'N' pronunciation

Question

Hi, I'm Japanese and I hit a question about 'N' pronunciation.

A book that I have says the front edge of your tongue touches the gum just right back of the upper teeth when you sound 'N'.

It's easy for me to do this form when 'N' is followed by 'T' and 'D' such as AND or WENT, and is the last part of sound such as CAN or JUNE.

But it's tough when it's followed by 'K' and 'S', such as THANK, BANK or SENSE, and I feel like making my tongue out of the gum!

How does your tongue do when you sound 'N' of THANK, BANK or SENSE?
Is it on the gum just like 'N' of CAN or it's out of the gum?

Nona the brit · Accepted Answer

hi,

I'm not surprised you are finding it difficult. For the 'ank' sound (or ink or onk or unk or enk) you do not make the n sound individually. It's a sound of it's own, rather similar to the 'ing.ang/ong' ending of words. Try saying bang then add a k sound at the end.

Anonymous · Answer

Before /k/ and /g/, "n" is velar: /?/

I think it's probably similar to how you would pronounce it in Japanese, for instance in "denki"

CalifJim · Answer

In sense you make the n the same as in cents. In fact the two words are nearly identical because a very short t pops up in sense, as if it were sentse. This is called "sycophantic t", by the way.

As explained above, an n followed by g or k or x is not pronounced as an n before t or d.
In pronouncing n before g or k or x your tongue goes behind your lower teeth and there's a tightening toward the back of your mouth as the back of your tongue blocks off the air coming into your mouth and redirects it up into your head and out your nose.

If ng is final, the g signals the change in pronunciation of the n, but the g itself is silent. (sing, bang, rung)
If nk or nx is final, the k or x signals the same change in pronunciation of the n, but the k or x is pronounced. (bank, drink, linx)

CJ

Anonymous · Answer

Thank you for the helpful answers <img class='emoticon' style='Width:19px;Height:19px;' data-delaysrc='https://uat-englishforward-forums-backend.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Emoticons/1.gif' src='https://uat-englishforward-forums-backend.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Emoticons/1.gif' alt='Emotion: smile'/>

Anonymous · Answer

in the words where /a/ is long (says its name) AND is followed by n, (such as thank and bank) your tongue does NOT touch in the same way as it ordinarily would when you make the sound of /n/. Instead, when preceded by this long /a/, the back sides of your tongue goes up to rest on the molars of both sides.

However, in words where the /n/ is preceded by short e (as in sense), to pronounce your /n/ sound, you still touch your gum just behind the upper teeth, but do so lightly and softly. Make the /n/ sound first then the /s/ sound immediately after.
Hope that helps!

'N' pronunciation

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