Phonetics of English: practice and theory

A lot of immigrants from the former USSR are distinguished by problem phonetics. Even after several years of life in the English-speaking society, some manage to pronounce sounds incorrectly. Therefore, it is so important to learn from foreign-language samples, ideally with a teacher-carrier. However, grammar and vocabulary can be learned independently, without a mentor at all. This is a matter of motivation. But the phonetics of the English language is mastered only with the teacher. There are practical and theoretical components. For "users" it is enough first, for teachers both are required.

Do not drown!

There are several problematic sounds, according to which the Russian-speaking can easily be calculated. Beats all records sound from the words th ink, bir th day, Th ursday. In the last two, the mistake is not fundamental: you will be understood, although it sounds awful. But the first word, by the way, is very beloved by the native speakers of the Russian language, with a wrong pronunciation resembling the word sink - "go to the bottom." If the practical phonetics of the English language for your teacher is not in vain at the university, he will explain that this sound is easy to pronounce - only you have to remember that the tongue must be between your teeth when speaking. To begin with, you can even say it a little exaggerated, then it will start to get more elegant: it will be enough just to touch the tip of the tongue to the teeth. The problem of this sound is the problem of negligence and laziness. If you accustom yourself consciously and responsibly to the pronunciation of complex words, to practice purposefully with them, you will stop "drowning" instead of "thinking".

Error of university teachers

The second sound, which creates problems for the teacher of English, is also in the already mentioned word b i rthday. And in such words as f i rst, b i rd, th i rsty. Phonetics of English as a practical discipline recommends pronouncing this sound with a flattening of the tongue. The most common mistake Russian-speaking - the softening of the consonant and the utterance of the sound "o" after the relaxed. That is, as if there is a letter "e". This is the sin even of university professors. Saying instead of this "e" sound is also a mistake, but not so gross and not so straightforward your origin. So if it does not work out "beautifully", say "e".

On the brink of physics

And now a little about an exclusively teacher's discipline. The theoretical phonetics of the English language borders on physical disciplines and is an almost exact science. For example, according to the sound image displayed on the screen, it is quite possible to determine what kind of word is pronounced (albeit with inaccuracies), features of the oral cavity of the speaker and even his nationality (if this is a foreigner). Also, the theoretical phonetics of the English language works with intonations and explores in what situations the most typical melodic drawings are typical. But this is a pragmatic component of theoretical phonetics. The latter also deals with the characterization of sounds and intonations in comparison with the same constituents of different dialects.

Phonetics of the English language is a useful discipline, but it requires a flexible and analytical approach. To master the correct melody, you need at least a minimal developed musical ear.