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Wakeup2 Posted 15 years ago
Speech & Pronunciation
-yoo sounds question.
I've recently noticed a lot of the sounds with -yoo in it, I'm pronounicating them differently (I say "il" instead of "yoo"). I saw a speech therapist for a couple of months and she never mentioned it, so I want to make sure I'm really pronouncing them wrong before I start correcting them.
For example, I pronounce:
-computer as "kum-pil-ter"- dictionary.com says "kum-pyoo-ter"
-human as "hil-man"- dictionary.com says "hyoo-man"
-humid as "hil-mid"
-new as "n-il" with less "l" sound (glottal stop on l)- dictionary.com says "nyoo"
-few as "f-il" with less "l" sound (glottal stop on l)- dictionary.com says "fyoo"
-view as "v-il" with less "l" sound (glottal stop on l)- dictionary.com says "v-yoo"
-student as "stil-dent" - dicitonary.com says "styoo-dent"
When I say eg. still-dent, then styoo-dent, styoodent sounds better, but in normal speech, I never notice myself pronouncing student wrongly. I can see me, for example, pronouncing few and getting mistaken for "feel" though.
I think the problem originated with my hearing, I still hear people say few like "feel" instead of "fyoo". But when I say using "fyoo" instead of "feel", it sounds much better...
Is this problem common and does it require fixing?
Thanks for the help!
Edit: Me saying "new" is at 0:23 on this short recording I did of me speaking.
http://www.mediafire.com/?5s9tbjt9r9498uh
For example, I pronounce:
-computer as "kum-pil-ter"- dictionary.com says "kum-pyoo-ter"
-human as "hil-man"- dictionary.com says "hyoo-man"
-humid as "hil-mid"
-new as "n-il" with less "l" sound (glottal stop on l)- dictionary.com says "nyoo"
-few as "f-il" with less "l" sound (glottal stop on l)- dictionary.com says "fyoo"
-view as "v-il" with less "l" sound (glottal stop on l)- dictionary.com says "v-yoo"
-student as "stil-dent" - dicitonary.com says "styoo-dent"
When I say eg. still-dent, then styoo-dent, styoodent sounds better, but in normal speech, I never notice myself pronouncing student wrongly. I can see me, for example, pronouncing few and getting mistaken for "feel" though.
I think the problem originated with my hearing, I still hear people say few like "feel" instead of "fyoo". But when I say using "fyoo" instead of "feel", it sounds much better...
Is this problem common and does it require fixing?
Thanks for the help!
Edit: Me saying "new" is at 0:23 on this short recording I did of me speaking.
http://www.mediafire.com/?5s9tbjt9r9498uh
Top answer
I listened to your recording and you pronounced "new" correctly. As for the rest, follow the pronunciation your dictionary provides. Judging from what I heard, you have a good command of the language and your accent is not heavy at all.
- I listened to your recording and you pronounced "new" correctly.
- As for the rest, follow the pronunciation your dictionary provides.
- Judging from what I heard, you have a good command of the language and your accent is not heavy at all.
- In fact, I have no idea of your native language.
- It certainly is not English, but your accent is so very slight that it is impossible for me to tell where you come from.
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5 Answers
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I listened to your recording and you pronounced "new" correctly.
As for the rest, follow the pronunciation your dictionary provides.
Judging from what I heard, you have a good command of the language and your accent is not heavy at all. In fact, I have no idea of your native language.
It certainly is not English, but your accent is so very slight that it is
As for the rest, follow the pronunciation your dictionary provides.
Judging from what I heard, you have a good command of the language and your accent is not heavy at all. In fact, I have no idea of your native language.
It certainly is not English, but your accent is so very slight that it is
00
1. Styoodent version is not common in American English. However, you hear "shtudent": notice the shibilant /sh/.
2. Speech therapists don't look for all mistakes (or deviations): they focus on some mistakes and fix them.
3. /y/ is a glide. "IU" is a triphthong, where you hear the yod dropping/keeping. i+u = /i/ + /y/ + /u/: /y/ is the offglide of /i/ and the onglide of /u/
2. Speech therapists don't look for all mistakes (or deviations): they focus on some mistakes and fix them.
3. /y/ is a glide. "IU" is a triphthong, where you hear the yod dropping/keeping. i+u = /i/ + /y/ + /u/: /y/ is the offglide of /i/ and the onglide of /u/
00
Thanks for the insights. For "few", are you suppose to be saying "f-yoo". (f sound then the word you bascially)? I THINK I'm saying "f-eel".
Anyways, I recorded myself saying the words from my first post here. Please tell me if I am pronounicating them correctly because I feel they are incorrect, but I'm getting mixed responses (some saying I'm saying them fine, others not).
Anyways, I recorded myself saying the words from my first post here. Please tell me if I am pronounicating them correctly because I feel they are incorrect, but I'm getting mixed responses (some saying I'm saying them fine, others not).
00
Dear Wakeup2,
You have pronounced computer, human, humid, new, few, view, and student with what clearly is a firm, round, mid-Atlantic American English accent. I should know, that is where I was born and educated.
If you think you are mispronouncing these words, you are incorrect. With your pronunciation, you could easily land a job as a radio or television newscast
You have pronounced computer, human, humid, new, few, view, and student with what clearly is a firm, round, mid-Atlantic American English accent. I should know, that is where I was born and educated.
If you think you are mispronouncing these words, you are incorrect. With your pronunciation, you could easily land a job as a radio or television newscast
00
"computer" didn't have enough "r" at the end (which made it sound Chinese-like), but the yoo was fine.
I did not recognize "human" and "humid" until I went back and read the list. This may have more to do with factors other than the yoo.
"student" and "new" were not said the way I say them (stoo-dent; noo), but they sounded fine, as did the others.
CJ
I did not recognize "human" and "humid" until I went back and read the list. This may have more to do with factors other than the yoo.
"student" and "new" were not said the way I say them (stoo-dent; noo), but they sounded fine, as did the others.
CJ
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