The r sound is a distinctive one in the English
language and
has the most variation among the native speakers of English. In all English
dialects the r is pronounced at the beginning of a word or the start of a new
syllable. In the UK, Australia, South Africa and others the r is usually silent
at the end of the word unless the next word begins with a vowel. In America,
Canada, and some parts of the UK the r is almost always pronounced (these are
called rhotic accents). The goal of this article is to give you a firrrmerrr
grasp of the American r so you can speak more clearly and with confidence.
Speakers of other languages often think of American English
sounds as if the speaker has a wad of gum in their mouth. It is true, English,
and especially American English uses the jaw to form words more than other
languages. Do not be afraid to open your mouth wide to allow the full vowels to
come out. Notice how the speakers open their mouth when speaking and try to
emulate it when speaking yourself.
The r is a gnarling sound where the sound is focused at the
front of the mouth. The tongue must point to just behind the ridge that lies
just behind your teeth when producing the r sound, however do not allow the
tongue to touch the ridge. It must gently point upward. Try modulating from the
open ah sound to the arrr sound by gently closing your jaw and raising your
tongue to produce the sound until it becomes easy and second nature. This sound
is pronounced even at the end of sentences. Do not over do it, remember, the r
is natural and shouldn't cause any strain in your jaw.
Watching American media is a great way to get a grasp on the
sounds, as well as getting as much conversation practice as possible with
native speakers.
