PRONUNCIATION HIT with a click.
Foreigners and native speakers improve PRONUNCIATION and SPELLING.
ELEGANT, Colorful MIND MAPS relate Sound Spelling.
Original short STORIES associate WORDS - same SOUND but different SPELLING -
Songs, jokes, poems, proverbs…
Relevant and meaningful TASKS.
ORIGINAL, UNIQUE
validated by OXFORD & SANTIAGO UNIVERSITIES.
The Mind Map is an expression of Radiant Thinking and is therefore a natural function of the human mind. It is a powerful graphic technique which provides a universal key to unlocking the potential of the brain. Mind Maps can be applied to every aspect of life where improved learning and clearer thinking will enhance human performance. The Mind Map has four essential characteristics:
1) The subject of attention is crystallized in a central image.
2) The main themes of the subject radiate from the central image as branches.
3) Branches consist of a key image or key word printed on an associated line. Topics of lesser importance are also represented as branches attached to higher level branches.
4) The branches form a connected nodal structure.
Mind maps may be enhanced with colour and pictures, to add interest, beauty and individuality . These in turn add creativity, enhance memory and improve the recall of information. Storing data efficiently multiplies your capacity. It is like the difference between a cluttered warehouse and a library with an ordering system”
A pun /ˈpʌn/ is a play on words for comic effect. Here are a few of our favourites that will hopefully make you laugh;
“A man just attacked me with milk, cream and butter. I mean, how dairy!”
The pun is based on the word ‘dairy’, which is pronounced the same way as ‘dare he’ if you use a linking /r/ and drop the ‘h’ in ‘he’: /ˈdeəri/.
“I’m on a seafood diet. Every time I see food, I eat it!”
Plays on the homophones ‘sea’ and ‘see’, which are both pronounced /ˈsiː/.
“I want to make a joke about Sodium, but… Na.”
Plays on the homograph ‘Na’ which is both the chemical element Sodium, and an informal way of saying ‘no’. It’s pronounced with a long /æ/ sound: [ˈnæː].
“Did you hear about the Roman cannibal whose wife disappeared? He said he was glad he ate her.”
Plays on the homophone ‘gladiator’ and ‘glad he ate her’, in order to reach this pronunciation you need to join the words and drop both ‘h’ in the sentence to make /ˈglædieɪtə/.
“Atheism, the non-prophet organisation.”
This is based on the famous pun by American comedian George Carlin, playing on the homophones ‘prophet’ and ‘profit’, which are both pronounced /ˈprɒfɪt/ .
He’s all right now.”
The combination ‘all right’ is used as a homophone with the word ‘alright’ here: /ˌɔːlˈraɪt/.
“What time do you have to go to the dentist?” “Tooth hurtie.”
The time ‘two thirty’ is pronounced as a homophone with ‘tooth hurtie’, as it would be in connected speech: /ˌtuːθ ˈɜːti/. The ‘h’ in ‘hurtie’ isn’t heard clearly whether you pronounce it or not, as the voiceless fricative /θ/ is directly before it.
“I just went to an emotional wedding. Even the cake was in tiers.”
A play on the homophones ‘tears’ and ‘tiers’, which are both pronounced /ˈtɪəz/
“When you get a bladder infection, you know urine trouble.”
The word ‘urine’ is pronounced in the same way as ‘you’re in’ if you join it with a linking /r/: /ˈjɔːrɪn/, though they could also be pronounced /ˈjɜːrɪn/
“Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana.”
Perhaps the most famous of all puns, this by Groucho Marx plays on the homonym (both a homograph and a homophone) of the word ‘flies’ pronounced /ˈflaɪz/ which is both the verb ‘to fly’ in the third person, and the noun ‘fly’ in its plural form. It also plays on different uses of the word ‘like’ which is a preposition in the first sentence and a verb in the second.
/p/ is a plosive sound made by putting both lips together, stopping the air as it leaves the body, then releasing it with an explosion of air. Let’s have a go everyone: /p/ “speak proper”.
Aspiration (or when to spit)
/p/ in English pronunciation is subtly different from /p/ in many other languages because the sound normally comes with an extra puff of air called aspiration – so an English speaker would say the /p/ in PARK with aspiration, but a French speaker, for example, would pronounce the /p/ in PARC without aspiration.
Aspiration happens nearly always on a /p/ in English, but is particularly strong before a stressed vowel, like in PORT, POLITICS & DEPART. It’s important to aspirate because if you don’t, your /p/ may sound like a /b/ to native speakers, so if you’re trying to say PARK, a native might hear BARK.
Aspiration doesn’t happen after /s/, so you won’t hear it in SPELL, SPRAY or SPECIAL. Ironically then, there is no aspiration in the word ASPIRATION. Similarly bizarre is the fact that a SPIT sound in English contains aspiration, but the word SPIT itself does not… perplexing.
Silent P
/p/ appears in 2 very commonly mispronounced words by learners of English, but it shouldn’t! Don’t say the ‘p’ in RECEIPT, and don’t say the ‘p’ in CUPBOARD. Also, leave it out of RASPBERRY
In words starting PS, the ‘p’ is silent so don’t pronounce it in: PSYCHOLOGY, PSYCHOGENETIC, PSYCHODRAMA, PSYCHIC, PSALM, PSEUDO or everyone’s favourite guest at the motel: PSYCHOPATH.
Hiccough
The phoneme /p/ is always spelt with a ‘p’… except in one very bizarre word: HICCOUGH, in which the GH is pronounced /p/. This is caused by what is technically known as ‘folk etymology’. In other words, some bright spark in the late 16th century inexplicably and erroneously decided that a cough was a physical part of a HICCUP. The spelling of HICCUP with ‘cough’ then entered the language without changing the original pronunciation, to make one of the most preposterous spellings in the English language.
What a Nighpmare!
When a /t/ appears at the end of a syllable and is followed by a bilabial sound, namely /m,p,b/ it can be pronounced as an unreleased /p/ in connected speech. So BATMAN effectively becomes BAPMAN, FOOTBALL is FOOPBALL, and your FLATMATE turns into a FLAPMATE. This may sound like a NIGHPMARE, but most people do it without realising.
The
pronunciation of English vocalic graphemes is not always the same. One wrongly
assumes they are consistent as in other languages, but they are not.
The
relationship between spelling and sound
is unpredictable; therefore the pronunciation
is chaotic, erratic even whimsical. It is part of the peculiar
English Muddle.
Aware of
the problem, and given that neither the spelling nor the ear can be
trusted
Every year the OED (Oxford English Dictionary) adds new words, here is our pick from 2016 – 10 words that sum up the year’s social developments perfectly, how to pronounce them and what they mean:
A non-apology, otherwise known as a ‘non-apology apology’, is when you say sorry, but your statement doesn’t seem to actually express sorrow or regret.
You can do this purely with intonation: “I’m so sorry” is remarkably
less convincing than “I’m so sorry”. But the best non-apologies tend to
turn the tables on the listener, for example, “I’m sorry that you were
offended by what I said because you aren’t able to get my humour”.
Ostensibly a combination of the word ‘man’ and the word ‘boobs’, in the exact words of Oxford Dictionaries, moobs are: ‘deposits of excess fat on a man’s chest that resemble a woman’s breasts.’ Now, where did I put my ‘mra’ and my ‘mikini’
If
you regularly push facts into letterboxes, then it’s fair to say you
post truth. But add a hyphen, and you get the adjective ‘post-truth’,
which admittedly sounds the same, but means something very different.
It’s a world in which facts are totally insignificant,
an era that probably began this year in Britain when a pro-Brexit MP
declared that “people in this country have had enough of experts”. Do
you agree? Answers on a postcard, please.
The most sinister sounding new entry this year, it’s when young people engage in mundane activities associated with adulthood
and follows a long trend of nouns becoming verbs in English, even
though this one has become a noun again with ‘-ing’ on it. Examples of
adulting are: getting a job you don’t like; improving your skills in
domestic waste management; being nice to people as a rule not an
exception; and starting a family on purpose, rather than by accident.
The
Oxford dictionaries are famously slow at adding new words. But in the
case of uptalk, which appeared 30 years ago, they are really, really
slow. It’s when speakers use a rising tone on just about everything they say. I love it, but some people find it annoying. Oh and it’s sometimes referred to as ‘upspeak’ instead.
Unlike
brake fluid, gender-fluid is not a liquid, and is not always found in
cars. The stress goes on both words in the compound – ˌgender-ˈfluid,
it’s an adjective that describes those that feel masculine sometimes, and feminine at others without referring to their sexuality.
Certainly the most annoying new entry this year, this is an acronym for “You Only Live Once”, and has been blamed for all sorts of reckless behaviour, like jumping off balconies and shooting oneself in the head.
Q Why don’t cannibals eat clowns? A Because they taste funny. Well, that’s one possibility, another is that some cannibals suffer from coulrophobia – a fear of clowns.
As with all words ending in -phobia, the stress is on the ending
‘ˌcoulroˈphobia’. Its inclusion in the OED coincides with seemingly
random sightings of ‘evil clowns’ in innocuous settings everywhere from
Australia to Mexico including dozens in the UK, mainly targetted at
children. Scary!
Obviously, being a pronunciation school, we couldn’t resist this – robots who simulate real conversation with humans and collectively develop their conversational skills through Artificial Intelligence.
Amidst all the doom and gloom, here is a word to warm the cockles. It’s a Danish concept that describes a general feeling of wellbeing brought about by cosiness and comfort in everyday objects and situations.
The only stressful thing about it, is how on earth should we pronounce
it in English, I mean, what is that spelling? OED reliably informs us we
can go for /ˈhʊgə/ or /ˈhjuːgə/. So now we’ve solved that mystery, it’s
time to light the log fire, pour some coffee, invite the neighbours
round and experience some authentic Hygge, and perhaps a Hug, too.
These pronunciation MINDMAPS are unique. They relate sound and spelling.
a) The target sound appears in phonetics in a central image.
b) Branches with different spellings radiate from the central image.
The mind maps are enhanced with colour and pictures to add interest and loveliness. So they attract attention, enhance memory and improve the recall.
Mind maps store data efficiently and so multiply your capacity.
It is an evident visual display of the English sounds related to spelling.
All the system displayed in 22 mindmaps.
GO ON, look at the sample map and take the wise decision of continuing if you wish to improve your pronunciation or somebody else’s.
The branches should be read clockwise the first time so as to be acquainted with the procedure.
If you are not able to produce the sounds indicated by the phonetic symbols consult an English pronouncing dictionary: eg. Oxford Pronouncing Pocket Dictionary.
/ʃ/ is a voiceless fricative sound made slightly further back in the mouth than /s/, the sides of the tongue are touching the teeth, and the lips can be a tiny bit rounded. It is most commonly the SH in FISH and SHOE, the CH in CHEF and MACHINE, and the S in SURE and PASSION. It’s also found in word endings like the TI in EMOTION, the CI in SOCIAL and the CE in OCEAN, altogether now – /ʃ/
Shush!
Shhhh is the universally recognised English exclamation requesting quiet and is also found in verb form – SHUSH. Originally it came from the verb HUSH, which is also a noun, so a bit of HUSH then please. Of course, there are other options here, SHUT UP, SHUT IT, SHUT YOUR TRAP, or evenSHUT YOUR CAKE HOLE are impolite, and contain the /ʃ/ sound. You can request quiet whilst sounding boorish without pronouncing /ʃ/ with the idiom PUT A SOCK IN IT!
Latin Derivation
Some imported French words are spelt CH and pronounced /ʃ/ like CHEF, CHAMOIS, MACHINE,CHIC and MOUSTACHE, but others are with affricate /tʃ/, like CHANGE and ARCH. So in the popular name girl’s name CHARLOTTE we find /ʃ/ but in its male equivalent CHARLES, it’s /tʃ/ . We’ve also taken MACHETE from Spanish and PISTACHIO from Italian. DELICIOUS!
Sexual Issues (& Schedules)
If you are posh, you may have “sexual issues” without /ʃ/, whereas common folk have sexual issues with /ʃ/. A similar pattern appears in TISSUE, NEGOTIATE and several words ending -CIATE, something we all APPRECIATE. In British English, we tend to say /ʃ/ in SCHEDULE, whereas in American it’s with /sk/, so SCHEDULE.
In the book Funny Stories by Alba Paz 22 full-color mental maps are included, created by her to better understand how phonetics works, more info below, here are some of them:
All 22 mind maps are now available in an excellent full color paper edition, click on the cover page above for more info. And in ebook format for Kindle here: Mindmaps Kindle Edition.
Explanation:
The Mind Map is an expression of Radiant Thinking and is therefore a natural function of the human mind. It is a powerful graphic technique which provides a universal key to unlocking the potential of the brain. Mind Maps can be applied to every aspect of life where improved learning and clearer thinking will enhance human performance. The Mind Map has four essential characteristics:
1) The subject of attention is crystallized in a central image.
2) The main themes of the subject radiate from the central image as branches.
3) Branches consist of a key image or key word printed on an associated line. Topics of lesser importance are also represented as branches attached to higher level branches.
4) The branches form a connected nodal structure.
Mind maps may be enhanced with colour and pictures, to add interest, beauty and individuality . These in turn add creativity, enhance memory and improve the recall of information. Storing data efficiently multiplies your capacity. It is like the difference between a cluttered warehouse and a library with an ordering system”
(adapted from The Mind Map Book by Tony Bazan with Barry Buzan, BBC Books)
/ɑː/ is a vowel sound made with the jaw open, the lips relaxed, and the tongue slightly back. It is such an open sound that your dentist will ask you to make it in order to see inside your mouth. Altogether then, open wide /ɑː/
Spellings of /ɑː/
In most spellings of /ɑː/ we’ll find the letter ‘a’ and a silent consonant ‘l’ or ‘r’; most commonly the <ar> in CAR and TART and the <al> in CALM and PALM. It’s also the <ear> in HEART, the <er> in DERBY, the <au> in AUNT, the <a> in LAGER and the <oir> in BOUDOIR.
Learning /ɑː/
Learners of English pronunciation should ensure that they make three different sounds in the words HEART /ˈhɑːt/, HUT /ˈhʌt/ and HAT /ˈhæt/ as many languages only have one sound in that area of the mouth. Learners should not pronounce the ‘r’ in words like CART /ˈkɑːt/ and BARK /ˈbɑːk/, unless you are aiming for American English so /ˈkɑːrt/ and /ˈbɑːrk/. The negative word AREN’T /ˈɑːnt/ is pronounced exactly the same as AUNT, your parent’s sister. Also, be very careful with the word CAN’T /ˈkɑːnt/ – as without /ɑː/ it can become the rudest word in English, can’t it?
MIND MAP 2
