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Using Online Dictionaries:  Help for Pronunciation and Intonation

4/22/2018

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One of the best resources for working on improving your American Accent is using a good online dictionary.  You can look up words, hear recordings of how they are pronounced, and even see the British vs. American English pronunciation. 

I use the Oxford Learner's Dictionaries:  www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com

The reason I prefer this for my online dictionary is that they use IPA symbols to show the pronunciation. This means that each sound in the word is represented by a symbol.  This is especially useful when working on vowels.

Learn more about vowel sounds vs vowel letters here:
https://www.speechmodification.com/online-practice-free-trial/30-day-accent-challenge-day-21-vowel-anchor-words

You can also learn the correct syllable stress for words using the online dictionary, both by listening to the recording and repeating, and by looking at the pronunciation guide for the marked syllable stress.  You can read more about that here:

https://www.speechmodification.com/online-practice-free-trial/how-to-learn-the-american-accent-intonation-in-words

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Mixing Business with Love?

2/9/2017

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It's commonly advised "don't mix business with pleasure," which generally means it's not a good idea to date a co-worker.  But there are a few words we use for business that also go along with the theme of love.  For example, a proposal can be an offer of marriage or a business proposition presented for others to consider.  Engagement can mean customers connecting and interacting with a product or website, or the period of time before a marriage takes place where the couple has agreed to marry.
Here's some help pronouncing these two business and love words.
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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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American English Intonation:  Learning to Pause

7/20/2015

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When we write, we use punctuation to separate ideas.  When we speak, we need to use pauses between phrases to separate thought groups.  If we run too many words together, it can be difficult for the listener to get the message.  If we pause in the middle of a thought group, it can also confuse the listener.  Adding or leaving out a pause incorrectly can even change the meaning of the sentence.  Here are a few examples of how incorrect phrasing can cause problems.

You can listen to the recorded samples below.
Correct:  Let's eat// honey!
Incorrect:  Let's eat honey!

Correct:  I find inspiration in cooking// my family// and my dog.
Incorrect:  I find inspiration// in cooking my family// and my dog.

Correct:  Thank you for this opportunity.  I really value your input.  Can you suggest// anything else// I can do to prepare?
Incorrect:  Thank you for// this opportunity I really value//  your input can// you suggest anything// else I can// do to prepare?
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