Speech Tip: [v] vs. [w]
If English is not your mother tongue, you may need to make a clearer difference between the two sounds [v] and [w].
- [v] is a fricative.
- [w] is a semivowel.
There are similarities and differences between these two sounds. How can you make sure you are saying them correctly?
Click for more about v and wWhy do people speak with an accent?
Accent is an imprecise word. It refers to the differences we notice in the way each of us speaks.
Even among native speakers of a language, many differences can be observed in accent. What about people who learn a second language and speak it with an accent? In this case, the accent comes from language and pronunciation differences between the two languages. It is even possible that a person with a strong accent may be difficult to understand.
If English is your second language, you can learn how to speak so that you are easier to understand. Learn more about why we speak with accents. Read 6 invaluable tips. Click to find out!
Varying voice pitch in English
English speakers have a special way of going up and down with their voices. At Confident Speech, we have found that this is one of the easiest improvements that can be made by people who learned English as a second language. What a tremendous difference it makes in the way you sound!
What is the key to varying pitch in English? Click to find out!
Speech tip: Mastering the unexpected
People who grow up speaking English learn how to pronounce words mostly from hearing them. However, if you learned English as a second language you may have learned many new words by reading them, sometimes never having heard how they are pronounced. If you try to guess the correct pronunciation, you may or may not say the word correctly.
Read the words aloud in the group below:
stove, drove, cove, clove, grove
Now read the following words aloud:
love, above, dove, move
You may be surprised at how some of these words are pronounced!
Click to hear all the correct pronunciations and learn more.
Six tips (and more!) for a better voice!
Your voice is crucial in communicating. Use your voice to your best advantage, and take good care of it, so it will last a lifetime! Click on each of the following links for a wealth of practical suggestions!
Speech tip: Why is the English /r/ so difficult?
The /r/ sound, as we say it in English, is really like no other! Many languages do have some version of the /r/, but in these languages, speakers say it quite differently from English speakers. In most languages, the /r/ is a true consonant, with some noisy contact made with the tongue and another part of the mouth. In Spanish and Italian, it is the tongue tip vibrating on the gum just behind the upper teeth. In French and Hebrew, it’s the back of the tongue touching (or almost touching) the soft palate (the back part of the roof of your mouth.)
Here is the secret to mastering /r/ in English. In English, the /r/ is much more like a vowel. You should not feel any contact of the tongue with top of your mouth.
If correct pronunciation of /r/ is a problem for you, you may need English pronunciation training. It is one of the most difficult sounds to learn! You can get training to master this sound in an accent reduction program like those at Confident Speech. Learn more about the English /r/.
Speech tip: Know your allophones!
What are allophones? They are all the variants of a particular sound or phoneme. Native speakers of a language are usually unaware of these variations. They use the correct ones automatically in just the right places! For example, the /p/ sound in English has several variants. At the beginning of a syllable before a stressed vowel (“pot”), it is always pronounced with aspiration (a strong puff of air). In an unstressed syllable or whenever /p/ follows /s/ (“spot”), the sound has no aspiration (no strong puff of air). At the end of a syllable or word, the /p/ sound may or may not be released at all (“sleep”).
Why are allophones so important? If you use the wrong ones when you are speaking English, listeners may not hear you correctly.
Part of any good English accent training program is learning the patterns of allophones.
Speech tip: How should you say vacation?
July and August are months when many people take a vacation. How do you pronounce the word vacation? Here's the answer...
Successful communication in job interviews
Speaking too fast?
Do you speak too rapidly? Is it hard for people to understand you?
A lot of people are afraid that they will sound unnatural if they slow down. Others simply don’t know how to do it!
Speech tip: “Whether” or not!
Do you ever wonder how to pronounce words beginning with wh like “what,” “when,” “where,” “why,” “which,” “whale, ” “white,” and “wheat?” Originally, all English speakers pronounced those words with wh differently from those spelled simply with w. Thus “whine” (i.e., to cry) would be pronounced [hwain] and “wine” (i.e., the drink) would be pronounced [wain].
Nowadays, the majority of English speakers worldwide pronounce all of these words simply with [w]. In the United Kingdom, this tendency is even stronger than in the United States. Nevertheless, it is still considered perfectly correct to pronounce the wh words distinctly as [hw]. This is an example of the English language in a state of change. While some older speakers may continue to make the [hw] distinction, more and more younger speakers of English do not make the distinction at all. Most likely, in another generation, [hw] will rarely be heard!
Communicating better in business with people
whose
English is limited
Business communication can require extra effort when two people lack a common language in which they are both fully proficient. English has become the most common international language of communication. Sometimes, people who were born speaking English forget how lucky they are to speak this international language without effort. However, for people who had to learn English as a second language, it is a huge accomplishment to know it well enough to communicate (even imperfectly) in business.
What can you do if you speak English very well and the person with whom you are communicating doesn’t? How do you overcome a difficult, sometimes awkward situation? Click to find some answers!
How do you pronounce often?
Thanks to all of you who took our informal poll. Here, once again is the question, together with the totals of your responses:
In the word often, do you pronounce the “t”?
- 25% I always pronounce the “t”.
- 50% I never pronounce the “t”.
- 25% Sometimes, I pronounce the “t”. Sometimes, I don’t.
Are you wondering which pronunciation is better? Click for the answer
10 Tips for Better Listening Habits
Communication is a two-way process. Just as important as speaking clearly is listening effectively. Here at Confident Speech, we also help people to focus on effective listening habits and their positive impact on communication in the workplace.
Read these 10 Tips for Better Listening, and see if it makes a difference in your interpersonal communication.
Speaking Clearly
Here are six great suggestions for anyone who wants to speak clearly and with impact.
Better communication on the job
Read these eleven tips for more effective communication in the workplace.