This is the third in a series of articles that describe accent reduction strategies you can use to improve your American English pronunciation. Here are two more great tips for improving your American accent.
Accent Reduction Strategy 6-Learn to Pronounce the two “th” Sounds The letter combination “th” has two different sounds in spoken English. One of the “th” sounds is a voiced sound as in the words the and there. Non-native speakers often substitute the /z/ sound for the voiced “th” sound and this creates a noticeable accent.
The other “th” sound is a voiceless sound as in the words thanks and Thursday. Non-native English speakers often substitute the sounds /d/, /t/ for the voiceless “th” sound and this sound substitution will also contribute to your accent.
Since the “th” sounds are two of the most frequent consonant sounds in spoken English you must learn to pronounce them correctly if you want to reduce your accent.
Accent Reduction Strategy 7-Learn to Pronounce Word Medial “t” When you are speaking American English the medial letter “t” in words such as water and butter often takes on a new sound.
This sound is called the flap and it actually sounds like more like a quick /d/ than a /t/. To make the flap you must tap your tongue quickly behind your gum ridge.
Since the flap is another sound that occurs frequently in spoken American English, your ability to pronounce this sound will help you reduce your accent and sound more American.
I teach you all about the American English “TH” sounds in my VERY AFFORDABLE Accent Reduction Success CD.