книги / Основы английской фонетики для будущих переводчиков

4. Read the dialogue. An interesting film Bill: Is Tim in?

Lyn:Is he coming to the pictures? Mrs Smith: Tim’s ill.

Bill: Here he is! Hello, Tim. Tim: Hello, Bill.

Lyn: Are you ill, Tim?

Tim: Is it an interesting film? Lyn: It’s ‘Big Jim and the Indians’. Bill: And it begins in six minutes. Mrs Smith: If you are ill, Tim…

Tim: Quick! Or we’ll miss the beginning of the film!

PRACTICE 7

The sound [ə] – the jaw is half open, relaxed tongue and lips. Middle of the tongue is half way up. Tongue position is a bit lower than when pronouncing [ə:]. Tongue is not going forward. The sound is very short.

1. Read the names:

Sofia – Matilda – Harper – Scarlett – Harriet – Florence – Georgia – Virginia – Cynthia – Arthur – Jacob – Benjamin – Linda – Amanda – Sebastian – Megan

2. Read the words:

The first syllable unstressed

away – agree – abuse – aboard – aloof – among – advance – banana – canal – correct – support – surprise – today – together

The second syllable unstressed

doctor – rector – under – figure – colour – absent – constant – standard – oral – forward – awkward – moment – picture – lecture – creature

More:

jealous – dangerous – poisonous – ridiculous – hilarious – generous – infamous – focus

nevertheless /ˌnevəðəˈles/

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3. Read the phrases. The schwa sound [ə] is most common in syntagmas to help build the rhythm of the English language. Remember that the schwa [ə] is used in unstressed positions. Make the accented syllables strong, and the unstressed ones weak and quick.

'Try a‘gain.

'Michael’s a po‘liceman. 'Come a‘long. 'Barbara’s a ‘pilot. 'Paul’s a ‘postman.

A 'coloured ‘picture. 'Martha’s a ‘teacher.

What are you doing in London? We are looking for a hairdresser.

Is it made of glass? No, it’s made of plastic. What can I do? What has she done? What have you done?

Amanda, a phone call for you!

The conductor of the orchestra was amazed to see the viola player drink a scotch and soda.

Tell my sister Amanda to buy some better bananas as well as potatoes and tomatoes.

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3. Compare the weak [ə] and [ı] in the initial and final positions. Give the [ə:] shade to the vowel [ə] at the beginning of words and the [ʌ] shade to the vowel [ə] at the end of words. Transcribe the words using a dictionary.

a'ffect /əˈfekt/ – e'ffect /ɪˈfekt/ 'sitter – 'city

a'ccept – e'xcept 'waiter – 'weighty a'nother – e'nough 'armour – 'army a'ttend – e'xtent 'better – 'Betty a'void – e'voke 'fisher – 'fishy a'nnounce – e'nable 'offers – 'office

REVISION

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II. ENGLISH VOWEL SOUNDS. LONG VOWELS

Study the comparative position of organs of speech while pronouncing long vowel sounds. Copy in front of a mirror and practise your position.

PRACTICE 1

The sound [a:] – open jaw, relaxed lips, flat tongue pulled back a little. The sound is made in the back of the mouth.

–Marvellous cars, aren’t they?

–Wonderful. Fantastic. So fast.

–They are, they are.

NB! Note that in the American accent [a:] quite frequently tends to sound like [æ], when “a” is not followed by “r” (*).

1. Read the countries:

France – Iran – Iraq – Sudan – Taiwan – Kazakhstan – Guatemala – Pakistan

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2. Read the words (consult Oxford Learner’s DICTIONARY if necessary):

art – arch – heart – garden – remark – guitar – alarm – regard – banal parcel – pardon – market – darling – hardly – garbage

father – sergeant – Derby – drama – papa – mama fast* – last* – class* – disaster* – glass*

castle* – advance* – command* – laugh* – enhance* – contrast* – after* – basket*– plaster*– nasty*– rather*

repertoire /ˈrepətwɑː(r)/ – reservoir /ˈrezəvwɑː(r)/ – bourgeois/

ˈbʊəʒwɑː/ /ˈbʊrʒwɑː/

mirage – massage – camouflage – moustache finale/fɪˈnɑːli/ – morale /məˈrɑːl/

3. Read the phrases. Look out for the sound in focus:

They had a blast at the party. Let’s park the car not far.

Let’s park our car at Barbara’s as the car park is rather far from the theatre.

At last Margaret’s anxiety passed and she chanced a disastrous dance with a laughing sergeant.

I’d rather take a chance and let my father drive me to the garage in his fast car.

NB! Distinguish between [ʌ] and [a:]. Mind their difference in the position of the bulk of the tongue, the variation in height and the difference in the opening between the jaws.

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4. Read the dialogue. At a Party

Margaret: Where’s your glass, Barbara? Barbara: It’s on the bar.

Martin: Barbara! Margaret! Come into the garden! Martha and Charles are dancing in the dark. Margaret: In the garden? What a laugh!

Barbara: So they are! They are dancing on the grass! Margaret: They are dancing under the stars!

Martin: And Arnold’s playing his guitar. Barbara: Doesn’t Martha look smart!

Margaret: Look at Charles! What a marvellous dancer! Barbara: Ah! Let’s take a photograph of Martha and Charles. Martin: We can’t. It’s too dark.

PRACTICE 2

The sound [i:] – tip of the tongue is always behind the bottom teeth, jaw fairly relaxed, lips relaxed, not pulled back, and the front of the tongue high and forward in the mouth.

-What about this fish? Can I eat it?

-Yes. Eat it.

-What about this cheese? Can I eat it?

-No, don't eat it. It’s six weeks out of date.

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1. Read the countries and nationalities:

Greece – Armenia – Tunisia – Egypt – Indonesia – (New) Zealand – Sweden

Vietnamese – Maltese – Balinese – Japanese – Nepalese – Lebanese – Portuguese

2. Read the words (consult Oxford Learner’s DICTIONARY if necessary):

keel – kneel – feeble – eve – teeth – these

sea – tea – leaves – jeans – genes – secret – demon grief – field – achieve – receipt – deceit – seize

NB! Distinguish between [ı] and [i:]

NB! Distinguish between [ı] and [i:]. Read the sentences twice choosing either of the words. See how the meaning changes.

1.The beans/bins were quite cheap.

2.I’m going to leave/live with my brother.

3.Those are high heels/hills!

4.Shall we sleep/slip in here?

5.Can you feel/fill it?

6.They lost the wheel/will.

7.Those are large jeans/gins!

8.How are you going to leave/live?

9.Did your team/Tim lose that race?

10.What a hard peach/pitch!

11.We had a wonderful meal/mill by the river.

12.I’ve never seen a sheep/ship move so fast!

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Read the word combinations paying attention to positional length of the sound and the difference between [ı] and [i:].

3. Read the phrases. Look out for the sound in focus:

There is a little something missing in this meal. Have you tried adding some dill?

My next of kin, Mr. Bean, is a Dean of Leeds University. I feel like eating something. I feel like speaking.

I need a deep sleep. I dream of sweet tea. I weep for Egypt. It’d be sweet to be on TV. I would be pleased to see a sweet dream.

I seem to need a green bikini.

One evening, lying by the stream on the green grass, I dreamed of eating sweets.

His demeanour seems to reveal the secret reasons for his deceit. I believe my feet are really quite clean, Evie.

4. Read the dialogue. Make sure to distinguish between [ı] and [i:]

Dr A: Have you been busy this evening?

Dr B: Pretty busy. My first patient was Jim Beaton. He had twisted his knee. He slipped on a banana skin in the street. I think he just needs to rest his knee. He’s very fit.

Dr A: My first patient was Mrs. Neale. She keeps being sick, and it’s just because she eats too much.

Dr B: A lot of patients don’t really need treatment. They feel ill because they do silly things. We can give them pills to treat some illnesses, but they need to keep fit and eat sensibly.

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PRACTICE 3

The sound [ɔ:] – the lips are pushed forward, but not as forward as in [u:], slightly rounded but still with a bit of tension and tightness. The back of the tongue is rising at the back of the mouth.

-Dawn always goes for a jog in the morning.

-Don? Jogging? In the morning?

-No, not Don! His daughter-in-law, Dawn. She’s very sporty.

1. Read the countries:

Norway – Malta – Portugal – Georgia – Gibraltar – Nepal – Senegal – Singapore

2. Read the words (consult Oxford Learner’s DICTIONARY if necessary):

storm – sordid – organ – store – ought – thought – sought – water* – awe – law – war awkward – awful – awesome – hawk – author – autumn – autism – cautious – applause haughty – naughty – fauna – trauma – walk – almost – although – alter – altar – appalling

NB! Distinguish between [ɒ] and [ɔ:]

3. Read the phrases. Look out for the sound in focus:

It’s too warm to go walking. It’s your fault.

I’ve put the ball in the drawer.

George was falling asleep awkwardly in a sprawl. Georgia was looking gorgeous this morning.

The written laws ought to prevent thoughtless talk.

This appalling store was full of all sorts of ordinary shorts. Four hundred and forty four storks flying home in the storm. Maud’s daughter Georgina was an awful daughter-in-law.

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4. Read the dialogue.

Announcer: This morning the Roarers football team arrived back from York Laura Short is our sports reporter, and she was at the airport.

Laura Short: Good morning, listeners. This is Laura Short. All the footballers are walking towards me. Here's George Ball, the goalkeeper. Good morning, George.

George Ball: Good morning. Are you a reporter?

L.S. Yes, George. I'm Laura Short from Radio Station 4. Tell us about the football match with York.

G. B.: Well, it was awful. We lost. And the score was forty-four, four. But it wasn't my fault, Laura.

L. S.: Whose fault was it, George? G. B.: The forwards.

L. S.: The forwards?

G. B.: Yes. The forwards. They were always falling over or losing the ball!

PRACTICE 4

The sound [ə:] – relaxed lips, jaw half open and the centre of the tongue just slightly rising.

-All my co-workers have started… er… walking to work…er…very early in the morning.

-Oh. And do you walk to work?

-Not me … er … I’m the world’s worst walker.

1.Read the countries: Turkey – Germany

2.Read the words (consult Oxford Learner’s DICTIONARY if necessary):

learn – earn – earth – research – early – pearl – heard – verse – herb – nerd – were infernal – girl – birth – shirt – thirst – confirm – world – word – work – worse

purpose – absurd – urgent – occur – burden

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