Exercise 7.2
In the recording, you should have discovered that /p/, /t/, and /k/ are produced with an extra puff of air that you can clearly hear. You can compare it to a /h/-like sound, as a result of which paper sounds like 'phapher', and talk like 'thalk'. This is called aspiration. Because of this, the sound is pronounced slightly later, since it starts with an escape of air. Aspiration, as you have already heard, can occur at the start of a word or syllable with /p/ ,/t/, or /k.
For this exercise, place the palm of your hand in front of your mouth, with a distance of approximately 5 centimetres, as you can see in the picture.
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1. paper 7. Peter
2. talk 8. take
3. cold 9. copper
4. pepper 10. pretty
5. totter 11. platter
6. cocker 12. cocoon
Try it a few times until you can actually feel the air against your hand and then record yourself. Listen back to your recording for improvement.
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​Then, pronounce the words below two times; first, as you would normally pronounce them, and then with an extra puff of air. Can you feel the puff of air against your hand when saying /p/, /t/, or /k/ in the highlighted places? If you cannot hear it, try to let the air escape with more power until you can feel it, but don’t exaggerate. It is about a light puff of air, not about an explosion of air.
Exercise 7.3
Adapted from: Hermans, (2018)
Sentences taken from: Smakman, (2014)
Now you know what aspiration is and when it is used, copy the phrases below into your Pronunciation Portfolio and underline all /p/, /t/, and /k/ sounds that you think are subjected to aspiration. When you are done, listen back to recording 7a and check your answers against what you hear in the recording. Make any corrections where necessary.
Please note: the recording demonstrates the occurrence of aspiration in an exaggerated way to make you aware of when aspiration is used and when it is not used. All /p/, /t/, /k/ sounds have been highlighted below to help you focus on what you hear.
In the recording, you will hear the following phrases:
1. train station 5. pull up stakes
2. keep starting 6. cast the first stone
3. pie in the sky 7. keep a stiff upper lip.
4. panic stations 8. put a spanner in the works.
Now that you have listened to the recording and made corrections to your predictions, look back at the phrases above and try to come up with an explanation of when aspiration is not used. Once you have written down a possible explanation, go on with the next exercise.