Friday, September 16, 2011

Remember that /θ/ and /ð/ are two DIFFERENT sounds in American English!

The /th/ sound comes in two different varieties in English--the unvoiced /θ/ as in thick and the voiced /ð/ as in the or these.  The difference, obviously is that you use your voicebox/vocal cords to make the second one--as in either.

The best rule to remember is that when the /th/ sound comes between two vowels, it is voiced.  This is because vowels in American English are always voiced, so it is easier.  But there are exceptions to this rule, for instance the word "ether" (the chemical that used to be used as an anasthetic).  But also, remember that "ether" is a scholarly or technical word, not an everyday word.  In English, scholarly or technical words are often exceptions to the rules used in everyday speech.  This is because scholarly or technical rules are typically drawn from other, non-English languages, with different rules.

Okay?  Okay.  And remember that I offer a free no obligation phone consult and a free trial lesson.  Give me a call @ (732) 618-4135 to schedule yours today!  I'd love to hear from you!

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