American Accent Training: A Guide to Speaking and Pronouncing American English for Everyone Who Speaks English as a Second Language

208 Pages·2000·12.58 MB·English

by  Ann Cok

American
~™= Accent
Training

A guide to speaking and pronouncing

American English for everyone who
speaks English as a second language

+ Take the “pure-sound”
approach to speaking

% Listen to the rhythms of

ken language

itate the fluid ways
of American speech

+ Americans will
understand you better—
and you'll understand
them better too!

% “I took pronunciation
classes for two years
‘at Prineeton, and in my
‘opinion, American Accent

Training is fur superior.”
br 1 Kaba, yl [BARRONS]

*
Table of Contents

Introduction: Read This First w
‘A Fow Worcs On Plonunekation : sit
Pictiminory Diagrnstic Analysis svosrsnsnsnnsnane
Chapter 4 Amerivun Intonation 4
Stace Husain
Syllable Stress i
(Complex bitoustion evasnannensannrcrnnunnae 3
T0-WOM PUREE wsnsnssnssnnsnnnsoninncns 2

‘Granmmer in a Nts 35
"Te Minas Teclmigue 48
Reduosd Sout 8
Wool Groups and Flossie 56

Chapter 2 Word Connections 39

Ghaptor 3 Car! Caught? Cue! 7"

Chapter 4 The Aine 77

Chapter 5 Ms cians BB
hice Qnty rename

Chapter 6 The American 95
olfow-up Disymuntie Analysis 110

Ghapters 1-8 Review sad Eapaion 401
Tso-,Thice aud Four-Word Phusses 103,

Chapter 7 Ter Aitch
Chapter 8 Mow Redwoed Souls
Mtl List
Unronation ant ARTS
Chaptar 9°" us in Vietery
Chapter 10 $272

Chaptor 14 Temourd [ax Vowel 135
Geanmear in a Bigger Nubsell 13k
Chapter 12 Nesil Consousals nmnennone 448
Chapter 13 Jnoaly Conumunt. 147
Final Diagnostic Anais as
Chapters 1-13 Keview and Expansion esses 154
Natlonality Guides 472,
Chinese 3
Tapanes we LET
Spanish 1
Frulian en 13
Russian 185
Freel cron von 88
Gennan cron 189
Ret nnennnornnennnennnnnn “191
Answer Key woes 198,

MEO enn 197
‘Arverean AeconTaning

Read This First

‘Welcome to Americua clevend Training. This book and CD ves designe to pet you started
ton your Acuarican accent. W°I ole the buck und go throng the 13 leurs nd al the
exeivises step hy step, Fverythiy is eaplained and complete Answer Key may be found ia
‘the ack of the text.

What Is Accent?

Accent is coubisation 0: thse man compuneats fmonanen (gpeeck masa. Cans
(Grotd counections) am promaniavon {the spoker: sound af vowele, ceusouants, and wom
binadous) As you za along. vol alive Ml sou'e beang asked to luoh at accent in
slifercat wa: You'l aso rire Mat She sana you sadieg Bote ad tie accent you Te
surdying now are comply citer,

Par ofthe uferenee is that grammar au vovabulsry are reac wad snus
the fetter uf the language, Ascent, on the ether hn, fe ose, iutive. ae creative —
‘mune the spirit of te fanguage, So, thinking of music, feting, and dow, lt your mouth,
Felax into the Asmerican accont,

Gan I Learn a New Accent?
Cam a poeson ac: sally fern nes: acoeut Many people fel that ater a cevtain aes jost
snot possible, Can classi! mosisiars plcy jus? TF they practice, of course thoy ean! Foe
your Aeris aooent, isjus u mater of earning snd practicing tecriques this book and
(CP set will euch you. fei up Tu youto use thom or nat, How well you sn depends mins
‘an hire upen ad ling you ae to voundiag difateatfcum the way you hve aude all
yn ie,

‘A seryimpurta thing you need to eememer i that you cant ure sour aecent to say
va ym mean and is you mean iL Word tess couveyn meaning carough tone or feeitag
‘which can be avn wie important than the aemal Scunls thie you ws, We'll cover the
expression of these feelings Lough invanatou ia the ist esi,

‘You may hove nots hit Halk fst and often ron my words together You've pn
bly heard euvugli“Enghsh-oacher Eaglish"—whare .. everything... is. proneuinced
without hwving lifes too carefully. That's shy on the CDs see going. alk jst like
the native speakers Dut si2 are, im normal coavecslivnl tne,

[Native seaker may often el people ho are Ieaming English o"slow down” ano
“speak cleanly” This ts meant ei Ue bes of Ieemions Bu J is exactly “Ae posite of
veka a sodent eal aeedsto do. lyr speak falas quik and with song ination, you
will be mers nome casi. To Mustite this punt, op will ea a Vietnamese safe
fies ying ro speak slowly aus! caeTully and then opening Cae sarae words cvckly aad
‘with strong, atonstion, Stulyiue, ch sxereise took her only about ewo mites tv practice,
tut the diferencecaukes her sound as if se lasd been in Ammerica for miany years.

F Pleas titan. You will hear the sume wonds twice,

ello, ms naine es Mui. Prxaking American econ Training,
Incrrdection

‘You may have c listen to his CD a couple cf umes to catch everthing. To help you,
every word oa tbe CD is aso waits i te book, By seeiag aa hearig Siemksnemshy.
yl leam lo eeconcile th differences between the uprearace of Eulishisplling) and
the sound of Caglich (prumunciation and the wtler zapacts of wecen,

The CD leaves a rather sort pause fer you to repeat into, T= point af this sto get
you eesponding quickly and widow spcodng tao moch time thinking thour your respunse.

Accent versus Pronunciation
Meny people equals arcene with pronation. Te’ fel dks se tre tal. resi
sa beg cowry. sn hile dhe proubaciation vas fev the East Coast 0 the West Coast
Fran the sculher us the cuter tales, tt evoyponemts thal ave uniquely Ametican stay
thsically th surxs—the puch mur, neonatal he word cummeon Wasson.
“Truoughowr this program, we will fous on then. Ine ler para she Book we ll work
x promunctoa ucepls, such se Cal? Caught? Ca? an Bey Boshi a Bit of Borer
user, we ab sill work our wuy Urrough sine ofthe iicull sands, suck 36 TEL Ute
Americas K, the L, Wand

‘“#ihich Accent Is Correct?”
Ameriven accent Puinig a3 created to help people "sound American for lectores inte
‘ies, wachiq, business stualons, und pecexal ally eunneunication. Although Anes
hus many rginaul pronunctanon diforeners the usecot you will ear is tof slaalard
American Engish 9s spoken an understood 3 the raajoriy oF ucts native speaker a
the Uniteé States. Bot worry Jut you will youu slangy or le casa: becasse 9 mos
definitly voa”t This is the way’ a professor lectures (0 class, the way a uation news
caster broaleanls, the way ‘hal most emnlovable end Janlias to We ajay of ative
speaks

“Why Is My Accent So Bad?”
Learners cam be senpnsly hurapered by 1 neyaiv’ wtf, +173 adres this wer ior
‘a po eany, Fist, your aoa et ba it's nonstandard w ehe Amwsican oa. Thore ie
joke tha goes: Wha Uo you eal a pereat shu eas spook thee Fguages? Tlnge
What do yuu cla person wie can speak two Laneaapes? Bilinyuat. Wat do you call a
eran who cau only speak one language? Aimer

‘very kirguag is eyuilly valle or good, so every agceuris good, The average Ameti=
can, however buly does have a kard Cine understanding # nonstdatd acecat, Goorge
Bernard Shaw said that tae Eaplish wad Ameicans are vwo people divided by the same
lungoaget

‘Some sues eam is verpruncunce Cpls beveus Gey usturally weal (0 sa the
swaxs 43 175 wing, Too often am Knish irachor roy allo thin, poshups Unni tha
col axial Aumivau Euslsh is pasoshisvated. pareined, or even inegaecr. Naso at al
Justus you don't say the T i sven ye TT in beer is pronguuved D. Bovklr. Any olbee
‘romincistion will svn frsign, srange, wremg, or Sfrent usa nul speaker
Arnica Aecant Faning

Less Than It Appears ... More Than It Appears
As you will won Bsereing 1-21, Squac7e¢-Ou Syllables, am page 18, sme wns ape
lw have tee or mens sy bles. all of thea are st actually spoken, FOr example st
esr in not Chirigness), but zathee “ish.

lust whe you val ued 0 eliminating hole sy ables fom swords. you'ze going to
‘come across oles wud tut Inok ai they hae on one sable. hu realy need to Be
sd with as many as three In adic, the inserted lables ue let wth ters tht are
ind in tho writen ward, IU sive you tao example oF hisrange plenemeaon, Ped Toke
Tike ice, cme-s Table word, buf ym wy wis Vag af bast, wil sound ke pul and
‘a word will Re unmclifls (9 yor listens. Tur cle eomprehsnsian, ou need ty
three syllahes (pasa). Where did Dat W! come from? re eereaaly not writen den
snywhese, bat iis there jas ats defintely ue rhe P i here, The seve example is 8 nnd
ike for Te ys just the Iter tht on $00. il sound tore Fee. You ned to say
(leefyundu}. that relly @ Y? Yes. These mysterious semivowcte sce explained under
Liaianns in Chaprer 2. They can appar either nse a wore a you have seen, or between
sor ss yor will 2a,

Language Is Fluent and Fluld
Just ke your ov language, conse:salonal English hana very smooth, fv soa, a
ine the yeu ane alieng along. a dry 2verbed with yor eyes closed, Evely time you eamme
teva nek, tw tip over I sup. enmtinue. and rip gsr ts hex oe. This is how the wrerage
foteignet speaks Ems. Irs slam sseovard, an sven pains. New imagine thar you ace
1 gest verreshing Dough that same riverhed socks are no puvblem, are they? Ys sist
slide over unl aur them wiehoutc¥cr breaking your smaoth Anes les his ering Dab
‘wan yore capes in Eaglish

(Caanging your old speech habia very similar to ehaaging fran sic shit
afomalic ranmssinn. Yes, you contin 18 seach For the gears for whi and your
Foul sil rics ro fn ts clutch ped bu this sn pasos felt out Eb the be wy 200
may stil say “elephore eal” FLohTiimetad of (ka ue shi, ha ths te will eee

‘You will a.so"wv 0 think about your speech more thar, yaw dan. bn he same way
tt you mere very aware and sett caascious when you first larsad chive, ow wil even
tually retux ant deal wih the various comypments simultaneously

Anew nsconr isan aveamize. Be old! Eauuscrate willy! You nas wonry that Ameri-
cans will gh at yon for puting ou an-iece, hut | guararze yn, dy won Teven nalice.
They'll jst think thar you've Busy Hasned wo “tlk right.” Good Ince ith your oe
tnvndoetion

A Few Words On Pronunciation

01 Tack
{rae induce 990 rhe promnociton guide outino nthe following cha. There
Trevis malty citer tha ae leer out tana aipte hu just so you' he
fev lh therm ok te char slows igh sens vowGIs an six tv and
semivoneh

Tense Vowels? Lax Vowels?

Tis sore backs, sxe vowels are called fong and “ax vowels ae called short, Sirce you will
ie Learning how to longthen vowels when hey come befire a veived consonant. vould be
cennfuing te say thot fe fine @ long, shen. vowel. [1s more descripive wo say Phat it as a
fax vowel that fs doubled or lengltened.

Tense Vowels Lax Vowels
‘Symbol Sound Speling Example ‘Symbol Sound Spoting Example
5 eM : er ee)
ee) ce 7"
i se a ee

a esa ~ ce ee)

om ver
ee ee Semivowels.
a « ee
Se ml 4 uae

Although this may Yook like ot of characters to ‘earn here are really wuly four new mes
‘e-ila, andi. Under Tense Vawel, you'll notice at the vowels thet say their own nome
simply have o lime aver thom: [3], [2 Li} [0, Il. There are thros ether ense vowel. Fits
Tal. is promovaced like the sound you uke whksu che Uuctor wants Io nee Sour thro, OF
‘when you lopsen a light heltanel si dows inanoft cha azonanaahl Next, youl find (21,
2 combrntin af he toase vowel [BL ant the lax vourel [e] [it simile ew the noise thar a
goal or Tam makes, The last one is Feo, combination of |=] an [a]. Thi is w very
Comman sour. asta writlen as 0} or oven words ke down uf row.

va tove vowel Tequies you tie oof facial muscles wo preduce i you say [8],
you must starch yoin Bis backs; for [a] you must round your lips forvard: tor [i] you dop
Your [avy dav; for [= you will drop Your js Tar dow anv hack: for (a bring your Hips
fack and rp yout fave a biz Toe ( dkop your Jaw forthe wi pare ofthe sound and pull it
back np fr he ee pat an for [6] zcuul te Tips, drop the jaw and pul back up into a, An
‘American [o] is realy [60

"¥ Row you iy i, Repeal afer mre

{8} 1.18 BLS
‘Amaviean Recent Training

A tax vowel, on the otter hand, is very reduced, In fat, you don’t need ta move. your
fave a all. Yon any noed aa move the hack of Your ceigue and yey Cuca, Thene stud ane
‘very different Fron mont other Taguig

ness Lax Vowres, laste are four saved vemel sounds, starting with the Grack lett
epsilon |e]. pronouneed eI peenenced ih, and [i] pronounced &. which is a combina
lion at # yn oh, an the schwy, [a]. pronounced wh the softest, mast reduced. mast
relaxed sound that we: cam produce its olso the most common sound in Evalish, The
secmivowels are the Americun R «premcuncecler, witch s the sohwa plus R) ad the Ameti-
can L which is de schrea plus L. Vossels will he caver in greater lettin Chapters 3,3,
aad U1

Voiced Consonants? Unvoiced Consonants?
A consuram ig wound thal causes te points of your maawch w come into contact, in hve
localious abe ups, the tip of the erage and the sbesar.& cansomam ean either he puciced
(owilspored) of voted {spoken}, sud can appear at the eginning, mide, ar endl of a
word You'l notice tha for some eategories, a paniculsy sound doesn’t exist ia English

Initial Final
Unvoieed Voiced Unvoloed Volced Unvolced volced
i w ve
fey ww a
fo stece
eo ek gage
we ae rote
ke io

ae ar
be 0 eed

ap ‘aes
uredion

Pronunciation Points

1. Immany dievinnaries, you ma find a character that looks ikem upside dose Vf
aid anole character i ae upside-down e a he seh, There iv linguists
distnetion hervsen the THO, kan tkey axe prodopnced exactly The sme, Sin3e YOR
can't hoar the dhfference hepween these 18m sours, wl ost be wing the upsie-
oss Ws diate the reborn Reis promounced ub

Ye second poiot is thar we de not differentiate between land Lal. The Fil is peo
nounced ath ‘the backssards [a] jxmeone or ees groncuneed a, This axe soud AS a
"ack East” soxad wo it, an i's not commu toe entre United Sees. it se

be shud bee

3, Beau be comileced a semivraed, One dhurouteritiv oF a vane is thal nthe ihe
mou trucos anyring ols. R deri falls wt rat scegery, So Ln Fas exe reses
ILuovghout te buck i sil be eed nol sucha a everson, but a vowel

4. The a sound if usually inticaed by flu], which would be of + ooh. Tht may have
been accurate a sox point in srt locations, bu the sone is sow generally [zu]
Jen is neon, how i aco, #4 [sto | and 0 0

ides vied and enscave. Uere axe wonds too up a promuncil,
‘These are sibilant and piusive. When you say thes] sand, you cam feel Ge ait
siding out over the tip of your tongue this isa siblax, When vou say te [pl sound,
{you can feel the ax popping ul erm hetweon your Kps—ais isa plesive. Be aor
‘hat exe are 0 sounds Mae ae sometimes stacy tought as sibilant, bat are
‘actully plosives [01 amd [+

For piciculur points of pronunciation that pertain we yur own Ianeuae, wee i the
‘Sonali Ciufeeem pape 172.

to indiote ence eopate actions

1 Fadia» commannd ora sugceston

Indicates the beep tone,

1% Toicater tha you need ws uz the CD om or off, back.

| tot well ng se be |
up. o¢ pause. i
Amencan Accent Taining

Telephone
Tutoring

Prel

ary Diagnostic Analysis 201 rack 3

This i a speceh analysis 10 idemily the strengths and weaknesses of your American aveent
TT you are studying Amentean Acczot taining on your own, please contact toll-tiee (800)
457-4255 or wwwantericanaccent.com fora referral to a qualified telephone analyst, The

vou knew

dlingnesic analysis i designs to evaluate your ewreat specch paleras Lo lel
cohere your uucent ix standard ane nonsand

ers nes son ® pcapeengee rumen
i Tiello. may name i Te taking American Accont taining. Teresa ol 9 learn
4 bal hope lo nak ivas enjoyable ax povodble. T should pick up on the American incom
[ow patrean pee ea. diboueh te ay way to gee practice al ofthe ie

1. all,Jong.caught 5, ice. PU. sky
2 cat. rastter, laugh G. it ll, sit
4B. ke, say, fail

Front, indicate 13, out, hemes, rot
12. boy. ol. oy

11 took, fill, woul

a. get ege.ay 8. ook girl bied 12, (aldo, ral
a 2 e 2 . .
pie Lie. Staple 4, state Lew kext
Blew Zvee 2. goles Zireverse Zhu 2! have

Sisue Saw 3, feces 3 phases = mace
Asher din X cashew 4. Bava Anh A ponge
Stn Sgn 5. mew 3. medal Site 3. had
Gibin Gihen — G.eatchar cade Bich 6. midge
Fithian 7 gue ether 7 either Fi hah 7 bathe
Acur — kiace bicker bigger Stok Ku
9. yellow Vi brood 9. milbon 9, correction 9. say, sof

10. ould 0! ame 10. coward 10. sunpnine 10. howe 10.
Actin Mere Tel yeheat 1K warmer 11 gout Mh pen
12. luce 13. colicion 12, rumer’ 12, people 12 an
1S bleed IX supplien” 13! Kingdon 13. sang

1, Goupsiains. Bethy BOOT a Bit OF better bodeT.
2. Tain going to te other rooms, '
3. My nume is nn 2. edly bid ila er ter. |
4. Ics the wad of he bad years —
3. Give itn nig ner, hi

sees, Tay
T, Go patars ate

2. 1am going ¢ teeter room.
3. My nay mi Zen,

{. phoinghuphy photograph
ibe en dv i fe dears,

[.% ber he
Chapter 1
American Intonation

The American Speech Music corTaces

‘What to Do with Your Mouth to Sound American
(One af the main ditfssnces berneca the wry an Amstican talks aad the way the aes othe
world talks is ou ne tla" really mave our lis, ($0, when am American says, "Read my
Tips! what anes he evatly mean?) Wee greats maf pur sounds in the Par, using oF
longue very actively. I you held your Fingers ner your Hips or clonch ynur jaws whe you
practice speaking American English, yin lind joumsll auch closer tr mative-sounding,
speech tha if you uy lo prowounce every. single bund. eer. euefuly

HW you caa relate Ainevican English o music, remember thatthe indigenous music is
iney. Listen tothe speech nmasi, and gn will hea’ thal Amesitans havea eelodic,jaey
‘way of pnvlucing sounds. imagine the sound i a velo when you Say, Bealls Ian Rie
bedier buulder enty bo «bs of beter butter) and youl be clone t the mative way of
sxyingit

‘Because most Ameticans came frem somewhere clse, American English reflocts the
secont contitmtions of many Lands, The speech nmsic has bseouse much store snaggstated
then British English, developing a suung and discinccve ztonstion. Ifyou wse this noua
tion, not only will yap be easier fo understan, but yon ll sound much mere confident,
samic, and persuasive.
spas isthe soul Unt yea Ie hen omersati i te Ea
19 tel the nationality ofthe speakers,
‘The American intonation div totes lisivans and Pronunciation, and i sndlcater mod an
caning, Withont iatonation, your speech would be fat. eechanical, ead very coatising
for your listener. What és tie Amecriewn inorstion patteas? How is it affercac from other
languages? Fawr egcompuru, ea you hea alt Jakeuhneeru pakyohn speaking erik,
the squad wold he very choppy, mechanical, ann aneinetinal wr an Atnerican, Ze sem ves
vis Chenu piggies. sounds t00 sift A vis ein Ronee olin see acer alu, €€
invonashon goes up af 2¢e end ov esree senvence, and has such a strong intonation that he
sounds romantic and highly emotional, but ths may not be agproptiat fora lotuve or
business meeting in English.