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hypnotist
Joined: 04 Dec 2004
Location: I wish I were a sock
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 Posted: Thu May 05, 2005 7:53 am Post subject: A couple more questions.. |
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Sorry guys.. I'm helping coach my friend in English in return for help with my Korean, and as I'm not a teacher there are a few things I struggle with  Please help out a nice young man in difficulty 
1) How do you explain the difference in pronunciation between 'work' and 'walk'? She's having trouble with 'walk' in particular.
2) How come a hill can be steep, but you wouldn't say a mountain was? "The steep mountain" just sounds wrong (though add "-side" and it sounds much better).
Cheers all. I appreciate it |
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turtlepi1
Joined: 15 Jun 2004
Location: Abu Dhabi, UAE
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| Posted: Thu May 05, 2005 8:44 am Post subject: Re: A couple more questions.. |
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| hypnotist wrote: |
1) How do you explain the difference in pronunciation between 'work' and 'walk'? She's having trouble with 'walk' in particular.
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People will prob say I am wrong but as a non-ESLer (6 months does not an ESLer make) here is what I did. At first I "hanguelized" thinking I was helping them. (wrong) then later I tried "werk" & "wauk" or "wock" (because we know they can say *beep*) *like that was getting past the swear filter*
One of the things I found eventually was to hold a paper in front of their face. Work (aspirated? Right term? Air out) Walk (non-aspirated No air out) And then practice so their ear becomes attuned to the difference. No easy lesson though...takes practice...(and I am not sure I use the aspirated/non aspirated rule when I say those words but it seemed to help) Plus work on tongue position...say both of them (exagerate the pronunciation). Feel where your tongue is and the shape of your mouth. They are quite different. Korean tongues move up and down not back and forth like westerners so they have to "train" their tongue.
| Quote: |
2) How come a hill can be steep, but you wouldn't say a mountain was? "The steep mountain" just sounds wrong (though add "-side" and it sounds much better).
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The steep mountain is fine (but you will want to make sure it makes sense in the context.) The valley was surrounded by steep mountains.
But if we were doing something: we would navigate/climb the steep mountain road/face. But I guess often we would not be so specific because the listener assumes the route in context. I fell down the steep mountain. (side/slope is assumed)
I'm not an ESLer either so take it for what it is worth |
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bosintang
Joined: 01 Dec 2003
Location: In the pot with the rest of the mutts
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| Posted: Thu May 05, 2005 9:47 am Post subject: |
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| You can try bringing a mirror, and following you, getting your friend to mouth 'walk' and 'work' in it and other sounds they have trouble differentiating. However don't dwell on this...you'll only discourage them. Show them a few times, move on, and let them pick it up through practice and experience. |
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peppermint
Joined: 13 May 2003
Location: traversing the minefields of caddishness.
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| Posted: Thu May 05, 2005 12:00 pm Post subject: |
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| The reason you won't hear "steep mountain" much is because it's redundant. Mountains are steep by definition really. |
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hypnotist
Joined: 04 Dec 2004
Location: I wish I were a sock
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| Posted: Thu May 05, 2005 4:05 pm Post subject: |
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| Thanks guys - really helpful |
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