Lately I am nervous about my English pronounciations. I knew my pronounciation is bad, but I didn't know what is wrong. I have been feeling English native speakers tongue, lips, teeth and throat works so busy. They must kiss each other very well.
Since my friend gave me some advices and corrections (Thanks!) about my "L" sound, I found my tongue is kept middle of the mouse most of the time to make Japanese sound. I thought Japanese L sound is the same as English L sound, but it rather close to R sound (It between L and R actually). So I really have to move my tongue back and forth to speak English. It slows me speaking down a lot, and something might be strange as well.
I read a book for children in voice to be checked by my tutor every week. I was doing that yesterday..., and it was hard for me to pay attention both of to follow English sentences and pronounciation. "L"!! and "S", "V".
It is like a nightmare when I speak a word "R" and "L" in it, like "really", "probably", "relative"... and so on. After I moved my tongue back of the mouth to make R sound, my tongue doesn't reach to back of my front teeth to make L sound before my mouth reach to pronounce L!! My tongue is dancing in my mouth and saying to me, "Unfortunately, I couldn't make it. Sorry." Wooo....
Anyway keep practice, I guess...
Since my friend gave me some advices and corrections (Thanks!) about my "L" sound, I found my tongue is kept middle of the mouse most of the time to make Japanese sound. I thought Japanese L sound is the same as English L sound, but it rather close to R sound (It between L and R actually). So I really have to move my tongue back and forth to speak English. It slows me speaking down a lot, and something might be strange as well.
I read a book for children in voice to be checked by my tutor every week. I was doing that yesterday..., and it was hard for me to pay attention both of to follow English sentences and pronounciation. "L"!! and "S", "V".
It is like a nightmare when I speak a word "R" and "L" in it, like "really", "probably", "relative"... and so on. After I moved my tongue back of the mouth to make R sound, my tongue doesn't reach to back of my front teeth to make L sound before my mouth reach to pronounce L!! My tongue is dancing in my mouth and saying to me, "Unfortunately, I couldn't make it. Sorry." Wooo....
Anyway keep practice, I guess...
Oh dear, I didn't mean to make you worry!!! I can only imagine how hard this is for you! Like we told you, your English is 1000% better than our Japanese is, so please try to relax and don't worry so much. I am able to communicate with you just fine, better than some of my friends whose native language is English, in fact! :-)
ReplyDeleteWhen my son was very young, he couldn't say r's or l's either! I think this is something that even native speakers can have trouble with, when they are very young and learning to talk. My friend, who is a speech therapist, told me of a trick that really helped! She said to put a dab (a little bit) of peanut butter on the back of his top front teeth! When he tried to say l's, if his tongue touched the peanut butter, his tongue and mouth were in the right place. This was so helpful to him and to me! Also, when you put your tongue to the back of your top front teeth (now I'm getting confused!!!), your tongue actually presses your teeth, your tongue muscles are working!
As for being good kissers, that is a big generalization! :-)
Your English is coming along just fine. We can always help you find words that mean close to the same thing that don't contain l's or r's! For instance, instead of "relative" you could say "kin". And instead of "flannel" you could stay "soft stuff". And "probably" you could just do without, because that's just used like "um" or something.
XO
Hi DonnaD :
ReplyDeleteThanks for the very kind comment! I really appreciate your correction for my English, because most of people don't do that. But I need corrections to improve!
I am surprised to know that it's hard for even young child to get correct pronounciation of L and R!
I haven't thought about tongue muscles, but I feel like I need to train my tongue muscles. Then it will move where I want to put in my mouth! ha-ha-ha.
I don't have many opportunities to talk with English native speakers who expect I have English problems in my dairy life. My husband is an American though, he understands what I say, because he knows my accent. I want to be a person who can talk with anybody in English without problems! ..... someday....
Anyway..., I always appreciate you are always kind to me!! I will bring you a big(?) souvenior from Japan! ha-ha-ha.
XOXO
One more thing! A "mouse" is a furry little animal! No one, Japanese or American, wants a mouse in their mouth! (But if this is your custom, I apologize!)
ReplyDeleteXO
Oh--I will bring some peanut butter to our next QU meeting! That will be my American souvenir for you!!!
ReplyDeleteOh, Thanks again!
ReplyDeleteI was thinking "the spelling of mouth is not MONTH" when I was typing..., but I didn't remember the difference... and I end up typing "MOUSE. I saw "MOUTH rinse" in my bathroom, and figured out the spelling was wrong! and kept forgetting to correct it.
Of course, Japanese don't eat a mouse too! ha-ha-ha!