Presenter = Sam  @_emaileng
Music = Mara Carlyle   @MaraCarlyle  www.maracarlyle.bandcamp.com

Hello!  And welcome to Chat Eng – a podcast where people chat about how they learn and use English.  My name is Sam, I’m a CELTA teacher and a performer, and I have a particular interest in pronunciation and expression.   

In each episode, non-native and native speakers will chat about their experiences with English, share their advice and, at the end, I’ll give some pronunciation tips for you to take away and practice.  

So – ready?  Let’s get Chat ENG!  

This episode, I’m chatting with Ann.  Ann is from California, she’s a nurse and has just started a Masters degree.

 We met in a café, socially distanced, so you will hear some café sounds!  We chatted about accents and articulation, word choices, the language of a community, and academic writing … but I started by asking Ann to tell me a little about herself…

INTERVIEW

Never get embarrassed!  If you don’t try, you don’t improve, so take Ann’s advice and keep on trying!  

 Accents vary so much across the English speaking world and it’s difficult for English learners to know which is the right one… if there even is a “right one”.  So, this episode’s pronunciation tip is about going back to basics.  

The best place to start with English pronunciation is with an introduction – Mouth … meet Tongue!  Thinking about your mouth and your tongue can really help you find the common sounds all English speakers make – so, let’s do a few short exercises!

1.   First, imagine you’re in a kitchen and you smell your favourite food… and you say “Mmmmm!”.  Notice - where is the sound?  Is it in the front of your mouth with your lips, or is it in the back of your mouth with your throat?  If it’s in the front = great!  If it’s in the back – try and produce the sound more at the front... try to make your lips buzz little.  Mmmmm!  

When we speak English, the sound should be more at the front of your face!

2.  Next, place the tip of your tongue – the smallest point – on the top part of your mouth that is closest to your top front teeth, and gently make the sounds “L” , “D” and “N”.  Don’t stick your tongue out!   Keep it in your mouth!   Only use the tip of your tongue and only touch the flesh connected to your front teeth.  L – D – N. Notice how it feels – is it easy? Do you want to change the position of your tongue?  The sound should be in the same place as the “Mmmm”

Now say ‘London’ and try not to change the position of your tongue!  

3.  Finally, let’s add “T” – this is an unvoiced consonant, which we also call a ‘frickative’ because it creates an explosive sound of air. “T”.   The tip of your tongue should still only touch the behind your top teeth.   

Keeping your tongue in the same place, now say “London Town”.  Notice – do you want to change the position of your tongue?  Try not to! 

Over to you to practice!

 So there we are!  The transcript of this episode is available to read on the podcast’s webpage, so take a look!  

Join me next time for more pronunciation tips, more advice and, most importantly, more chatting!

 My thanks again to Ann and, for her music, a massive thanks to the wonderful Mara Carlyle.   Bye for now!