Improve Your Pronunciation - Study Session 10 - ESL Blogs

Voiceless and Voiced Consonant Pair

Consonant Sounds /tʃ/ and /dʒ/

[ Click on the image to see it on a large scale!]

-{ Click ' HERE ' for the transcript of my voice }-

Step 1: Watch the videos - VERY IMPORTANT (I've given the transcript for an easy grasp of the speech.)

First, while you are watching a video, make the consonant sound and pronounce the .............words as instructed by Alex.

Second, play the video again but this time look at the transcript while listening to Alex. .............Again, don't forget to make the consonant sound and pronounce the words.

Voiceless Consonant /tʃ/

(Video 1 - Watch in 'Full Screen')

This is a voiceless consonant.

You can hear it at the beginning of the word ‘choke’ /tʃəʊk/,

In the middle of the word ‘teacher’ /ˈti:tʃə/,

At the end of the word ‘match’ /mætʃ/,

and at the beginning and end of the word ‘church’ /tʃɜ:tʃ/.

Did you notice the shape of my mouth? Look! ‘church’ /tʃɜ:tʃ/.

Now let’s practise. Listen and repeat after me.

choke ./tʃəʊk/

teacher /ˈti:tʃə/

match /mætʃ/

church ../tʃɜ:tʃ/ Ok!

Similar Sounds /tʃ/ and /dʒ/

You may find it difficult to hear the difference between the voiceless sound that you hear at the beginning of the word ‘choke’ /tʃəʊk/, and the voiced sound that you hear at the beginning of the word ‘joke’ /dʒəʊk/.

Listen carefully to hear the difference. For each examples, I’ll say the word with the voiceless sound /tʃ/ first.

voiceless consonant /tʃ/ voiced consonant /dʒ/

choke ./tʃəʊk/ .joke ./dʒəʊk/

chunk /tʃʌŋk/ .junk /dʒʌŋk/

rich /rɪtʃ/ ridge ../rɪdʒ/

lunch ../lʌntʃ/ ..lunge ./lʌndʒ/

Now you try. Listen and repeat after me. Ok!

Voiced Consonant /dʒ/

(Video 2 - Watch in 'Full Screen')

This is a voiced consonant.

You can hear it at the beginning of the word ‘joke’ /dʒəʊk/

In the middle of the word ‘lodger’ /ˈlɒdʒə/

At the end of the word ‘bridge’ /brɪdʒ/ and at the beginning and end of the word ‘judge’ /dʒʌdʒ/.

Did you notice the shape of my mouth? judge /dʒʌdʒ/ - judge /dʒʌdʒ/

Now, let’s practise. Listen and repeat after me.

joke ./dʒəʊk/

lodger ./ˈlɒdʒə/

bridge ./brɪdʒ/

judge ../dʒʌdʒ/ Ok!

similar sounds /dʒ/ and /tʃ/

You may find it difficult to hear the difference between the voiced sound which your hear at the beginning of the word ‘joke’ /dʒəʊk/ and its voiceless partner that you hear at the beginning of the word ‘choke’ /tʃəʊk/.

Listen carefully to hear the difference. For each examples, I’ll say the word with the voiced sound /dʒ/ first.

voiced consonant /dʒ/ voiceless consonant /tʃ/

joke ./dʒəʊk/ .choke ./tʃəʊk/

junk ./dʒʌŋk/ .chunk ../tʃʌŋk/

lunge /lʌndʒ/ .lunch ../lʌntʃ/

surge /sɜ:dʒ/ ..search /sɜ:tʃ/

Now, you try. Listen and repeat. Ok!

SUPPLEMENTARY VIDEO

(Video 3 - Watch in 'Full Screen')

* unvoiced = voiceless

Step 2: Do this activity! - VERY IMPORTANT

Click on the image below for the animation of the speech organs. Watch what happens inside our mouth when the voiceless consonant /tʃ/ and voiced consonant /dʒ/are made in isolation.

Follow these steps if you are not sure where to start from: (refer to the numbers)

1. Click the tab 'affricate' to make the pair of consonants appear first.

2. Click the phonetic symbol of the voiceless consonant /tʃ/ and you'll see the rest.

3. Click the 'play' button to watch the animation of the voiceless consonant /tʃ/

4. Click the 'radio button' and 'play' button again to watch the articulation in steps.

5. Click the right 'play' button for the front view of the mouth when /tʃ/ is articulated.

6. Click the 'speaker icon' to listen to the voiceless consonant used in words.

7. Follow steps 2 - 6 to listen to the voiced consonant /dʒ/

Step 3: Your Audio Assignment - COMPULSORY

Record the following as per the instructions given and embed your audio player in the

comment box. [If you've never used a voice recorder before, click HERE and learn how

to do it.]

1. .Say the phonemes the number of times they appear.

Voiceless consonant: /tʃ/ /tʃ/ /tʃ/ /tʃ/ /tʃ/................ say slowly

Now, say this line rhythmically: check check check-check-check 3X

Voiced consonant: /dʒ/ /dʒ/ /dʒ/ /dʒ/ /dʒ/................ say slowly

..Now, say this line rhythmically: jerk-jerk-jerk jerk------- 3X

2. .Read the list of words in pairs.

Voiceless /tʃ/ Voiced /dʒ/

char ../ tʃɑ:/ .jar ../dʒɑ:/

chunky ./ˈtʃʌŋki/ .junkie ./ˈdʒʌŋki/

cheer ./tʃɪə/ jeer /ʤɪə/

chinks ./tʃɪŋks/ jinx ./dʒɪŋks/

chump ./tʃʌmp/ .jump ../dʒʌmp/

etch ./etʃ/ .edge /edʒ/

batch ./bætʃ/ .badge /bædʒ/

march ./mɑ:tʃ/ . marge /mɑ:dʒ/

perch ./pɜ:tʃ/ ..purge ./pɜ:dʒ/

beseech /bɪˈsi:tʃ/ .besiege / bɪˈsi:dʒ/

3. .Names of the countries that begin with /tʃ/ and /dʒ/

/tʃ/ - Chad Chile China the Czech Republic

/tʃæd/ /ˈtʃɪli/ /ˈtʃaɪnə/ /ðə ˌtʃek rɪˈpʌblɪk/

/dʒ/ - Germany Georgia Jamaica Japan

/ˈdʒɜ:məni/ /ˈdʒɔ:dʒə/ /dʒəˈmeɪkə/ /dʒəˈpæn/

4. .Read each sentence twice! (Make a clear difference between /tʃ/ and /dʒ/)

.This jolly chap chose a chilly job. / ðɪs ˌdʒɒli ˈtʃæp tʃəʊz‿ə ˌtʃɪli ˈdʒɒb /

.Jim Jones, a cheerful child, chose to chew a jam sandwich with a pinch of ginger

.jelly, sitting on a large chair under the church porch, which was jolly but chilly.

A sample of the audio assignment that I've recorded for you!

You can use this Vocaroo Voice Recorder to practise the above Audio Assignment.

[Note: Your recordings will not be saved permanently in this widget!]

This study session is assisted by G & G: Gabriel | Galina

"No matter how good teaching may be, each student must take the responsibility

for his own education."

~ John Carolus S. J.~

~* GS *~

May 21st. 2013

[Please take note that Study Session 11 will be posted on 31.05.2013]

Click HERE to go (back) to the main contents page at EC Virtual Classroom if you

want to check all the previous and future lessons.

Study Session 9 Study Session 11

Don't forget to click the 'Like' button if you find the posting useful!

@ Stephen

Here’s something about voiced consonants that you may find interesting! We all know that the consonants /b/, /d/, /g/, /ð/, /v/, /z/, /ʒ/, /dʒ/ and few others make our vocal cords vibrate, hence they are called ‘voiced consonants’.

When a voiced consonant, for example /dʒ/ (either in the beginning or middle of a word) is followed by a vowel sound, it maintains the full strength of the sound. However, when /dʒ/ occurs at the end of a word it loses its strength and becomes weak as there’s no other sound to follow. In other words, /dʒ/ is devoiced at the end; will be heard more or less like /tʃ/ but not like the pure /tʃ/ as our vocal cords still vibrate. To understand this, you must listen a lot to words that end with voiced /dʒ/. Please use the online Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary and practise pronouncing the below list of words. Thank you!

Pay attention to the initial and final /dʒ/

gel /dʒel/ - ledge /ledʒ/

jab /dʒæb/ - badge /bædʒ/

Jim /dʒɪm/ - midge /mɪdʒ/

These two words will help you to understand better the difference between an initial /dʒ/ and a final /dʒ/

George /dʒɔ:dʒ/ not /dʒɔ:tʃ/

Judge /dʒʌdʒ/ not /dʒʌtʃ/

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Comments

Prostomolotova Galina June 15, 2013 8:57

Hello, everybody!

I missed you so much!
Rajesh June 11, 2013 5:47

WoW! Thank you million times, my dear bro! You know what makes me more happy now is: I come to know how to pronounce different voiced consonant sounds - /z/, /ʒ/ and /ʤ/. :) Thank you, bro! Waiting for SS #11...
bright - rubies June 11, 2013 4:47

Hello teacher Gabriel, It's 5 am morning today when I decided that it is the time to do it as I promised you. I hope to get your correction about it, I don't mind to repeat it if it required :)
Gabriel Sowrian June 7, 2013 20:22

Hello, my dearest participants!

.

If you have time, please check my other blog that shows how easy pronunciation could become once you know the symbols that represent speech sounds and also know how to read the phonetic spellings. Thank you!

.

This is the link:.

http://my.englishclub.com/profiles/blogs/the-power-of-phonetic-spel...
Gabriel Sowrian June 6, 2013 22:15

@ Stephen

I was entranced by your powerful voice and accent that sounded exactly like an English native speaker. Your articulation of the consonant pair and the manner you read the sentences were absolutely outstanding. You, to put it simply, knocked me out. Fantastic performance, buddy!

Okay, you’ve already learned from my earlier comment why the ending /dʒ/ is hard to make, unlike when it occurs in the initial position of a word. From now on when you speak, try to pay special attention to all the words that end with the voiced consonant /dʒ/. Make sure it sounds different from the pure voiceless consonant /tʃ/. It will become a second nature if you do that. Wish you good luck, Stephen!
Stephen June 6, 2013 16:51

Yes, thank you Gabriel for your deep explanation. I've never known it before until I read your blogs. The oxford dictionary is really helping. I think I should review all the previous lesson. Thank you for your time teacher! :)
I'll be an avid learner here!
Gabriel Sowrian June 6, 2013 16:35

@ Stephen

Here’s something about voiced consonants that you may find interesting! We all know that the consonants /b/, /d/, /g/, /ð/, /v/, /z/, /ʒ/, /dʒ/ and few others make our vocal cords vibrate, hence they are called ‘voiced consonants’.

When a voiced consonant, for example /dʒ/ (either in the beginning or middle of a word) is followed by a vowel sound, it maintains the full strength of the sound. However, when /dʒ/ occurs at the end of a word it loses its strength and becomes weak as there’s no other sound to follow. In other words, /dʒ/ is devoiced at the end; will be heard more or less like /tʃ/ but not like the pure /tʃ/ as our vocal cords still vibrate. To understand this, you must listen a lot to words that end with voiced /dʒ/. Please use the online Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary and practise pronouncing the below list of words. Thank you!

Pay attention to the initial and final /dʒ/

gel /dʒel/ -   ledge /ledʒ/

jab /dʒæb/ -   badge /bædʒ/

Jim /dʒɪm/ -   midge /mɪdʒ/

These two words will help you to understand better the difference between an initial /dʒ/ and a final /dʒ/

George /dʒɔ:dʒ/ not /dʒɔ:tʃ/

Judge    /dʒʌdʒ/    not /dʒʌtʃ/
Gabriel Sowrian June 4, 2013 21:13

@ Rajesh

I should say that you’ve played your cards right! You’ve spoken in a controlled, even voice. I could hear every sound clearly, particularly our focus of attention – consonant sounds /tʃ/ and /dʒ/. I found real enjoyment listening to your audio recording. Job well done, Rajesh!

Now, I want you to listen to the word ‘Jamaica’ and compare the way you have pronounced. It is /dʒəˈmeɪkə/ and not /dʒʌˈmaɪkɑ:/. Thank you! I’ll be seeing you, bro! Keep rocking :-)
Gabriel Sowrian June 3, 2013 23:57

ago           Delete Comment

@ Daniel

You know what? I couldn’t conceal my envy of you! Your spoken English is absolutely first-rate. What could I say about your accent, ah? You sound, as I mentioned previously, exactly the same as a native speaker of English. I must admit that you are doing amazingly well. It’s fortunate of us to have you in the class – there’s a lot for the other participants to learn from you.

Okay, I’m fully satisfied with the manner you articulated the consonant sounds /tʃ/ and /dʒ/. I like the groove in your voice while saying the two lines rhythmically. Overall, this audio assignment of yours is yet another excellent work, Daniel.

Well! I’m not sure whether it’s my ears that are fooling me or something else! You pronounced, as few other participants did, the word ‘chose’ /tʃoʊz/* like /tʃu:z/ ‘choose’

Click on the words below to hear the difference in pronunciation between the two.

  choose (simple present) /tʃu:z/

  chose (simple past) /tʃoʊz/*

* North American pronunciation.
Gabriel Sowrian June 3, 2013 22:24

@ Sakshi

Welcome back to G & G’s pronunciation class! Do you know how greatly you were missed by our phonetic family? We are glad that you’ll be participating actively like you did before!

Gosh, you’ve left no stone unturned. You’ve proved that nothing could stop you from sustaining the high standard of pronunciation. It didn’t decline even a drop, though you were not around in the class for a while!

Your pronunciation of the consonant pair for study session 10 is perfect. You've done yourself proud, girl! Bravo!!

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