Reflection 6

CONCLUSION

SHORT VOWELS VS LONG VOWELS

ENGLISH AND SPANISH

     Spanish and English are the most spoken languages around the world. Among them , there are some important differences, and similarities in the same way. For Spanish speakers, it’s difficult to learn English, specially vowel sounds. In Spanish, we only have 5 vowels: A, E, I, O, U. There is not a variation of long and short vowel sounds, and each one has a specific pronunciation.  In English, they could be related with pure vowels.

     As a contrast, in English there are almost 19 vowel sounds: 8 cardinal vowels (called also pure vowels), 6 short vowels and 5 long vowels. Each sound is produced in different parts of the vocal cavity (front, central and back), and has variations to distinguish one sound from another. These vowel sounds have a relation with other sound in other different languages, specially from Europe.

     In conclusion, Spanish vowels are more simple to learn than English vowels. Spanish vowels are pure, without variation, and English vowels have some variations in pronunciation, intonation and production. Here you can find more information in the following web sites and videos.

Web sites:

http://spanish.about.com/od/spanishpronunciation/a/pronouncing_vowels.htm

http://esl.fis.edu/grammar/langdiff/spanish.htm

http://www.spanishdict.com/topics/show/115

Videos:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFaKjgkgEcE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GAA8aguJxlo



Reflection 5

ENGLISH PLOSIVES

 

     Into the English consonant sounds, there are agroup called plosives, it means that they are produced by the blocking air in the mouth suddenly released. Plosives have some characteristics to be produced, such as:

·         One or two articulators move against others to forms a total stricture, in order to avoid the scape of the air flow.

·         After that, the air is compressed, and the air is allowed to escape.

·         If the air flow is still under pressure behind the stricture, it means that the escape will produce a loud noise, called plosion.

 There are six consonants that have these characteristics: /p/, /t/, /k/, /b/, /d/ and /g/. The first are voiceless and the other ones are voiced, and can occur in initial, medial and final position in a word. For more information, examples and practice, here you have some web sites and a video.

Web sites:

http://tanvirdhaka.blogspot.com/2009/10/english-plosive-sounds.html

http://www.english-for-students.com/The-Plosives.html

Video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JO6xLnZsf3s



Reflection 4

DIPHTHONGS AND TRIPHTHONGS

     Diphthongs are commomly sounds that implies two movements with the tongue when are pronounced. The sound starts in one part and finishes in another part into the vocal tract. The first sound is loud and noticeable, and the second sound decreases. There are 8 diphthongs, classified into two groups:

·         Centring diphthongs: That glide to the shwa vowel sound, which occurs as the finish position with grunting sounds.

·         Closing diphthongs: That have the  frontal vowel /I/, or the back vowel /U/ in the finish position.

   

 

 

 

     Triphthongs are the most complex English sounds, because they implies the production of three tongue movements without interruption that could be difficult to recognize from the diphthong sounds.  Triphthongs are composed for five closing diphthongs with a shwa added in the end, in this way:

·         eɪ + ə = eɪə . as in layer, player

·         aɪ + ə = aɪə. as in lire, fire

·         ɔɪ + ə = ɔɪə, as in loyal, royal

·         əʊ + ə = əuə, as in lower, mower

·         aʊ + ə = auə, as in power, hour.

Here you can find some web sites and videos to get more information.

Web sites:

http://www.btinternet.com/~ted.power/esl0105.html

http://colasula.com/?p=530

http://www.paulmeier.com/ipa/diphthongs.html

      Videos:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qlak3Hvpjho

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_SdaKqLxi8&feature=related

Reflection 3

ENGLISH LONG VOWELS

     English long vowels tend to be longer than the short vowels. However, the lenght of the vowels varies according the context  and the stress. Phonetically, these are represented in symbols with the vowel plus two dots. There are minimal differences in pronunciation. The sound quality is different and the two addditional dots are used to distinguish these sound from the short ones. Some varieties of pronunciation could be identified folowing these rules:

·         When a single vowel letter is in the end of a word or syllable, it usually says its long sound as in go and be.

·         When two vowels go together in the same word or syllable, the first vowel is usually long, and the second vowel is usually silent. e.g., bake makes the /ay/ sound (long a) and the e is silent.

Irregular vowels sometimes do not apply the basic rules of phonics, because they are exceptions. These are some examples, that should be memorized to avoid confusion:

·         IGH as in "high" or "sight"

·         -NG as in "sing," "song," "sung"

·         OST as in "most" (but not "lost" or "cost") uses the long sound instead of the   normal short sound.

·         OW has two different sounds as in "low" and "cow." (or, "sow" and "sow.")

·         ED has three different sounds as in "lifted," "played," and "walked"

·         OI does not follow the two vowels rule, e.g., "moist" or "boil."

·         Double O has two different sounds, as in "book" and "loose."

·         OUS as in "nervous."

·         AU as in "fault" or "haul."

·         -SION, -TION, and -CION are all pronounced "shun."

·         OUGH has at least seven different sounds, as in "bough," "cough," "hough"

For more information and practice, I leave some web sites directions and videos.

Web sites:

http://www.mailxmail.com/curso-introduccion-fonetica-fonologia-inglesa/the-english-vowels

http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/knowledge-database/long-vowels

http://esl.about.com/od/speakingenglish/a/pr_longv.htm

http://www.phonicsontheweb.com/long-vowels.php

        Videos:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hiSSmytb8-k

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZmGzSb-6OM