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Difficulty pronouncing “maths”, “baths”, “hundredths”, “sixths”
Exercises for pronouncing 'I'Is he pronouncing a common expression in some common way?Difficulty of pronouncing “is the” in fast speechPronouncing double “o” in Foot vs. CooperationPronouncing The American RIs there a difference between pronouncing [short u] and [long a] sounds?Pronouncing back to back 's' wordshow to practise pronouncing rWhat is the right way of pronouncing “blessed”?Is the Tongue movement exactly the same while pronouncing the T in “Part of” and “Party”?
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My native language lacks dental fricatives, as does the variety of English commonly spoken in my country ("Dis is a ting."). Within a month or so I have to learn how to speak in a way that's intelligible to native British speakers. I'm finding considerable difficulty pronouncing the -ths sound in "maths", the -ths sound in "baths" and the "-dths" sound in "hundredths". The closest I got is "mafs", "barvs" or "bars", and "hundretts", respectively. I'm able to say "math" (the way Americans say it) without a problem, but I suspect it would sound odd in Britain.
"Sixths" lies beyond my abilities altogether.
How can I remedy this issue? Is there a compromise sound I can substitute, say "f" or "v" for the voiceless/voiced dental fricative respectively, without being laughed at?
pronunciation
asked 8 hours ago
user2607user2607
61 bronze badge
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user2607 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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add a comment |
My native language lacks dental fricatives, as does the variety of English commonly spoken in my country ("Dis is a ting."). Within a month or so I have to learn how to speak in a way that's intelligible to native British speakers. I'm finding considerable difficulty pronouncing the -ths sound in "maths", the -ths sound in "baths" and the "-dths" sound in "hundredths". The closest I got is "mafs", "barvs" or "bars", and "hundretts", respectively. I'm able to say "math" (the way Americans say it) without a problem, but I suspect it would sound odd in Britain.
"Sixths" lies beyond my abilities altogether.
How can I remedy this issue? Is there a compromise sound I can substitute, say "f" or "v" for the voiceless/voiced dental fricative respectively, without being laughed at?
pronunciation
asked 8 hours ago
user2607user2607
61 bronze badge
New contributor
user2607 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
Especially about "sixths". Some people probably can pronounce it, but (in the US, anyway), hardly anybody does. We just extend the final little hiss of the "x" an extra couple sixths of a second, and it comes out as "six...s", and that's good enough. Also, I have definitely known native US English speakers who pronounce it "baffroom". It looks funny if you write it, but when you hear it, you barely notice.
– Lorel C.
6 hours ago
2
For the record, I've been speaking English all my life, and hundredths is still a word that's a bit challenge to enunciate clearly.
– J.R.♦
6 hours ago
Good question. We have neither too. Also the difference from R and L. Never worry, some day, you get used to ( but still make mistakes lol. )
– Kentaro Tomono
4 hours ago
add a comment |
My native language lacks dental fricatives, as does the variety of English commonly spoken in my country ("Dis is a ting."). Within a month or so I have to learn how to speak in a way that's intelligible to native British speakers. I'm finding considerable difficulty pronouncing the -ths sound in "maths", the -ths sound in "baths" and the "-dths" sound in "hundredths". The closest I got is "mafs", "barvs" or "bars", and "hundretts", respectively. I'm able to say "math" (the way Americans say it) without a problem, but I suspect it would sound odd in Britain.
"Sixths" lies beyond my abilities altogether.
How can I remedy this issue? Is there a compromise sound I can substitute, say "f" or "v" for the voiceless/voiced dental fricative respectively, without being laughed at?
pronunciation
asked 8 hours ago
user2607user2607
61 bronze badge
New contributor
user2607 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
My native language lacks dental fricatives, as does the variety of English commonly spoken in my country ("Dis is a ting."). Within a month or so I have to learn how to speak in a way that's intelligible to native British speakers. I'm finding considerable difficulty pronouncing the -ths sound in "maths", the -ths sound in "baths" and the "-dths" sound in "hundredths". The closest I got is "mafs", "barvs" or "bars", and "hundretts", respectively. I'm able to say "math" (the way Americans say it) without a problem, but I suspect it would sound odd in Britain.
"Sixths" lies beyond my abilities altogether.
How can I remedy this issue? Is there a compromise sound I can substitute, say "f" or "v" for the voiceless/voiced dental fricative respectively, without being laughed at?
pronunciation
pronunciation
asked 8 hours ago
user2607user2607
61 bronze badge
New contributor
user2607 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked 8 hours ago
user2607user2607
61 bronze badge
New contributor
user2607 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked 8 hours ago
user2607user2607
61 bronze badge
New contributor
user2607 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked 8 hours ago
user2607user2607
61 bronze badge
asked 8 hours ago
user2607user2607
61 bronze badge
61 bronze badge
New contributor
user2607 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
New contributor
user2607 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
Especially about "sixths". Some people probably can pronounce it, but (in the US, anyway), hardly anybody does. We just extend the final little hiss of the "x" an extra couple sixths of a second, and it comes out as "six...s", and that's good enough. Also, I have definitely known native US English speakers who pronounce it "baffroom". It looks funny if you write it, but when you hear it, you barely notice.
– Lorel C.
6 hours ago
2
For the record, I've been speaking English all my life, and hundredths is still a word that's a bit challenge to enunciate clearly.
– J.R.♦
6 hours ago
Good question. We have neither too. Also the difference from R and L. Never worry, some day, you get used to ( but still make mistakes lol. )
– Kentaro Tomono
4 hours ago
add a comment |
Especially about "sixths". Some people probably can pronounce it, but (in the US, anyway), hardly anybody does. We just extend the final little hiss of the "x" an extra couple sixths of a second, and it comes out as "six...s", and that's good enough. Also, I have definitely known native US English speakers who pronounce it "baffroom". It looks funny if you write it, but when you hear it, you barely notice.
– Lorel C.
6 hours ago
2
For the record, I've been speaking English all my life, and hundredths is still a word that's a bit challenge to enunciate clearly.
– J.R.♦
6 hours ago
Good question. We have neither too. Also the difference from R and L. Never worry, some day, you get used to ( but still make mistakes lol. )
– Kentaro Tomono
4 hours ago
Especially about "sixths". Some people probably can pronounce it, but (in the US, anyway), hardly anybody does. We just extend the final little hiss of the "x" an extra couple sixths of a second, and it comes out as "six...s", and that's good enough. Also, I have definitely known native US English speakers who pronounce it "baffroom". It looks funny if you write it, but when you hear it, you barely notice.
– Lorel C.
6 hours ago
Especially about "sixths". Some people probably can pronounce it, but (in the US, anyway), hardly anybody does. We just extend the final little hiss of the "x" an extra couple sixths of a second, and it comes out as "six...s", and that's good enough. Also, I have definitely known native US English speakers who pronounce it "baffroom". It looks funny if you write it, but when you hear it, you barely notice.
– Lorel C.
6 hours ago
2
2
For the record, I've been speaking English all my life, and hundredths is still a word that's a bit challenge to enunciate clearly.
– J.R.♦
6 hours ago
For the record, I've been speaking English all my life, and hundredths is still a word that's a bit challenge to enunciate clearly.
– J.R.♦
6 hours ago
Good question. We have neither too. Also the difference from R and L. Never worry, some day, you get used to ( but still make mistakes lol. )
– Kentaro Tomono
4 hours ago
Good question. We have neither too. Also the difference from R and L. Never worry, some day, you get used to ( but still make mistakes lol. )
– Kentaro Tomono
4 hours ago
add a comment |
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
You are worrying needlessly. Not everyone in Britain talks like the BBC or the Queen. In particular, dental fricatives are often replaced by labiodental fricatives in so-called Estuary English, the accent of much of South-east England. Maffs, barf, hundredfs are how many Estuary speakers would say 'maths', 'baths', and 'hundredths', strikingly so in Essex. The district of Thanet in Kent is called "Fannit" by many of its natives, and is sometimes jocularly called "Plannit Fannit" (Planet Thanet). I would pick an 'f' sound. Many natives cannot easily say 'sixths' in a 'standard' way. You need to understand that Britain is a very diverse country. It's not like in the movies. There are very many different accents and ways of speaking. There is a strong ethos of tolerance and acceptance of different ways of speaking. Maybe your anxieties about language are because of a rapidly approaching move. Relax.
Estuary
answered 7 hours ago
Michael HarveyMichael Harvey
22.3k1 gold badge26 silver badges48 bronze badges
Hope so. Would saying "maffs" outside the South-East sound weird?
– user2607
5 hours ago
You would get away with 'maffs' but do note that in the UK that subject is a plural, as it is not in the US.
– JeremyC
4 hours ago
@user2607 - You wouldn't want to say "maffs" intentionally, but, if that's how it came out when you tried to say the word, most would be pretty understanding, and it won't be the first time we've heard it said that way.
– J.R.♦
3 hours ago
add a comment |
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You are worrying needlessly. Not everyone in Britain talks like the BBC or the Queen. In particular, dental fricatives are often replaced by labiodental fricatives in so-called Estuary English, the accent of much of South-east England. Maffs, barf, hundredfs are how many Estuary speakers would say 'maths', 'baths', and 'hundredths', strikingly so in Essex. The district of Thanet in Kent is called "Fannit" by many of its natives, and is sometimes jocularly called "Plannit Fannit" (Planet Thanet). I would pick an 'f' sound. Many natives cannot easily say 'sixths' in a 'standard' way. You need to understand that Britain is a very diverse country. It's not like in the movies. There are very many different accents and ways of speaking. There is a strong ethos of tolerance and acceptance of different ways of speaking. Maybe your anxieties about language are because of a rapidly approaching move. Relax.
Estuary
answered 7 hours ago
Michael HarveyMichael Harvey
22.3k1 gold badge26 silver badges48 bronze badges
Hope so. Would saying "maffs" outside the South-East sound weird?
– user2607
5 hours ago
You would get away with 'maffs' but do note that in the UK that subject is a plural, as it is not in the US.
– JeremyC
4 hours ago
@user2607 - You wouldn't want to say "maffs" intentionally, but, if that's how it came out when you tried to say the word, most would be pretty understanding, and it won't be the first time we've heard it said that way.
– J.R.♦
3 hours ago
add a comment |
You are worrying needlessly. Not everyone in Britain talks like the BBC or the Queen. In particular, dental fricatives are often replaced by labiodental fricatives in so-called Estuary English, the accent of much of South-east England. Maffs, barf, hundredfs are how many Estuary speakers would say 'maths', 'baths', and 'hundredths', strikingly so in Essex. The district of Thanet in Kent is called "Fannit" by many of its natives, and is sometimes jocularly called "Plannit Fannit" (Planet Thanet). I would pick an 'f' sound. Many natives cannot easily say 'sixths' in a 'standard' way. You need to understand that Britain is a very diverse country. It's not like in the movies. There are very many different accents and ways of speaking. There is a strong ethos of tolerance and acceptance of different ways of speaking. Maybe your anxieties about language are because of a rapidly approaching move. Relax.
Estuary
answered 7 hours ago
Michael HarveyMichael Harvey
22.3k1 gold badge26 silver badges48 bronze badges
Hope so. Would saying "maffs" outside the South-East sound weird?
– user2607
5 hours ago
You would get away with 'maffs' but do note that in the UK that subject is a plural, as it is not in the US.
– JeremyC
4 hours ago
@user2607 - You wouldn't want to say "maffs" intentionally, but, if that's how it came out when you tried to say the word, most would be pretty understanding, and it won't be the first time we've heard it said that way.
– J.R.♦
3 hours ago
add a comment |
You are worrying needlessly. Not everyone in Britain talks like the BBC or the Queen. In particular, dental fricatives are often replaced by labiodental fricatives in so-called Estuary English, the accent of much of South-east England. Maffs, barf, hundredfs are how many Estuary speakers would say 'maths', 'baths', and 'hundredths', strikingly so in Essex. The district of Thanet in Kent is called "Fannit" by many of its natives, and is sometimes jocularly called "Plannit Fannit" (Planet Thanet). I would pick an 'f' sound. Many natives cannot easily say 'sixths' in a 'standard' way. You need to understand that Britain is a very diverse country. It's not like in the movies. There are very many different accents and ways of speaking. There is a strong ethos of tolerance and acceptance of different ways of speaking. Maybe your anxieties about language are because of a rapidly approaching move. Relax.
Estuary
answered 7 hours ago
Michael HarveyMichael Harvey
22.3k1 gold badge26 silver badges48 bronze badges
You are worrying needlessly. Not everyone in Britain talks like the BBC or the Queen. In particular, dental fricatives are often replaced by labiodental fricatives in so-called Estuary English, the accent of much of South-east England. Maffs, barf, hundredfs are how many Estuary speakers would say 'maths', 'baths', and 'hundredths', strikingly so in Essex. The district of Thanet in Kent is called "Fannit" by many of its natives, and is sometimes jocularly called "Plannit Fannit" (Planet Thanet). I would pick an 'f' sound. Many natives cannot easily say 'sixths' in a 'standard' way. You need to understand that Britain is a very diverse country. It's not like in the movies. There are very many different accents and ways of speaking. There is a strong ethos of tolerance and acceptance of different ways of speaking. Maybe your anxieties about language are because of a rapidly approaching move. Relax.
Estuary
answered 7 hours ago
Michael HarveyMichael Harvey
22.3k1 gold badge26 silver badges48 bronze badges
edited 3 hours ago
answered 7 hours ago
Michael HarveyMichael Harvey
22.3k1 gold badge26 silver badges48 bronze badges
answered 7 hours ago
Michael HarveyMichael Harvey
22.3k1 gold badge26 silver badges48 bronze badges
answered 7 hours ago
Michael HarveyMichael Harvey
22.3k1 gold badge26 silver badges48 bronze badges
22.3k1 gold badge26 silver badges48 bronze badges
Hope so. Would saying "maffs" outside the South-East sound weird?
– user2607
5 hours ago
You would get away with 'maffs' but do note that in the UK that subject is a plural, as it is not in the US.
– JeremyC
4 hours ago
@user2607 - You wouldn't want to say "maffs" intentionally, but, if that's how it came out when you tried to say the word, most would be pretty understanding, and it won't be the first time we've heard it said that way.
– J.R.♦
3 hours ago
add a comment |
Hope so. Would saying "maffs" outside the South-East sound weird?
– user2607
5 hours ago
You would get away with 'maffs' but do note that in the UK that subject is a plural, as it is not in the US.
– JeremyC
4 hours ago
@user2607 - You wouldn't want to say "maffs" intentionally, but, if that's how it came out when you tried to say the word, most would be pretty understanding, and it won't be the first time we've heard it said that way.
– J.R.♦
3 hours ago
Hope so. Would saying "maffs" outside the South-East sound weird?
– user2607
5 hours ago
Hope so. Would saying "maffs" outside the South-East sound weird?
– user2607
5 hours ago
You would get away with 'maffs' but do note that in the UK that subject is a plural, as it is not in the US.
– JeremyC
4 hours ago
You would get away with 'maffs' but do note that in the UK that subject is a plural, as it is not in the US.
– JeremyC
4 hours ago
@user2607 - You wouldn't want to say "maffs" intentionally, but, if that's how it came out when you tried to say the word, most would be pretty understanding, and it won't be the first time we've heard it said that way.
– J.R.♦
3 hours ago
@user2607 - You wouldn't want to say "maffs" intentionally, but, if that's how it came out when you tried to say the word, most would be pretty understanding, and it won't be the first time we've heard it said that way.
– J.R.♦
3 hours ago
add a comment |
user2607 is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
user2607 is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
user2607 is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
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Especially about "sixths". Some people probably can pronounce it, but (in the US, anyway), hardly anybody does. We just extend the final little hiss of the "x" an extra couple sixths of a second, and it comes out as "six...s", and that's good enough. Also, I have definitely known native US English speakers who pronounce it "baffroom". It looks funny if you write it, but when you hear it, you barely notice.
– Lorel C.
6 hours ago
2
For the record, I've been speaking English all my life, and hundredths is still a word that's a bit challenge to enunciate clearly.
– J.R.♦
6 hours ago
Good question. We have neither too. Also the difference from R and L. Never worry, some day, you get used to ( but still make mistakes lol. )
– Kentaro Tomono
4 hours ago