1. How would your fellow-student probably pronounce the English diphthong [eij?
2. Suppose that a fellow-student pronounces the Russian sound combination [ajj instead of the English diphthong [eij. Is it a phonological mistake? Keeping in mind what you know about the articulation of [ei] tell him what to do in order to make the diphthong correct.
:). Is the diphthong longer in laid îò in late?
i. Suppose your fellow-student pronounces the Russian sound combination [ajj instead of the English diphthong fai]. What would you tell him to do in order to correct the sound?
■ '.ive examples to illustrate that [ai] is not equally long in different phonetic contexts.
i>. What articulation exercises would you recommend for the diphthong [aij ?
7 Suppose your fellow-student pronounces the Russian sound i ombination [oj] instead of the English diphthong [oij. Is the mistake phonetic or phonological? What would you recommend to correct the mistake?
ë < '-ive examples where (oij is the longest.
the diphthong (oij is too long and too close in the word ra/ce the mistake is called phonetic. Can you explain why?
10. Suppose your fellow-student pronounces the Russian sound combination [oy] instead of the English [çè]. Is it a phonetic or phonological mistake? What would you tell him to do in order to change [oy] to [ýè] ?
11. What articulation exercises would you recommend for the diphthong [çè]?
12. What articulation features of the vowel sounds differentiate the meaning of the words: bet — bought — boat; got — goat.
13. What advice would you give your fellow-student who makes
the glide of the diphthong (au] too strong and close in the words about, shout?
14. Suppose your fellow-student pronounces the Russian vowel [è] instead of the nucleus of the English diphthong (iaj. Keeping in mind what you know about the articulation of the English diphthong [þ] tell him what to do to change (èý] to [iaj.
15. What articulatory features of the vowel sounds differentiate the meaning of the words pierce — peace?
16. How would you help your fellow-student if he says beer instead of bear? Is this mistake phonetic or phonological?
17. What articulatory features of the vowel sounds differentiate the meaning of the words here and hair?
18. Is the diphthong [ñý] longer in pear îò in pears?
19. Suppose your fellow-student pronounces the Russian [y] instead of the nucleus of the English diphthong [èý]. What would you tell him to do in order to change [óý] to [èý) ?
20. What articulatory features of the vowel sounds differentiate the meaning of the words shoe — sure?
21. Give examples to illustrate that the diphthongs [þ.ñý. èý), aic
not equally long in different phonetic contexts.
22. What articulation exercises would you recommend for the
English centring diphthongs [ia, åý, èý] ?
VOWEL SEQUENCES
All vowel sequences are pronounced with a smooth glide b(** tween them both within words and between words. No glott.il stop is recommended, eg ruin, react, beyond; go out.
The most common sequences are formed by adding the neutral vowel [ý] to a diphthong, especially to [aij and [au], eg Hon, hour. The second element in these sequences is the weakest or is even dropped.
In fluent English speech one word is not separated from another, the end of one word flows straight on to the beginning of the next. Care should be taken not to separate the words by a glottal stop. An English speaker glides smoothly from the final vowel sound of the preceding word to the initial vowel sound of the following word with no break, no gap before the vowel.
The articles take the forms [di] and [ýï] before words beginning with a vowel sound to help us glide continually from one word to another, eg the arm (di- 'arm], an arm [ýï 'a-mj.
The letter "r" spelled at the end of words is pronounced before the next word beginning with a vowel to link the words (the linking "r"), eg ëåàãåã and nearer ['øýãýãand 'øýãý].
Recommendations. 1. Take a mirror and practise the vowel sequences Jaia], |àèý] making the second element very weak or do not pronounce it at all.
2. Make sure you do not allow any glottal stop within the vowel sequences or between the words. Join the words smoothly.
3. Blend the words together in fluent speech. Make use of the linking "r" where necessary. Pronounce the articles as [di] and
] before words beginning with vowels.
Possible Mistakes, i. Russian learners can easily replace the English vowel sequences (aia, àèý] by the Russian sound combinations [ajaj or [àóý] with the second element being too strong. The organs of speech should hardly reach the position of the ounds [i] and [uj in the sequences. Watch your mouth in a mir-ior. No actual movement of the jaw and the lips should be seen.
2. Russian students of English often drop the sound in the
mg-form of verbs ending in [ij, like studying, copying. Think
.malytically. say the parts of a word separately, then put them together smoothly. Do not swallow the sound of the suffix.
3. Russian students sometimes split the natural flow of F.nglish speech into disconnected segments, i.e. words. Practise s.iying a rhythmic group as one word.
4. The usual fault is to insert a glottal stop before each word beginning with a vowel. Make sure your speech flows with a •inooth transition from one word to the next.