The pronounciation about /L/ , help~~~:'(

Question

0My English teacher told me that when we pronounce /L/, we should rise the tip of the tongue and  touch the gum ridge behind the incisors, while the sides of the tongue don't touch anything. I think the way is working well when I pronounce "lack", "law", "lunch" and such words starting with "L". 02br02br00But my teacher also said that when we pronounce "chill",""shill", ""jill", "tell" and these words ending up with "L", we still use the way I mentioned above. I feel when I do this, I feel very strange. And I don't think all the native speaker pronounce like this. Besides, I listened to the E-dictionary in my computer. there is a pronounce like "o" in the end. Now I confused, who can help me. I need native speaker's help. 02br02br00What's more. When we come with the words like ""calm", "balm"  with "l" in middle, should we sound /L/ ? 02br02br00Thank you. 0-

Abbie1948 · Accepted Answer

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00When we come with the words like ""calm", "balm" with "l" in middle, should we sound /L/ ?12blockquote

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00No, Lilac. the "l" in the above words is silent. Try "kahm" 02br
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00Try Webster's on-line dictionary, which has AmE audio. 02br
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00 I think your problem with "l" at the end of a word is not unusual. When you pronounce it the beginning ot a word you have plenty of time to get your tongue into position. It is a little more difficult at the end of a word, but the tongue is in exactle the same position. Practice will help you. 0-

Lilac · Answer

0 Thanks for your help. I should ask when the "l "at the end of a word, the tougue is in the same position, but how about pronouciation? Is it also the same? 02br
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00p.s. where can I find webster's on-line dictionary? I think it should be useful. 02br
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00Thanks again. 0-

Orpheus · Answer

0 01blockquote

00where can I find webster's on-line dictionary?12blockquote

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00www.m-w.com 0-

CalifJim · Answer

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Lilac · Answer

0 I should ask again when the "l "at the end of a word, the tougue is in the same position, but how about pronouciation of "l"? also the same as the pronounce in the word which start with "l". 0-

Abbie1948 · Answer

0 Yes, it's the same pronunciation, Lilac 0-

CalifJim · Answer

( I must disagree with Abbie on this one. )

English has a "light L" (initial) and a "dark L" (final).
For the final L, as in "will", "ball", "fail", the tip of the tongue is ever-so-slightly farther back than for the initial L and, much more important, the back of the tongue is withdrawn back so as to block off a good portion of the throat passages.

In fact, it the failure of some students to notice this and practice it which makes them sound "foreign" when, for example, they pronounce both "L"s of "little" the same. In the correct pronunciation of "little", you should feel the tongue push forward for the first L and withdraw backward for the final L.

Many Romance languages have only the light L; Russian has almost all dark L's. Listen to comedian Robin Williams' imitation of a Russian accent to hear very thick dark L's on every L of English!

CJ

The pronounciation about /L/ , help~~~:'(

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