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Accent Reduction: Secrets of English Pronunciation for Koreans, part 2

Welcome back to part 2 of the secrets of English pronunciation for Koreans. Because English and Korean are very different languages, there are some sounds that create extra difficulty for Korean speakers learning English. I hope you will find that these secrets give you that extra boost to make your English more understandable.

Secret #3: You must understand the difference between short and long vowels.

A common confusion is between the long e as in sheep and the short i as in ship. To make a long ee sound, pull your lips back into a smile. Practice saying words like sheep, sleep, team, green, and street.

The lips are not pulled back as far when saying the short i sound. This is the sound in words like ship, slip, Tim, grin, and swim.

Secret #4: You must learn to hear the difference between the w, r, and l sounds.

You are probably aware that this is a challenge, as once again, your native language does not really distinguish between these sounds and English does. The w is produced by rounding your lips, turning on your voice, and releasing the sound. It comes out as ” oooh -uh” at first. The l sound is made by placing the tongue behind the front teeth and turning on the voice. The r is made by producing the l sound, then pulling the tongue a little farther back in the mouth, keeping the tip up but no longer touching.

These four secrets are some of the biggest reasons that Korean speakers struggle with their English pronunciation. Now that you know the secrets, you should practice the sounds until you can hear and say the different English pronunciations.

If you cannot hear the differences on your own, or you want individual help to practice, contact an accent reduction specialist. You may be able to find one locally or you may prefer to find someone who offers services via webcam. That way, you can study with a native speaker who lives anywhere in the world and you can schedule classes at your convenience in the privacy of your own home or office.

If you aren’t sure if you need individual classes, find someone who offers a free accent screening and get an expert opinion.

Now you know the secrets; its time to put them into use.

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Accent Reduction: Secrets of English Pronunciation for Koreans, part 1

I am an accent reduction specialist, and I am going to give away some secrets of English pronunciation for Koreans learning English. There are some common mistakes that almost all Koreans make, and it is because of the differences between the Korean and English languages. Once you understand these differences, you’ll be on your way to clearer speech and less frustration when speaking English.

Secret #1: You must understand the difference between voiced and unvoiced sounds.

K and G are almost the same sound, but G uses voice and K does not. What do I mean? Put your hand on your throat and say “ahh” Feel the vibration? Your voice is on. Now say k-k-k-k. You should not feel vibration. Now try saying g-g-g-g-g. You should feel the vibration again. This voicing is the only difference between the word coat (a piece of clothing) and the word goat (an animal).

Secret #2: You must learn to hear the difference between the f, v, b, and p sound.

This is a difficult concept for many Koreans because the f and v don’t really exist in your native language, and the b and p are often interchangeable. However, in English each of these sounds is distinct, and using the wrong sound can easily change the whole meaning of a word. Here is a very simple example:

fan – something that blows air to cool you off

van – a vehicle you can drive

ban – to prohibit or not allow something

pan – a cooking utensil

The only difference in each of these words is the first letter, but it completely changes the meaning of the word. So, you can see how easily an English speaker would be confused if you substituted one of these sounds for another.

The difference in these sounds is in the lip and teeth placement, and also in the voicing, like we talked about earlier.

F and V are both produced by putting the top teeth on the lower lip and blowing. The V uses voicing and the F does not.

B and P are both produced by pushing the lips together and releasing. The B uses voicing and the P does not.

Try saying the words fan, van, ban, and pan. When you master the four sounds, each of those words will sound different.

Now you know some of my secrets. I hope they help you with your English pronunciation. If you are still having trouble, contact an accent reduction specialist, who will work with you on exactly what you need. For the ultimate convenience, look for someone who offers private lessons via webcam. These classes can be scheduled at your convenience and in the privacy of your home or office. It doesn’t get much simpler than that!

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