The /θ/ is getting better, and I think I manage to do the /x/ most of the time, but it hurts!
Recording 2
Recording 2
Sunday, February 15, 2015
Monday, February 9, 2015
Some progress on the /θ/ front
I find that the reading aloud helps me the most with the practice of the /θ/, as seeing the spelling makes me remember to use this sound. I don't know if this would transfer into speaking, though.
I've also been doing a bit better with the alveolar trill "r" although I tend to overcompensate and use it in places where the tap "r" is used. I like the minimal pair practice for this. Another thing I hadn't realized was that, according to its description (and the phonetic symbol), this is the same tap that appears in "kitty". I find it impossible to think of these as the same phoneme! I will need to listen to it more in order to reconcile it with my idea of an "r".
In terms of vowels, I don't think I have any problems other than perhaps making them more open. I will do a new recording tomorrow and then listen to it to see if anything else catches my attention.
I've also been doing a bit better with the alveolar trill "r" although I tend to overcompensate and use it in places where the tap "r" is used. I like the minimal pair practice for this. Another thing I hadn't realized was that, according to its description (and the phonetic symbol), this is the same tap that appears in "kitty". I find it impossible to think of these as the same phoneme! I will need to listen to it more in order to reconcile it with my idea of an "r".
In terms of vowels, I don't think I have any problems other than perhaps making them more open. I will do a new recording tomorrow and then listen to it to see if anything else catches my attention.
Tuesday, February 3, 2015
But wait, there's more!
In
the meantime, I realized that there are other consonants to work on! I
read a bit more on Spanish phonology on Wikipedia and I also checked out
other exercises on StudySpanish.com - here, the explanations on how the
sound is formed are not always very good but at least there are clear
examples.
I found that I also need to improve: the /b/, /d/, and /ɡ/, which are pronounced as approximants, unless they come after a nasal consonant or they are word-initial; this /b/ is also spelled as the letter "v", which I tend to pronounce /v/.
Also, the /d/ is different from English - it's a laminal denti-alveolar (Wikipedia) and this is how it's explained on StudySpanish.com: "The Spanish "d" has two separate sounds, hard and soft. At the beginning of a word and after "n" or "l", the hard Spanish "d" closely resembles the "d" in the word "dog." The difference is that when pronouncing the hard Spanish "d", the tongue touches the back of the front teeth (rather than the gum ridge, as in English). In other situations (particularly between vowels) the "d" is softer, closely resembling the "th" sound in the word "this."" I think this is a pretty helpful description, and it's next on my list to practice!
I found that I also need to improve: the /b/, /d/, and /ɡ/, which are pronounced as approximants, unless they come after a nasal consonant or they are word-initial; this /b/ is also spelled as the letter "v", which I tend to pronounce /v/.
Also, the /d/ is different from English - it's a laminal denti-alveolar (Wikipedia) and this is how it's explained on StudySpanish.com: "The Spanish "d" has two separate sounds, hard and soft. At the beginning of a word and after "n" or "l", the hard Spanish "d" closely resembles the "d" in the word "dog." The difference is that when pronouncing the hard Spanish "d", the tongue touches the back of the front teeth (rather than the gum ridge, as in English). In other situations (particularly between vowels) the "d" is softer, closely resembling the "th" sound in the word "this."" I think this is a pretty helpful description, and it's next on my list to practice!
Consonant practice
So far, I have been practicing in two ways:
1 - Lists of words
I found a website with exercises for Spanish pronunciation, some of which I find quite useful: StudySpanish
I used this to practice my alveolar trill [r] and the alveolar tap [ɾ] . I like the fact that it has practice contrasting the two, including minimal pairs and words which contain both (those are the most difficult!). I also used it to work on my /x/ and I plan to use it for other features as well (it has vowels, intonation, connected speech etc.).
I decided to pronounce the approximant /j/ (usually spelt as "ll" or "y", like in "llena" or "ayuda") just like in English, since it seems to me that this how the actress in my archetype is saying it. In other regions of Spain it is something between /j/ and /ʒ/, a sound that I find very difficult to get right.
2 - Reading aloud
I've done some reading out loud, focusing on the sounds mentioned above, and also on the /θ/, which I can produce but I have to remember to do it. My roommate listened to me reading and stopped me here and there, asking me to repeat and correct myself. I also stop and repeat the words when I have trouble or when I notice I said it wrong. The reading is especially useful for those "r"s and made me realize how difficult it is to juggle between the trill and the tap.
1 - Lists of words
I found a website with exercises for Spanish pronunciation, some of which I find quite useful: StudySpanish
I used this to practice my alveolar trill [r] and the alveolar tap [ɾ] . I like the fact that it has practice contrasting the two, including minimal pairs and words which contain both (those are the most difficult!). I also used it to work on my /x/ and I plan to use it for other features as well (it has vowels, intonation, connected speech etc.).
I decided to pronounce the approximant /j/ (usually spelt as "ll" or "y", like in "llena" or "ayuda") just like in English, since it seems to me that this how the actress in my archetype is saying it. In other regions of Spain it is something between /j/ and /ʒ/, a sound that I find very difficult to get right.
2 - Reading aloud
I've done some reading out loud, focusing on the sounds mentioned above, and also on the /θ/, which I can produce but I have to remember to do it. My roommate listened to me reading and stopped me here and there, asking me to repeat and correct myself. I also stop and repeat the words when I have trouble or when I notice I said it wrong. The reading is especially useful for those "r"s and made me realize how difficult it is to juggle between the trill and the tap.
Sunday, February 1, 2015
Trouble consonants
After listening to my recording (and also from what I know about my Spanish pronunciation weaknesses), there are several consonant issues that stand out:
- the dental fricative /θ/ - this is mainly a matter of remembering to do it, as I am used to pronouncing /s/ from Argentinian Spanish
- the alveolar trill /r/ - I am able to produce it but with much effort and that's why I usually don't produce it in speech. It needs training to become effortless and automatic.
- the voiceless velar fricative /x/ - this one is a challenge, I can't really make it, I usually just do the English or Romanian /h/
- the approximant /j/ - this sound is giving me trouble too. I'm used to the Argentinian postalveolar /ʒ/ or /ʃ/
Another sound that sounds a bit different is the /s/. I did a bit of research on it but it seems that phonologists are not very sure in what way it is different. The usual notation is [s̺] and Wikipedia says it is "an apical alveolar retracted fricative (or "apico-alveolar" fricative), sounding to some ears a bit like English /ʃ/". According to Obaid,
"There is a Castilian s, which is a voiceless, concave, apicoalveolar fricative: the tip of the tongue turned upward forms a narrow opening against the alveoli of the upper incisors. It resembles a faint /ʃ/ and is found throughout much of the northern half of Spain." What?? Since I have no idea how to produce it, I'm not going to focus on this sound.
References:
Obaid, Antonio H. (1973), "The Vagaries of the Spanish 'S'", Hispania (American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese) 56 (1): 60–67
- the dental fricative /θ/ - this is mainly a matter of remembering to do it, as I am used to pronouncing /s/ from Argentinian Spanish
- the alveolar trill /r/ - I am able to produce it but with much effort and that's why I usually don't produce it in speech. It needs training to become effortless and automatic.
- the voiceless velar fricative /x/ - this one is a challenge, I can't really make it, I usually just do the English or Romanian /h/
- the approximant /j/ - this sound is giving me trouble too. I'm used to the Argentinian postalveolar /ʒ/ or /ʃ/
Another sound that sounds a bit different is the /s/. I did a bit of research on it but it seems that phonologists are not very sure in what way it is different. The usual notation is [s̺] and Wikipedia says it is "an apical alveolar retracted fricative (or "apico-alveolar" fricative), sounding to some ears a bit like English /ʃ/". According to Obaid,
"There is a Castilian s, which is a voiceless, concave, apicoalveolar fricative: the tip of the tongue turned upward forms a narrow opening against the alveoli of the upper incisors. It resembles a faint /ʃ/ and is found throughout much of the northern half of Spain." What?? Since I have no idea how to produce it, I'm not going to focus on this sound.
References:
Obaid, Antonio H. (1973), "The Vagaries of the Spanish 'S'", Hispania (American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese) 56 (1): 60–67
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