Exercise 5.4
Adapted from: Duberman, (2016)
The problem with the ‘voiceless’ /th/ is that many Dutch speakers of English produce this sound as a /t/ /f/, or /s/. This causes them to say tink instead of think, or fing, instead of thing.
Record yourself while pronouncing the word pairs below.
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The first word in each pair contains the ‘voiceless’ /th/, the second word contains a /t/, /f/, or /s/. Make the distinctions between both sounds consciously, so that you will be able to feel the difference between both forms of /th/. There is a clear difference, which you should be able to feel.
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If it helps you, you can write down in your Pronunciation Portfolio what you feel for each of the different sounds.
Listen back to your recording afterwards to be able to hear the difference.
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moth – moss 6. thick – fick
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mouth – mouf 7. thing – sing
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path – arse 8. think – fink
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tenth – tense 9. thumb – tum
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theme – teem 10. worth – worf
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Exercise 5.5
Adapted from: Duberman, (2016)
Now that you have heard the difference between what happens in your mouth when you produce a correct ‘voiceless’ /th/ sound or substitute the sound for a /t/, /f/, or /s/, record yourself two more times.
In the first recoding, pronounce each of the word pairs below again, as you hold on to the /th/ sound for as long as you can before you pronounce the rest of the first word. You can then pronounce the second word immediately after the first one.
In the second recording, pronounce all word pairs back-to-back, without holding on to the /th/.
Listen back to your recording for improvements.
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moth – moss 6. thick – fick
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mouth – mouf 7. thing – sing
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path – arse 8. think – fink
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tenth – tense 9. thumb – tum
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theme – teem 10. worth – worf
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