ICCEP

The phonemes [ ], [ ]

In the articulation of the phonemes [ ], [ ] the soft palate is raised. The tip with the blade of

the tongue and the middle part of the tongue are simultaneously raised. A flat narrowing is formed by the tip and the blade of the tongue held close to the back part of the teeth-ridge and by the middle of the tongue raised in the direction of the hard palate. As the middle part of the tongue is raised, these sounds are slightly palatalized. The lips are rounded and slightly protruded. The air passes through the narrowing with friction.

In pronouncing [ ] the vocal cords are kept apart and do not vibrate, whereas in the production of [ ] they are drawn near together and vibrate.

The phoneme [ ] is voiceless; the phoneme [ ] is voiced. In pronouncing the Russian long palatalized consonants [ш’:], [ж’:] the middle of the tongue is raised higher than in the case of the English [ ], [ ]; as a result the Russian [ш’:], [ж’:] are more palatalized. Cf:

[ i:] she – [ш’:и] щи

[ ] shook – [ш’:ук] (as in “много щук”) [ ] measure – [дро ж’:и] дрожжи

In pronouncing the English consonants [ ] and [ ] Russian learners are apt to replace them

by the Russian consonants [ш] and [ж] respectively.

To prevent or correct these mistakes it is recommended to palatalize the Russian consonants [ш] and [ж] deliberately.

Care must be taken, however, not to palatalize [ш] and [ж] too much and not to lengthen them, lest they should be changed into the Russian consonants [ш’:] and [ж’:].

Ex. 3. Read the following words correctly:

Practise reading the following tongue-twister, paying attention to the [ ] and [ ] sounds and memorize it

She Sells Seashells

She 'sells 'seashells on the seashore.|| The 'shells she sells |

Are seashells I am sure. |

So 'if she 'sells 'seashells on the seashore |

Then I’m sure | she 'sells seashore shells. ||

Abutting Plosives

In connected speech at the junction of 2 plosives (with similar articulation) the first of them loses explosion and there appears a short pause between them.

Even if the 2 plosives are of different articulation, one of them loses explosion.

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Ex. 4. Read the following phrases. Mind abutting plosives:

A Big Black Bug

A 'big 'black bug|

Bit a 'big 'black bear.||

A 'big 'black bear |

Bit a 'big 'black bug. ||

When the 'big 'black bug. |

Bit the 'big 'black bear. |

Then the 'big 'black bear. |

Bit the 'big 'black bug. ||

Grammar Disjunctive questions

(See Grammar Supplement)

Reading material

Read the following sentences paying attention to: a) logical stress; b) abutting plosives;

c) intonation in requests;

1. [ ]

[ ]

2. [ ]

[ ]

3. [ : ]

[ : ]

4. [ i: : i: : ]

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5. [ ]

6. [ : ]

[ ]

[ i: ]

[ ]

7. e

8. [ i: i: ]

9. [ ]

10. [ i: ]

1.She’s away. – It’s a pity.

2.Is the bag black? – Yes, it is.

3.Are the pencils red? – Yes, they are.

4.These sentences are easy, aren’t they?

5.This text is difficult, isn’t it?

6.Pass me that red pencil. It’s my pencil. Give it back to me. Let me take it.

7.Come to my place tonight.

8.Read this text, please.

9.Come at once!

10.Be quick!

Exercises

Ex. 1. Read the following word combinations. Pay attention to assimilation:

Ex. 2. Distribute the following words into two columnss depending on degree of aspiration:

[ : i: :]

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UNIT 7

Go back to the sounds [ ], [ ], [ ] and the abutting plosives from Unit 6

Ex. 1. Practise reading the following words:

Ex. 2. Read the following phrases and the sentences. Mind the plosives:

wind direction sit down

the right time

Ex. 3. Read the following sentences:

[ ], [ :]

[ ] [ : ] [ : : ] [ : : ]

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2. Eat with measure, drink with pleasure. [ i: ]

Vowel [ ]

In pronouncing the phoneme [ ] the tongue is held in a position which is further back than that of [ :]. The back of the tongue is raised a little more than for [ :]. The lips are slightly

rounded. The opening between the jaws is wide. It is short, lax and always checked when stressed.

The Russian [o] is closer. In pronouncing the Russian phoneme [o] the lips are not only rounded, but protruded.

Russian learners are apt to replace the English [ ] by the Russian vowel [o]. In order to

prevent or eliminate this mistake the tongue must be held as low down in the mouth and as far back as possible, while the lips must be rounded (but very slightly) and not protruded.

Vowel [ :]

In pronouncing the phoneme [ :] the bulk of the tongue is in the back part of the mouth cavity. The back of the tongue is raised in the direction of the soft palate, a little higher than for [ ]. The lips are tense and rounded to form an opening which is smaller than in the case of the vowel [ ]. The opening between the jaws is medium. The vowel [ :] is long.

The Russian [o] is closer than the English [ :] and more rounded. Russian learners are apt to replace the English [ :] also by the Russian vowel [o]. To prevent or eliminate this mistake the same directions about retracting the tongue must be observed in the case of the vowels [ :] and

[ ], but the lips must be rounded more than in the case of [ ], although not protruded.

Exercises

Ex. 1. Read the following words practising the English sounds:

Ex. 3. Read the following words:

Listen to dialogues № 18.1 and № 19.2 (“What does that model cost?”, “What’s wrong?”) of the linguaphone course “Sound Right”, write them down, transcribe, intone and act them out. Practise reading the tongue twister “Betty Botter” and learn it by heart.

Betty Botter

'Betty 'Botter 'bought some butter. | “ But”, she said, “this butter’s bitter. |

But a bit of better butter |

Will 'make my 'batter better. |

So she bought a 'bit of better butter | And it 'made her 'batter better |

So it was better |

'Betty 'Botter 'bought a 'bit of better butter. ||

Vowel [ ]

In pronouncing both elements of the diphthong [ ] the bulk of the tongue is held in the

position of the back-advanced vowels.

During the pronunciation of the nucleus the back of the tongue is raised in the direction of the soft palate, a little more than for the Russian [o]. The nucleus of [ ] is back-advanced, midopen (a narrow variation of the medium position of the tongue), rounded. During the glide the back of the tongue rises still higher, moving in the direction of [ ]. The glide is rather distinct in stressed syllables and sounds like the vowel [ ]. The lips are slightly rounded at the beginning of the diphthong, but during the glide, i.e. at the end of the diphthong, they are almost as much rounded as for [ ]. During the pronunciation of the nucleus the opening between the jaws is as wide as for the Russian [o], but towards the end of the diphthong it is very narrow.

Russian learners are apt to replace the English diphthong [ ] by the Russian vowel [o] or omit the glide and thus pronounce only the nucleus [o].

In order to prevent or correct the omission of the glide of the diphthong [ ] it is necessary to round the lips still more and pronounce a rather distinct [ ] sound. The whole diphthong [ ] is very much like the combination of two Russian vowel sounds pronounced at the junction of the words “ещё” and “y” in the phrase “ещё у нас” Cf. “ещё y” – [ ] “show”

Ex. 4. Focus on [ ]:

Listen to dialogue № 27.2 (I’ve got to go”) of the linguaphone course “Sound Right”, write it down, transcribe, intone and act it out.

Listen to the dialogue “Snow in October” of London Linguaphone Course “Ship or Sheep”, write it down, transcribe intone and act it out.

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