Job Discussion Forums

TK4Lakers · Joined: 06 Jan 2006 Posts: 159

I assume most of the people here are native speakers of the English language, but I was wondering if anyone had any words that were hard to pronounce.

Mine has to be the word "harder." When I see it coming in the textbook, I brace myself and just try to say it quickly. I'm not even sure if the students recognize that I might be pronouncing it in a funny way.

What about you?

littleturtle · Joined: 31 Oct 2006 Posts: 24

"Schedule"

The JTEs and the class pronounce a hard K, ie 'skedule', but I cant seem to bring myself to do that. In my dialect, its 'shhedule'. This confuses JTEs and students..

ElleB · Joined: 07 Feb 2005 Posts: 20

"Sects" and "adjective."

Let's talk about Buddhist sects in English class!

JimDunlop2 · Joined: 31 Jan 2003 Posts: 2286 Location: Japan

TokyoLiz · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 1548 Location: Tokyo, Japan

The word probably is the most problematic pronunciation for me. I usually pronounce it as a two syllable word.

I can't distinguish between the two back vowels in the words caught and cot, which is mystifying to some JTEs, as it is clearly indicated in the dictionary that they are two distinct sounds. My variety of English doesn't have that distinction.

My Scottish grandfather used to get all irritated by us second generation Canadian kids who pronounce mirror as a one syllable word.

Perhaps some of you folks also have such reduced pronunciation of particular words...

Perpetual Traveller · Joined: 29 Aug 2005 Posts: 651 Location: In the Kak, Japan

'Sentences'

It just never wants to come out clearly, unless I really slow it down. And of course it is a word that comes up time and again in our field! Razz

PT

Dipso · Joined: 28 Apr 2004 Posts: 194 Location: England

I can never say "lure" for some reason. Thankfully it's not a word I need to use too often.

JimDunlop2 · Joined: 31 Jan 2003 Posts: 2286 Location: Japan

Probably the harder way to lure new students into our cots is to schedule them to look in a mirror as they are caught on camera trying to compose sentences using adjectives to describe religious sects.

Do I win the thread?

littleturtle · Joined: 31 Oct 2006 Posts: 24

Yes, you do. Razz

TokyoLiz · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 1548 Location: Tokyo, Japan

Here's one to teach your senior high students!

http://paul.merton.ox.ac.uk/language/poem.html

Reetski · Joined: 24 Oct 2006 Posts: 6 Location: Auckland

try getting your students to say this:

Irish wrist-watch, Swiss wrist-watch.

A challenge for most native English speakers too...

bornslippy1981 · Joined: 02 Aug 2004 Posts: 271

I can't say "butter." It sounds like "butt tir." "Cotton" sounds like "cott ton."

It must by the double T that throws me off. Not sure why?

katsu · Joined: 08 Feb 2007 Posts: 35 Location: here and there

I sound like an alien when I say the word "Brooks" (as in shoes), or crooks. I guess I don't favour the "_roo_"

Also, I sometimes stumble on the word endeavors, and as a kid I couldn't get used to the word leopard, and evertime I'd see it, I'd read Leo Pard which drove my friends insane.

Razz

cornishmuppet · Joined: 27 Mar 2004 Posts: 642 Location: Nagano, Japan

'Clothes'. Its the end. I pronounce it 'cloves'.

TokyoLiz · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 1548 Location: Tokyo, Japan

Ditto clothes, which presents much the same problem as months. Damn those voiced and unvoiced th sounds before a plural s.

The other miserable combination I hate is the consonant cluster sk followed by plural s. I can teach you the basics of pronunciation in English, but don't ask me to tell you the risks of not learning English pronunciation properly!