) /hi/ + /e/ + /r/ ---(3beats) Is that correct?

[JenniferESL]

@MasamuneJJ

If you skip the first sound /i/ or don't articulate well, "hear" can sound like "her". Also, if you don't raise your tongue into a high position as for /i/ or /ɪ/, "hear" could sound like "hair". But don't see "hear" as three beats. Picture a child going down a slide - the movement is a quick glide. Start with /h/ and let the rest blend together. H + EAR. It's definitely one syllable that joins a consonant and a vowel combination /iɚ/.

[MasamuneJJ]

@JenniferESL Oh...mine was that a child called "/hi/" at the top and its mother answered "/ɚ/" at the bottom. So it was very difficult for me to pronounce "there" either. Now i understand how to pronounce them into one syllable picturing your "a child going down a slide" technique. It will take a certain amount of time for me to make it a quick glide though, because in Japanese it can be copied in two morae (or two syllables) like this "there"=ゼア /ze. a/. I will practice them. Thank you so much!

[JenniferESL]

@MasamuneJJ

I like the imagery! How about if you picture the child /h/ at the top of the slide and the mother as /ɚ/ at the bottom? The /i/ brings them together in a quick, smooth motion. /i/ is handing the child down to its mother. :)

[avinashkr54321]

Hi Jennifer ,thanks a lot for these videos but i wanted to know that the pronounication you are teaching is 'neutral accent' or US accent ,as i wanted to learn neutral accent but it is not mentioned in your videos ,kindly reply .

[allenzeng1224]

hi,jennifer ,i have confused about the  /ɚ/ and r when you use it as vowel sound.

[dulceraiza1010]

Amazing

[gb3621]

I practiced with your pronunciation videos by reviewing thousands of times. In sequence of this series, I would appreciate if you might be able to consider preparing a video, which shows to make the sounds of [j], as in year. Some people said [i] and [j] sounds are different sounds, tough I still don't get such differences. Furthermore, despite many books mentioning those sounds as a minimal pair contrast, such as ear and year, I can't find a good resource enunciating how different they are.

[MasamuneJJ]

@JenniferESL Oh my! It's easy now^^ It definetly works for me, because I can articulate both /h/ and /i/ and make them not only strong enogh but also flexible enogh. Hmm Thank you again so much. You are wonderful, Jennifer-sensei :p

[kakosuranosx]

Hi Jennifer! :)

I really enjoy your videos. Keep it up!

Kostas.

[canehitter]

This lessons are so great.

Thank you for giving us happay sutdies!!