Discussion: Which English Words are the Hardest?
From the forum: Sam's Essays
This thread was started by: Zifre.
Discussion start time: 2011-03-02 21:06:48.
From the forum: Sam's Essays
This thread was started by: Zifre.
Discussion start time: 2011-03-02 21:06:48.
As a native American English speaker, I don't think these words are really a big deal.
I have never been able to pronounce the "yi" sound myself (and I have a bit of trouble with "wu"), but I think almost no one has ever noticed. People tell me I have a very normal sounding voice.
Basically, when I get to words like these, I just say them fast. The only people who have ever noticed are the ones who I've specifically pointed it out to. I have also listened, and noticed that some other people have the same problem. Everyone I've talked to with this problem says they can easily hear the difference, they just can't pronounce it.
Also, I'd like to give another word that can be hard for non-native speakers: "something". I have a friend who is Swedish, and although she can normally pronounce the "th" sound very well, she has a real hard time with it when it comes after a nasal sound like N or M.
I have never been able to pronounce the "yi" sound myself (and I have a bit of trouble with "wu"), but I think almost no one has ever noticed. People tell me I have a very normal sounding voice.
Basically, when I get to words like these, I just say them fast. The only people who have ever noticed are the ones who I've specifically pointed it out to. I have also listened, and noticed that some other people have the same problem. Everyone I've talked to with this problem says they can easily hear the difference, they just can't pronounce it.
Also, I'd like to give another word that can be hard for non-native speakers: "something". I have a friend who is Swedish, and although she can normally pronounce the "th" sound very well, she has a real hard time with it when it comes after a nasal sound like N or M.
Yes, th sounds are another big source of difficulty. When are they pronounced hard ("thistle") and when are they pronounced soft ("the")? I think it was in response to this that the Japanese took their revenge by inventing Rendaku (if you don't know what that is, you are lucky, it is a curse which torments anybody studying JSL)
It is interesting that you are a native speaker and can't do the yee words. Can you say "yeehaw" like a cowboy does? I agree, with "year" and "yeast", you can get away with it by speaking fast, but it's pretty hard to ignore a cowboy shouting "eehaw!"
It is interesting that you are a native speaker and can't do the yee words. Can you say "yeehaw" like a cowboy does? I agree, with "year" and "yeast", you can get away with it by speaking fast, but it's pretty hard to ignore a cowboy shouting "eehaw!"
>I think it was in response to this that the Japanese took their revenge by inventing Rendaku (if you don't know what that is, you are lucky, it is a curse which torments anybody studying JSL)
Yes, I was told that Japanese phonology was much simpler than Mandarin. That was a complete lie! It may be easier to be understood, but I'd say that it's a lot more complex.
>It is interesting that you are a native speaker and can't do the yee words. Can you say "yeehaw" like a cowboy does? I agree, with "year" and "yeast", you can get away with it by speaking fast, but it's pretty hard to ignore a cowboy shouting "eehaw!"
Actually, "yeehaw" is by far the hardest of the words. I've noticed that the sound that comes after the "yee" part makes a huge difference. I can actually say "year" somewhat passably (maybe because you have a bit of freedom to change the vowel of the "ear" part). "Yeast" is somewhere in between.
I think that, for people who can't pronounce it correctly, the best trick is to fade softly into the "ee" rather than do a hard start. (I'm sure there's a better linguistic term for this, but I don't know what it is.) Then you can pretend that you said the "y" really softly.
Anyway, I have no dreams of being a cowboy, so I don't think I'll have much of a problem. ;-)
Yes, I was told that Japanese phonology was much simpler than Mandarin. That was a complete lie! It may be easier to be understood, but I'd say that it's a lot more complex.
>It is interesting that you are a native speaker and can't do the yee words. Can you say "yeehaw" like a cowboy does? I agree, with "year" and "yeast", you can get away with it by speaking fast, but it's pretty hard to ignore a cowboy shouting "eehaw!"
Actually, "yeehaw" is by far the hardest of the words. I've noticed that the sound that comes after the "yee" part makes a huge difference. I can actually say "year" somewhat passably (maybe because you have a bit of freedom to change the vowel of the "ear" part). "Yeast" is somewhere in between.
I think that, for people who can't pronounce it correctly, the best trick is to fade softly into the "ee" rather than do a hard start. (I'm sure there's a better linguistic term for this, but I don't know what it is.) Then you can pretend that you said the "y" really softly.
Anyway, I have no dreams of being a cowboy, so I don't think I'll have much of a problem. ;-)