46: ’Three,’ ’through,’ ’throw’ and other /θr/ combination words

American English Pronunciation Podcast

Seattle Learning Academy

Language Learning, Self-improvement, Education

4.6 • 543 Ratings

🗓️ 27 January 2009

⏱️ 7 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

The pronouncing 'unvoiced th' /θ/ in English is difficult; the r sound also is difficult. Together they are VERY difficult. Full episode transcripts at www.pronuncian.com/podcast.

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hi everyone, and welcome back to Seattle Learning Academy's American English pronunciation podcast.
0:10.0	My name is Amanda, and this is an updated release of our 46th episode.
0:16.5	Today's podcast is about a combination of sounds that are especially difficult for many non-native
0:22.4	English speakers, the unvoiced TH plus R sound, as in the word three, three.
0:33.6	It isn't surprising that this sound combination is so difficult.
0:38.3	The unvoiced TH and R sound individually cause problems for many non-native English speakers.
0:45.3	When they occur right next to each other, the level of difficulty is multiplied.
0:51.3	Both the unvoiced TH and the R sound are continuous consonants,
0:58.4	meaning the sounds can be pronounced for a long time.
1:02.8	I'm going to say and hold each sound.
1:06.8	Join me if you can.
1:09.1	Unvoiced TH.
1:10.4	Th.H.
1:14.2	Th.
1:18.3	R sound.
1:20.5	R.
1:29.3	Now let's compare that to a couple discontinuous consonants. The T sound, T, and the C-H sound,
1:34.3	CH.
1:36.3	Notice that I can't say and hold these two sounds.
1:41.3	The closest I can get is to say each sound multiple times,
1:46.5	t, t, t, or ch, ch, ch, ch. So, unvoiced T, H, and R are continuous consonants. Because these are
1:58.9	both continuous consonants, I can blend them from one into the next.
	...

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