Transcript ESL 151 Vowels and Speech Music Chapter 6

Vowels and Speech Music
Vowels in weak or unstressed syllables are
short and low in pitch and often are the
schwa /ə/.
 /ə/
 Suc cess

How to say /ə/
Let your whole face, lips, and tongue
relax.
 Open your mouth just a little and let your
tongue rest gently behind your lower
teeth.
 Say a quick “uh”.
 Make it lower in pitch and quieter than the
stressed syllable.
 Uh

Partner Practice p. 101
PEN
 Clear Vowels



Man
Hap p/ə/n
Reduced Vowel
/ə/
WOman
Reducing Structure Words
Structure Words
 Your

Sentences w/Reductions

/ə/
 What’s your favorite story?
 Practice p. 102
 Listening for reductions p. 103

Your Scene
Where are the reductions in your scene?
 Look for structure words:
 your
of
 you
at
 and
to, the
 are, than
from, to
 an
or

Can or Can’t?

Can’t is a negative and is stressed.

Practice p. 104-105.

Partner Practice p. 107
Partner Practice
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P.107
Do you have an idea?
 Yes, I think we should cash the check.

Do you have an I.D.?
 Yes, I have my driver’s license.
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Overview of American English Vowels
1 2
 SEE IT

3
4
SAY YES
7
8
 at a BUS STOP

5
6
a FAT BIRD
9 10
TWO BOOKS
More Vowels
11
12
 SHOW the BOSS
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13 14 15
HI COWBOY
Long Vowels

Long vowels sound longer because the
tongue glides from one place to another
and then tightens as you say them.
Long Vowels
ey CHANGE the DATE to the EIGHTH.
 iy LEAVE the KEYS on the SEAT.
 ay MIKE WOULD LIKE SOME RICE.
 ow He TOLD me an OLD JOKE.
 uw The NEW SHOES are HUGE.
 aw I FOUND the TOWN in an HOUR.
 ‫כ‬y The BOY enJOYS his TOY.
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3
1
13
11
9
14
15
Long Vowels
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For pronunciation tips see Appendix B p.
A-12-A-14
Scene Work

Find all the long vowels in your dialog.

Practice saying the words that contain the
long vowels.
Short Vowels
Short vowels do not have two parts.
 The tongue stays in one place and does
not glide.

/I/ GIVE him a SIP of MILK.
 /ɛ/ The GUESTS LEFT at Seven.
 /æ/ I was MAD at the MAN in the CAB.
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More Short Vowels

/əʳ/ SIR, can you LEARN the WORK?

/ʌ/ Can you COME for LUNCH on SUnday?

/ɑ/ My FAther GOT the JOB.

/ʊ/ LOOK! I TOOK a COOKie!

/ɔ/ I BOUght some COFfee at the MALL.
How do I say these short vowels?
P. 112

/ɛ/ Men
 Mouth barely open.
 Lips slightly spread.
 Tongue pushed forward.
ten red pens
My friend is ready.
I sent the letter.
/æ/ Man
 Mouth open.
 Lips slightly smiling.
 Tongue flat and central.
an attractive plan
A fantastic actor
A romantic man

How do I say these short vowels?
/ʊ/ look
a good cook
 Mouth barely open.
I took a look.
 Lips slightly rounded.
 Tongue pulled back.

/ɑ/ shot lock the box stop the clock
 Lower the jaw and back of the tongue
more for /ɑ/ than any other vowel.

Practice
p. 113

Listen to see if you hear /ʌ/ or /ɑ/.

Say either sentence A or B and see if your
partner can choose the correct answer.
Spelling

Many common words spelled with “O” in
the stressed syllable are pronounced /ɑ/.
POssible
 OPposite
 FOLlow
 TOPic

POverty
PsyCHOlogy
aTOMic
microSCOpic
More Spelling
Long vowels are often spelled with two
letters. The vowel sounds like the first
letter in these words.
 main seat bean pie toe boat
 Vowels in words with a final “e” sound like
the name of the vowel.
 lake Pete fine lone mute
 Short vowels are often spelled with one
letter. hat pin ten pot

Not all unstressed vowels are
schwas.

An unstressed clear vowel will be quieter
and lower in pitch.
COMmon
 MANage
 BAcon

COMment
MANdate
BAKing
Schwa or Clear Vowel??
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Listen and mark each as schwa or clear
vowel. P. 115
-ATE Endings
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The –ate ending in verbs is a clear long
vowel.
The –ate ending in look-alike nouns and
adjectives is the schwa sound.
 Duplicate (verb) duplicate (noun) (adj.)
 P. 115

Scene Work
Mark the short vowel sounds in your
scene. Practice saying the words.
 Mark the unstressed syllables in the words
from your scens for the schwa sound or
clear vowels. Practice saying the words.
 Mark any –ate ending words in your
scene. Are they verbs, nouns, or
adjectives? Practice saying them.
