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Learning the American Accent: How to Pronounce Nouns and Verbs

10/2/2015

 
In some cases, the same word can be a noun or a verb.  We pronounce it differently depending on which way we are using it.  A rule that applies to some of these words is that the stress falls on the first syllable when it is a noun, such as in the word produce:  The produce is fresh at that store.  The stress falls on the second syllable with the word is used as a verb:  They produce microchips in Silicon Valley.  Because the stress pattern is different, the vowel will also sometimes change.  We use a vowel schwa (sounds like "uh" as in "cup") to mark an unstressed syllable.  Listen to the example below: 
Notice how in the first sentence, produce sounds like pro-dooce, but in the second sentence, it sounds like pruh-dooce.  We call this vowel clarity - the stressed syllable retains its vowel, whereas the unstressed syllable is reduced to a schwa vowel.  In addition, notice how the first syllable in the noun is much longer than in the verb.  We use a longer vowel on a stressed syllable than an unstressed syllable.  Try some of these phrases, making sure to use a long, clear vowel on the stressed syllable. 
Project:  I have to finish the project. (noun)
  I need to project my voice. (verb)
Increase:  We've seen an increase in sales.  (noun)
  I'd like to increase my salary. (verb)
Conflict:  I have a conflict at that time.  (noun)
  Their schedules conflict. (verb)
Details:  I sent the details via email. (noun)
  The book details the events of last year. (verb)
Here are some additional words which follow this noun/verb stress rule:
decrease
import
discount
desert
refund
present

object
subject
contract
protest
insult
permit

escort
upset
conduct
reject
record
contest

consult
convert
console
compound


When in doubt, it's a good idea to check the pronunciation using an online dictionary.
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How to improve your American accent: Reduced sounds

8/24/2015

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When working on speaking English correctly, we often focus on correctly pronouncing all of the sounds in words.  Mispronounced sounds can make your speech difficult to understand.  It's important to understand which sounds in your speech contribute to your accent.  (To learn more, try a free screening or sign up for an assessment of your speech.)  When you want to sound more natural when speaking English, however, it is helpful to know that in flowing speech, native speakers leave out or reduce some of the sounds.  Pronouncing everything can make you sound unnatural.  Just like linking, where sounds run together, reducing is a way that speech flows more easily.  Here are some examples:
to becomes t':  today = t'day, tomorrow = t'morrow, to go = t'go
We run the word "to" into the following word or syllable, dropping the vowel oo.  Listen to the examples below.
the jumps on to the next word:  the store = th'store, the matter = th'matter, the weather - th'weather
We shorten the word the and run it onto the following word when the word after "the" is stressed.  We use vowel schwa on this word in most contexts, not vowel ee (the = thuh, not thee).  You can hear this in the recording below.
are loses its vowel sound, or sounds more like er:  what are = what'r, who are = who'er, those are = those'r
We reduce the word are and tack it on to the previous word in some cases.  It sounds more like a short vowel er.  Listen to the recording below.
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How to Pronounce the American L 

7/24/2015

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The American L sound can be challenging for many non-native speakers of English.  Part of the difficulty may be that we make a different sound when L is at the start of the word versus the end of the word.  To make the L at the start of the word, lift the tip of your tongue and place it behind your front teeth.  If you have trouble feeling where this is, you can say the words "tot" and "tight" and feel the tongue tap up for the "t" sounds.  The L sound is made with the tongue tip in the same place.  Try saying "tot, lot" and "tight, light."  Use the recording below to practice.
When L is at the end of the word, we add an extra sound before the l, and hold this sound into the L sound.  This extra sound is the vowel schwa, which sounds like "uh."  To get this sound, try slowing down and sliding from one vowel to the next.  For example, try the following words using the recording below:

tool  (too-w-uh-l)        tail (tay-y-uh-l)        feel (fee-y-uh-l)        fuel (fyoo-w-uh-l)
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American Accent Training for Portuguese Speakers

7/8/2015

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The sound system of your native language affects how you hear and pronounce other languages.  When speaking American English, native Portuguese speakers have accent patterns based on first hearing and speaking Portuguese.  You can use this chart to learn more about the Portuguese accent in English.  Click on the individual sounds  for recordings and help with pronunciation. 
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How to Speak like an American:  Linking for smooth sentences

6/4/2015

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Improving our American English pronunciation often involves a focus on correctly producing sounds at the ends of words.  For example, many accents leave off certain consonants at the ends of words or devoice those sounds, resulting in mispronunciations and misunderstandings.  In general, making sure the ends of your words are clear is a good strategy for being understood.
But what about typical American English?  The truth is, we have patterns of reducing some sounds at the ends of words, and sliding into the next word.  This is called linking.  There are several different types of linking.  To introduce the idea, let's look at a few common sayings and how we link the words in these sayings.
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Nice to meet you.  This phrase contains an example of consonant linking.  The t at the end of the word meet runs together with the y in the word you.  We start to say the "t" sound, but instead of releasing the puff of air, we slide into the word you.  Listen the the recording below.  You can hear this sentence with and without linking.  Both are correct, but when the sounds are linked the sentence sounds more typical of American speakers. 
Try these phrases with the same linking pattern:  Eat yogurt.  Bright yellow.  Not yet.
Is he in?  This phrase demonstrates a dropped h.  We leave out the h sound at the beginnings of the word he, and run the z sound from is into the "e" sound of he.  This phrase sounds more like "Izzy in?"  The recording lets you listen to this phrase with and without linking.
Here are some additional phrases with a dropped h.  Is he going?  Call him.  I've seen her.
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