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Drills for English /v/ and /θ/ versus Japanese sounds visualisation

Drills for English /v/ and /θ/ versus Japanese sounds

Mastering Challenging Japanese Sounds: A Comprehensive Guide: Drills for English /v/ and /θ/ versus Japanese sounds
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For practicing English /v/ and /θ/ sounds compared to Japanese sounds, here are detailed insights and drills:

English /v/ Sound Drills

  • To produce /v/, place the bottom edges of the upper teeth against the inside of the lower lip and vibrate the vocal cords while forcing air out with friction.
  • Practice minimal pairs differentiating /v/ from /b/, since Japanese lacks /v/ and often substitutes it with /b/.
  • Use word lists (e.g., very, live, vote) and tongue twisters (e.g., “Violet is very vivacious”) to train.
  • Record oneself and compare pronunciation to native models to improve accuracy.
  • Note: The /v/ sound is challenging for Japanese speakers as Japanese has no phoneme like /v/, often replacing it with /b/. 1, 2, 3

English /θ/ Sound Drills

  • To pronounce /θ/, place the tip of the tongue between upper and lower teeth and push air out without vibrating the vocal cords, creating friction.
  • Practice with word pairs (e.g., think/sink, math/mat), common words (e.g., month, theory), and tongue twisters (e.g., “Take a fifth bath and do some math”).
  • Record and playback for self-assessment to ensure correct tongue placement and airflow.
  • Japanese speakers often substitute /θ/ with /t/ or /s/ sounds due to lack of the /θ/ phoneme in Japanese. 4, 5, 6

Japanese Sound Comparison and Challenges

  • Japanese lacks the voiced labiodental fricative /v/, usually substituting it with the bilabial stop /b/.
  • The voiceless dental fricative /θ/ in English is not found in Japanese; it is often replaced by alveolar /t/ or /s/ sounds by Japanese speakers.
  • These substitutions cause difficulties in distinguishing English words with /v/ and /θ/ sounds, making targeted drills useful.
  • Efforts to reduce accent can focus on distinguishing these sounds carefully, using focused exercises and personalized feedback. 3, 7, 8, 9

This summary provides drill ideas for /v/ and /θ/ contrasting with Japanese sounds, focusing on articulation, common substitutions by Japanese speakers, and practical exercises like minimal pairs and tongue twisters to improve mastery.

If specific drill examples or exercises are desired, they can be provided next.

References

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