English Pronunciation PracticeEnglish Pronunciation Practice

A Practical Course for Students of EnglishA Practical Course for Students of EnglishByBy

Wang GuizhenWang GuizhenFaculty of English Language & CultureFaculty of English Language & Culture

Guangdong University of Foreign StudiesGuangdong University of Foreign Studies

English Pronunciation PracticeEnglish Pronunciation Practice

A Practical Course for Students of EnglishA Practical Course for Students of EnglishByBy

Wang GuizhenWang GuizhenFaculty of English Language & CultureFaculty of English Language & Culture

Guangdong University of Foreign StudiesGuangdong University of Foreign Studies

Objectives of the Course

This course is intended to help the students to improve their English pronunciation, including such elements as

1) the correct pronunciation of individual

phonemes and words in English 2) the rhythmic patterns of the English language 3) patterns and functions of English intonation,

so that the students will be able to communicate more effectively with good pronunciation and intonation.

Course content1. English phonemes: correct

discrimination and pronunciation2. Stress of English words and sentences:

basic rules and functions3. English rhythmic patterns: basic

features and functions4. English intonation: structures,

functions and use

Textbook

《英语语音教程》An English Pronunciation Course

王桂珍 编著高等教育出版社

2000

Reference books1. Cruttenden, A., Gimson’s Pronunciation

of English, Edward Arnold Limited & Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press, 2001

2. Gimson, A.C., An Introduction to Pronunciation of English, London: Arhold, 1970.

3. O’Connor, J. D. Better English Pronunciation, Cambridge University Press, 1967

Assessment

1. Written Exam (30%): Discrimination of phonemes and the meaning of sentences, marking of the prominence and intonation of sentences.

2. Oral Exam (70%): Reading of short passages and dialogues, oral interview, etc.

EnglishWest Germanic language

About 325 million native speakers: Britain, 56 million

the USA, 232 million Canada, 24 million

Australia & New Zealand 17 million

The sole official language in more than two dozen countries

The most important language of commerce The most widely learned second language

General British & General American

GB GA kit, ship, bridge, milk, myth…e dress, step, neck, edge, shelf… trap, tap, back, badge, hand… lot, stop, sock, possible, quality … truck, cup, suck, budge, pulse… foot, put, bush, full, good, look…: bath, staff, brass, ask, dance… cloth, cough, broth, cross, long …: r nurse, hurt, lurk, burst…i: i fleece, speak, leave, feel, key…

GB GAe e face, tape, cake, raid, veil, steak

…: palm, psalm, father, bra, spa …: thought, taught, sauce, jaw … o goat, soap, joke, home, know, so …u: u goose, loop, shoot, tomb, huge

…a a price, ripe, write, arrive, try … choice, avoid, noise, join, toy …a a mouth, out, house, loud, crowd … (r near, beer, sincere, fear … (r square, care, fair, pear, scarce …: (r start, far, bark, carve, farm …: (r north, for, short, scorch, born …: o(r force, four, sport, porch, borne … (r cure, poor, tourist, pure, plural …

Find Thyself

The only problem unconsciously assumed by all Chinese philosophers to be of any importance is: How shall we enjoy life, and who can best enjoy life? No perfectionism, no straining after the unattainable, no postulating of the unknowable; but taking poor, mortal human nature as it is, how shall we organize our life so that we can work peacefully, endure nobly and live happily?

• Who are we? That is the first question. It is a question almost impossible to answer. But we all agree that the busy self occupied in our daily activities is not quite the real self. We are quite sure we have lost something in the mere pursuit of living. When we watch a person running about looking for something in a field, the wise man can set a puzzle for all the spectators to solve: what has the person lost? Someone thinks it is a watch; another thinks it is a diamond brooch; and others will essay other guesses. After all the guesses have failed, the wise man who really doesn’t know what the person is seeking after, tells the company: “I’ll tell you. He has lost some breath.” And no one can deny that he is right. So we often forget our true self in the pursuit of living, like a bird forgetting its own danger in pursuit of a mantis, which again forgets its own danger in pursuit of another prey, as is so beautifully expressed in a parable by Chuangtse.

The Lake Isle of InnisfreeI will arise and go now, and go to Innisfree,And a small cabin build there, of clay and wattles made;Nine bean-rows will I have there, a hive for the honey bee,And live alone in the bee-loud glade. And I shall have some peace there, for peace comes dropping slow,Dropping from the veils of the morning to where the cricket sings;There midnight’s all a glimmer, and noon a purple glow,And evening full of the linnet’s wings.

I will arise and go now, for always night and dayI hear lake water lapping with low sounds by the shore;While I stand on the roadway, or on the pavements grey,I hear it in the deep heart’s core.

Elements of good English pronunciation

• to pronounce correctly the individual speech sounds of English

• to pronounce correctly the speech sounds in their combinations in isolated words as well as in sentences

• to speak fluently with correct rhythm, including the correct placement of stresses and pauses and the transition of sounds according to the context

• to speak with appropriate intonation according to the context

Phonemes: 20 vowels & 24 consonantsCombination of sounds: cameraSound linking: Was all of it eaten?Word stress: present vs presentRhythmic pattern: How did you manage to finish it?Weak forms: fish and chipsSentence stress: – Were you there last night? – No, John was there.Intonation: I beg your pardon. I beg your pardon?

English vowels & vowel classification

The English pure vowels can be classified according to

the height of the raised part of the tongue

the part of the tongue raisedthe position of the lips

• I’ve got a week off.• Don’t rush into anything.• Wrap it in a scarf.• Your aunt is very ill.• It’s about a family on a farm.• It ends at a quarter to eleven.• The actors were all on the stage at the

end.• Put it in a big envelope and lock it up.

English vowelsEnglish vowelsClassification & Classification &

DescriptionDescriptionThree factors for the description of English Three factors for the description of English

vowelsvowels

I. The height of the body of the tongue – I. The height of the body of the tongue –

highest point of tongue (vertical axis);highest point of tongue (vertical axis);

II. The front-back position of the tongue – II. The front-back position of the tongue –

highest point of tongue (horizontal highest point of tongue (horizontal axis);axis);

III. The degree of lip rounding - lip posture III. The degree of lip rounding - lip posture

i:

e

u:

: ɒ

۸

I

æ

:

э:

ə

high

mid-high

mid-low

low

front mid back

Vowel Charts: English Pure Vowels

English consonants & consonant classification

The English consonants can be classified according to

place of articulationmanner of articulation

voicing, i.e. voiced or voiceless

Reading Practice I shall have to try and get some cash from our bank at lunchtime. Then we can let them have the money that they want as soon as they like. What are they asking us to pay them?

Reading Practice I shall have to try and get some

cash from our bank at lunchtime. Then we can let them have the money that they want as soon as they like. What are they asking us to pay them? (15/41)

gzwang@mail.gdufs.edu.cn