Proununciation

A.   Pronunce /ð/

The two letters t and h in combination (th) are very common in English. They represent one of two different sounds:

• the voiced dental fricative /ð/ (as in this)
• the voiceless dental fricative /θ/ (as in thing)

But, in here we will explain about /ð/.  Key Points :

• Keep your mouth slightly open.
• Spread the blade of your tongue and place it in between your top and bottom teeth.
• Release your voice out over the tongue through your teeth.
• Touch your hand to your throat — make sure you feel a vibration.

The sound /ð/ has the following features:

• Its manner of articulation is fricative. That means the sound is produced by letting air flow through a narrow channel at the place of articulation.
• Its place of articulation is dental. That means the sound is articulated with the tip of the tongue against the back of the upper teeth.
• Its phonation is voiced. That means the vocal cords vibrate during the articulation.

Below are lists of words that contain the /ð/ in the beginning, the middle, and the end of the word. Try producing these words to hear the relationship between /ð/ and other nearby sounds.

BEGINNING	MIDDLE	END
THAN	MOTHER	TEETHE
THEM	WHETHER	SEETHE
THY	ALTHOUGH	BREATHE

BEGINNING /ð/	CONTRAST
THEN	ZEN
THOSE	DOZE
THERE	DARE

END /ð/	CONTRAST
BATHE	BATE
SOOTHE	SUES
LOATHE	LOAD

MIDDLE /ð/	CONTRAST
FATHER	FODDER
CLOTHING	CLOSING
WORTHY	WORDY

B.   Pronunce /ʒ/

We're going to learn how to pronounce the consonant sound /ʒ/, as in the words "usual " and "vision”. How to Pronounce /ʒ/:

Tongue: Point the tip of your tongue forward to the gum ridge (bump on the roof of your mouth). Do not touch the ridge. The sides of your tongue should gently touch your back teeth. Create a hole for the air to flow through.
Exhale and vocalize, feel the air flow over the center of your tongue.

lips: slightly protruded (forward and turned out)

Example :

·         measure (/m'eʒəʳ/)

·         vision (/v'ɪʒən/)

·         beige (/b'eɪʒ/)

·         exposure (/ɪksp'oʊʒəʳ/)

·         closure (/kl'oʊʒəʳ/)

·         pleasure (/pl'eʒəʳ/)

·         treasure (/tr'eʒəʳ/)

·          leisure (/l'eʒəʳ/   /l'iːʒəʳ/ US)

·         enclosure (/ɪnkl'oʊʒəʳ/)

·         disclosure (/dɪskl'oʊʒəʳ/)

·         illusion (/ɪl'uːʒən/)

·         decision (/dɪs'ɪʒən/)

·         derision (/dɪr'ɪʒən/)

·         delusion (/dɪl'uːʒən/)

·         fusion (/fj'uːʒən/)

·         cohesion (/koʊh'iːʒən/)

·         version (/v'ɜːʳʃən, v'ɜːʳʒən/)

·         aversion (/əv'ɜːʳʃən/  /əv'ɜːʳʒən/ US)

·         diversion (/daɪv'ɜːʳʃən/   /dɪv'ɜːrʒən/ US)

C.   Exercises

1.      Choose these words which pronounce /ð/!

them with that brother rather booth

wealthy southern breathe clothing anything

bathroom method sympathy

2.      Listen the speaker and write the words downd!

THERE	DARE
FATHER	FODDER
LOATHE	LOAD

3.      Look for  an example of /ð/ and /ʒ/ in your dictionary and make it a sentence!

D.   Answers

1.      The following words contain the voiced /ð/ sound :

Them, that, brother, rather, southern, breathe, clothing

The following words contain the voiceless /θ/ sound :

With, booth, wealthy, anything, bathroom, method, symphathy

2.      Dare, father, loathe.