Asking about the right way to pronounce( pot,spot)

Question

plz, i want to know the difference in pronunciation between ( pot & spot), (pen & spoon)
because i know when we pronounce "p" in the beginning of the word it has strong buff of air
and when it's unstressed or comes after consonant the buff of air will be quieter

but i try to make it quieter it looks like the pronunciation of B or voiced /b/.

how can i pronounce it correctly

Avangi · Accepted Answer

Y'know, I just listened to myself, and if there were words like "sbot" and "sboon," I'd be in a lot of trouble.  They'd come out exactly the same as "spot" and "spoon." <img src="http://www.EnglishForward.com/emoticons/emotion-15.gif"/>

Nm_koki · Answer

i noticed that too
but i read a lot of explanation of sounds of /p/
they never say that it would pronounce like /b/
i don't know why?

Avangi · Answer

You just have to hold their feet to the fire.

On further investigation, I find I can whisper "spoon," but cannot whisper "sboon." This is because the "B" cannot be identified without a contribution from the voice box. (Whispering "pus" and "bus" may feel differently, but I believe they sound the same.)

So if you really want to split hairs, the difference lies in which comes first, the puff or the hum??

With the "P" the puff comes first. With the "B," the hum comes first.

The problem is that in words like "spoon" the hum continues through the vowel and the "N." The hum is sort of a target, and we usually start it simultaneously with the puff.

When you hiss and hum at the same time, you get "Z," not "S." Try saying "Zpoon." With the hum turned on before the puff, it has to come out "B" - unless you stutter the hum.

Nm_koki · Answer

thanks for your reply

i think i get what you say but what about aspirated and un-aspirated /p/
if i want to make it right how can i produce this sound without being so similar to the
sound of /b/
i mean how i can make it without buff and at the same time not audible.

Avangi · Answer

nm_koki - - - it has strong buff of air - - - - the buff of air will be quieter

I need to ask a strange question. I'm unschooled in the terms commonly used to describe human sound production, as you may have gathered.

I assumed in the beginning that by "buff" you mean "puff," describing a burst of air cleanly released at a point in time, and briefly continuing.

In your last post, since you mention aspirating, I'm wondering if in fact you refer to speaking the word "buff" aloud.

If you wouldn't mind, could you please clarify this before I attempt to answer your last post?

Many thanks, - A.

Nm_koki · Answer

i'm sorry it's puff not buff

Asking about the right way to pronounce( pot,spot)

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