English Sounds - L [l] Consonant - How to make the L [l] Consonant

Summary

This video provides a detailed guide on how to pronounce the L consonant sound in American English, focusing on the two types: Light L and Dark L. The Light L is used when the L appears before a vowel or diphthong in a syllable, and it’s pronounced with the tongue tip either touching the roof of the mouth or the top front teeth. The Dark L occurs when the L follows a vowel or diphthong and involves a back tongue movement toward the throat. The video offers clear examples and practical tips to help learners master these sounds, enhancing their American English pronunciation.

Takeaways

• 😀 The L consonant sound in American English has two types: the Light L and the Dark L.
• 😀 The Light L appears when the L is before a vowel or diphthong in a syllable, such as in the words 'flake' and 'release'.
• 😀 There are two ways to produce the Light L: one with the tongue tip touching the roof of the mouth behind the front teeth, and another with the tongue tip pressing on the bottom of the top teeth.
• 😀 The Dark L occurs when the L follows a vowel or diphthong, like in the words 'real' and 'Google'.
• 😀 The Dark L consists of two parts: the first part, the dark sound, is made by pulling the back of the tongue towards the throat while the tongue tip rests near the bottom of the front teeth.
• 😀 The second part of the Dark L, which is optional in casual speech, involves the tongue tip touching the roof of the mouth or coming through the teeth, similar to the Light L.
• 😀 Many native speakers omit the second part of the Dark L when speaking quickly or casually.
• 😀 To make the Dark L correctly, focus on the dark sound created by the back of the tongue, and keep the lips relaxed.
• 😀 The International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) uses the same symbol for both the Light L and Dark L, but you need to know when to use each one based on the word’s structure.
• 😀 Practicing the Dark L will help make your American English pronunciation sound more natural, as seen in examples like 'Google' and 'real'.
• 😀 Repeating words like 'love', 'hello', 'flat', and 'people' helps reinforce the correct use of Light and Dark L sounds.

Q & A

What is the main focus of this video?

The video focuses on teaching how to pronounce the L consonant sound in American English, specifically explaining the two types of L sounds: the Light L and the Dark L.

What is the Light L sound?

The Light L sound occurs when the L comes before a vowel or diphthong in a syllable. It involves lifting the tongue so that the tip touches the roof of the mouth just behind the front teeth.

What are the two different ways native speakers make the Light L sound?

One way is by touching the tip of the tongue to the roof of the mouth just behind the teeth, and the other way is by pressing the tongue tip against the bottom of the top front teeth.

How does the tongue position for the Light L differ from the positions for T, D, and N?

For the Light L, the tongue tip touches the roof of the mouth just behind the teeth, unlike T, D, and N, where the tongue lifts higher and makes contact with the roof of the mouth further back.

When does the Dark L sound occur?

The Dark L occurs when the L comes after a vowel or diphthong, usually at the end of a syllable or word, such as in 'real' or 'Google'.

What is the key feature of the Dark L sound?

The key feature of the Dark L is the back part of the tongue being pulled back towards the throat, while the tongue tip stays down, touching the back of the bottom front teeth.

What is the second part of the Dark L sound, and is it always used?

The second part of the Dark L involves the Light L, where the tongue tip touches the roof of the mouth or passes through the teeth. However, many native speakers omit this second part in casual speech.

Why is it important to keep the lips relaxed when making the Dark L sound?

Keeping the lips relaxed is important for producing the Dark L correctly, as flaring or rounding the lips can move the sound forward and distort it.

How does the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) represent the Light and Dark L sounds?

In the IPA, both the Light L and Dark L are represented by the same symbol, /l/. It is up to the speaker to know when to use the Light or Dark L based on their position in the word.

What is an example of the Dark L sound in a word?

An example of the Dark L sound can be heard in the word 'Google', where the L comes after a vowel and involves the tongue pulling back.