苹果是 “Apple” 不叫 “爱泡”: Vowel “a” vs. “e”

写了篇 "讲讲我矫正英文发音的故事” 贴子, 放在 "美语” “中年” “原创” 坛, 没想到反映还停热烈, 点击过6000. 原本只是想用俺的亲身经历勉励一下在国外生活的同胞, 尤其象俺这样的中年人, 矫正英文发音, never too late. 可斑竹们和有些网友们让俺” 写续”, 实在盛情难却. 不过, 俺声明俺不是英文教授, 千万别把俺写的东西当真理啊.  错的地方指出, 俺可不想误人子弟.

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元音 (vowel) “a” & “e” 是英文中最常见的元音. 如果发不好这两个 vowel , 很难把英文讲标准.

“e” 的发音:

 

1.  长元音  发”e”上面一横 (符号上不去, don’t know why).  Similar to 中文中的” 一 “   Often, double “ee” or “ea” .  发长元音”e”, 两腮向两侧拉开, 脸要 smile.

e.g., easy, east, eat, beat, bee, be, fee, feast, yeast, beast, keep, beep, need, meet, meat, least, cease, etc.

Ea=ee, 长元音.

2-1. 短元音, 发”e” 上面一”v”, similar to 中文中的” 爱 “ (ai).

Bed, met, kept, slept, test, etc.

2-2. 短元音, 发”U” 上面一”V”,û ,    similar to 中文中的 ”额” 

e.g. early, earth, heard, earn, etc.

I could not tell the difference between û and 倒过来的”e” (one of the “a” sounds, see below), who can? Californians cannot. My speech pathologist said that New Yokers can, maybe.

By the way, people in the East coast claim that they speak a more standard English than us Californians because they arrive at America first. But, I like Californian accent. Californian girls talks so sweetly. 

 “a” 的发音:

1. 长元音. 发”a”上面一横,    It’s easy, 发 abc 的 a. 要发地够长才标准啊.

     e.g., age, base; case, date, face, gate, hate, jail, waste, vacation, etc.

2. 短元音

2-1. Yinbiao?   similar to 中文中的”啊”    妈妈 (Mama), 爸爸 (Baba).

e.g., bar, fast, park, vast, class, glass, hash, last, etc.

2-2. 发”a”上面一”V”,   It is difficult.  中文中无此发音. 最接近的一个是 “俺” (An), 但又不完全一样. 发短元音”a”上面一”V” 时, 舌头要使劲往回收, 巻成 “U” 形, 有点象发 “R”, 但舌尖不上挑,. 巻起来的舌头两后侧用力压住上后牙. 声带要震动. 关键的关键是要把嘴张很大, 这样无论如何也发不成 “e” 了, 切记!!!

e.g., apple, bad, back, ambulance, rats, hat, had, ask, valley, salad, balance, half (L不发音, trust me) etc.

Europeans 发 Ask 为 “啊sk”, 发 Half  为 “哈佛”

Our governor 发 ”California” 为 “卡里fornia”, 政坛笑话而已, British quality, nothing wrong with it.

Tomorrow morning, read these words to your American colleagues. Ask them if your pronunciation is close enough.

2-3. 发倒过来的”e”, similar to 中文中的 ”额” 

e.g., salad, Balance, etc.

Then, read following sentences:

I had to ask him how to keep these apples fresh.

 

I had a bad dream last night.

These rats are sleeping in their bed.

Half of this is done.

California produces good quality apples and oranges?

I had salad for lunch.

QinHwang

4/22/07