蘋果是 “Apple” 不叫 “愛泡”: Vowel “a” vs. “e”

寫了篇 "講講我矯正英文發音的故事” 貼子, 放在 "美語” “中年” “原創” 壇, 沒想到反映還停熱烈, 點擊過6000. 原本隻是想用俺的親身經曆勉勵一下在國外生活的同胞, 尤其象俺這樣的中年人, 矯正英文發音, never too late. 可斑竹們和有些網友們讓俺” 寫續”, 實在盛情難卻. 不過, 俺聲明俺不是英文教授, 千萬別把俺寫的東西當真理啊.  錯的地方指出, 俺可不想誤人子弟.

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元音 (vowel) “a” & “e” 是英文中最常見的元音. 如果發不好這兩個 vowel , 很難把英文講標準.

“e” 的發音:

 

1.  長元音  發”e”上麵一橫 (符號上不去, don’t know why).  Similar to 中文中的” 一 “   Often, double “ee” or “ea” .  發長元音”e”, 兩腮向兩側拉開, 臉要 smile.

e.g., easy, east, eat, beat, bee, be, fee, feast, yeast, beast, keep, beep, need, meet, meat, least, cease, etc.

Ea=ee, 長元音.

2-1. 短元音, 發”e” 上麵一”v”, similar to 中文中的” 愛 “ (ai).

Bed, met, kept, slept, test, etc.

2-2. 短元音, 發”U” 上麵一”V”,û ,    similar to 中文中的 ”額” 

e.g. early, earth, heard, earn, etc.

I could not tell the difference between û and 倒過來的”e” (one of the “a” sounds, see below), who can? Californians cannot. My speech pathologist said that New Yokers can, maybe.

By the way, people in the East coast claim that they speak a more standard English than us Californians because they arrive at America first. But, I like Californian accent. Californian girls talks so sweetly. 

 “a” 的發音:

1. 長元音. 發”a”上麵一橫,    It’s easy, 發 abc 的 a. 要發地夠長才標準啊.

     e.g., age, base; case, date, face, gate, hate, jail, waste, vacation, etc.

2. 短元音

2-1. Yinbiao?   similar to 中文中的”啊”    媽媽 (Mama), 爸爸 (Baba).

e.g., bar, fast, park, vast, class, glass, hash, last, etc.

2-2. 發”a”上麵一”V”,   It is difficult.  中文中無此發音. 最接近的一個是 “俺” (An), 但又不完全一樣. 發短元音”a”上麵一”V” 時, 舌頭要使勁往回收, 巻成 “U” 形, 有點象發 “R”, 但舌尖不上挑,. 巻起來的舌頭兩後側用力壓住上後牙. 聲帶要震動. 關鍵的關鍵是要把嘴張很大, 這樣無論如何也發不成 “e” 了, 切記!!!

e.g., apple, bad, back, ambulance, rats, hat, had, ask, valley, salad, balance, half (L不發音, trust me) etc.

Europeans 發 Ask 為 “啊sk”, 發 Half  為 “哈佛”

Our governor 發 ”California” 為 “卡裏fornia”, 政壇笑話而已, British quality, nothing wrong with it.

Tomorrow morning, read these words to your American colleagues. Ask them if your pronunciation is close enough.

2-3. 發倒過來的”e”, similar to 中文中的 ”額” 

e.g., salad, Balance, etc.

Then, read following sentences:

I had to ask him how to keep these apples fresh.

 

I had a bad dream last night.

These rats are sleeping in their bed.

Half of this is done.

California produces good quality apples and oranges?

I had salad for lunch.

QinHwang

4/22/07