Notes on Pronunciation

(Pronunciation Practices. To be drilled in class.)

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A. Long and Short Vowels

Practice 1

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B. Diphthongs

Ask your instructor to say German Wein ▶Normal ▶Slow , then say English "wine". Notice that the duration of the German vowel combination is considerably shorter than the English.

Practice 2

mein ▶Normal ▶Slow	Haus ▶Normal ▶Slow	neu ▶Normal ▶Slow
Wein ▶Normal ▶Slow	Maus ▶Normal ▶Slow	neun ▶Normal ▶Slow
nein ▶Normal ▶Slow	auch ▶Normal ▶Slow	deutsch ▶Normal ▶Slow
leider ▶Normal ▶Slow	glaube ▶Normal ▶Slow	Leute ▶Normal ▶Slow

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C. Post-vocalic r

Post-vocalic r in German has a vowel-like sound. It does not sound like the English r. Listen carefully to the following pairs of words and imitate them to the satisfaction of your instructor.

Practice 3

Note that the syllable with post-vocalic r is in every case slightly longer than the syllable without it. If you watch your instructor's lips carefully you may also see that they are slightly farther apart, his mouth slightly more open on this syllable.

Now practice the following groups, first the long vowels and then the pairs of long and short vowels with post-vocalic r, and finally the vowels followed by r and a consonant.

Practice 4

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D. Pre-vocalic r (voiceless)

The pre-vocalic r differs from the post-vocalic r. Most speakers of German make the pre-vocalic r with slight friction between the back of the tongue and the soft palate, the region back of the mouth near the uvula. This sound is very similar to the final sound in noch and nach. Practice the following groups:

Practice 5

noch ▶Normal ▶Slow	lachen ▶Normal ▶Slow	Dachau ▶Normal ▶Slow
doch ▶Normal ▶Slow	pochen ▶Normal ▶Slow	Bochum ▶Normal ▶Slow
nach ▶Normal ▶Slow	tauchen ▶Normal ▶Slow	Bucholz ▶Normal ▶Slow
auch ▶Normal ▶Slow

Now try making the same sound right after the initial consonants in the following groups:

Practice 6

Frau ▶Normal ▶Slow	Trost ▶Normal ▶Slow	Prost ▶Normal ▶Slow	Krone ▶Normal ▶Slow
fragen ▶Normal ▶Slow	traute ▶Normal ▶Slow	prall ▶Normal ▶Slow	Kragen ▶Normal ▶Slow
froh ▶Normal ▶Slow	treffen ▶Normal ▶Slow	Preis ▶Normal ▶Slow	krumm ▶Normal ▶Slow

You may find it necessary at first to whisper an extra syllable at the beginning of these words and pronounce Fochau, Tochost, pochall, Kochone, etc. Don't hesitate to try this if necessary.