Norah Jones' swirling singing will, this time, take us into the slippery world of some diphthongs /eɪ/ /aɪ/ /əʊ/ /aʊ/ (phonemically analyzed as a sequence of a semivowel and a monophthong) with her song Chasing pirates. WARNING: don’t confuse /əʊ/ and /aʊ/ (they are often mixed up!). Click first on the phonetic chart on the right to hear the difference.
I have to admit I chose this song because I like it, nevertheless, it does serve the purpose of showing the difference between these very diphthongs. American English is commonly described as having wide diphthongs, made with less oral tension. This is quite evident in the song where the singer (born in New York) makes little distinction between /əʊ/ /aʊ/, but she does make it.
Native-Burmese speakers find it almost impossible to pronounce diphthongs and triphthongs. The same is true of native-Caribbean speakers.
Listen to the song and fill in the gaps
For further practice with diphthongs, try this game
Hi, Ana!
ReplyDeleteThanks for all this hard work and interesting stuff.
Since I'm new in your blog and haven't read it thoroughly I have some questions...
How are we supposed to fill in the gaps? For example in the first gap in the latest Norah Jones's activity, should we type in schwa and short u, the complete phonemic transcription to "going", with or without slashes? Should we use the keyboard on the right to type and then copy and paste the transcription into the hotpot exercise?
Thanks ever so much
I only want to thank you for your blog. I really like it. It's a great help for me.
ReplyDeleteVery good message
ReplyDeleteThanks AHH, ¿are you a teacher?
ReplyDeleteNice brief and this mail helped me alot in my college assignement. Gratefulness you for your information.
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome. Where are you from? Are you a teacher or a student?
ReplyDeleteInteresting blog as for me. It would be great to read more about this matter. Thank you for posting that data.
ReplyDeleteallphonetics.blogspot.com; You saved my day again.
ReplyDeleteGood brief and this post helped me alot in my college assignement. Say thank you you on your information.
ReplyDeletei without a doubt love your writing kind, very remarkable,
ReplyDeletedon't quit and also keep penning in all honesty , because it simply good worth to follow it,
impatient to read more of your own content pieces, have a great day :)
Genial brief and this post helped me alot in my college assignement. Say thank you you on your information.
ReplyDeleteApprovingly your article helped me truly much in my college assignment. Hats off to you enter, will look progressive for more interdependent articles soon as its sole of my pick topic to read.
ReplyDeleteHi
ReplyDeleteVery nice and intrestingss story.