Âm quan trọng nhất trong tiếng Anh rất ít người dạy kỹ cho bạn. The MOST important sound!

Summary

This video addresses the common pronunciation challenges faced by Vietnamese learners of English, specifically focusing on the schwa sound (/ə/), a weak vowel often found in unstressed syllables. The speaker explains how Vietnamese phonetics differ from English, making it difficult for learners to recognize and produce this sound correctly. Emphasizing the importance of listening practice, the video encourages learners to focus on natural speech patterns and stress placement in words and sentences, rather than isolating individual sounds. Through consistent practice, learners can improve their listening and speaking skills, achieving more fluent and accurate English pronunciation.

Takeaways

• 😀 The shwa sound (ə) is one of the most common and important sounds in English pronunciation, but it is often overlooked by learners, especially Vietnamese speakers.
• 😀 Vietnamese learners often struggle with English pronunciation because Vietnamese is a monosyllabic language, while English has multiple syllables and unstressed ones that turn into the shwa sound.
• 😀 Shadowing, where learners repeat what they hear, can be ineffective if the learner doesn't understand the phonetic rules behind English pronunciation.
• 😀 English words have stressed and unstressed syllables, and when unstressed, vowels tend to turn into the shwa sound (ə), which makes them difficult for learners to pronounce correctly.
• 😀 Words like 'carrot', 'support', and 'similar' are pronounced differently in English compared to how they might be pronounced in Vietnamese, with unstressed vowels shifting to the shwa sound.
• 😀 Listening and speaking practice is essential to improving pronunciation. Native speakers drop or soften certain sounds, especially unstressed syllables, which is crucial to sound more natural in English.
• 😀 It’s important not to focus on pronouncing individual words perfectly but to learn the rhythm and flow of entire sentences or phrases.
• 😀 Vietnamese learners often mispronounce unstressed syllables by treating them as distinct sounds, when in reality, they blend into the shwa sound (ə) in English.
• 😀 When speaking English, it’s important to pay attention to which syllables are stressed and which are unstressed, as unstressed syllables often merge into the shwa sound.
• 😀 Consistent listening and speaking practice, focusing on how words are linked together in real speech, is key to overcoming pronunciation issues and improving fluency.
• 😀 English pronunciation can vary by accent and region, but understanding and mastering the shwa sound will significantly help learners in all varieties of English.

Q & A

What is the main issue Vietnamese learners face when trying to pronounce English correctly?

Vietnamese learners often face difficulty with English pronunciation because many English sounds, like the Schwa (/ə/), do not exist in Vietnamese. They tend to use Vietnamese pronunciation habits, which leads to incorrect English pronunciation.

Why is the Schwa sound so important in English pronunciation?

The Schwa sound is crucial because it appears frequently in unstressed syllables in English words and sentences. It helps to smooth the flow of speech and is essential for sounding natural in English.

How is the Schwa sound different from the sounds in Vietnamese?

Unlike Vietnamese, which is a monosyllabic language with clear, distinct syllables, English has multiple syllables per word, and unstressed vowels often reduce to the Schwa sound, which is weak and less distinct. Vietnamese speakers are not accustomed to such reductions.

What makes the Schwa sound challenging for Vietnamese learners of English?

The Schwa sound is difficult for Vietnamese learners because it is an unstressed, neutral sound that doesn't have an exact equivalent in Vietnamese. Vietnamese is a tonal and monosyllabic language, while English is stress-timed and allows for vowel reductions like the Schwa.

Can you give examples of words where the Schwa sound appears?

Yes, some examples include 'carrot' (/ˈkærət/), 'support' (/səˈpɔːrt/), and 'similar' (/ˈsɪmələr/), where the unstressed syllables are pronounced with the Schwa sound.

How can Vietnamese learners practice the Schwa sound effectively?

Vietnamese learners can practice by listening to native English speakers, focusing on sentences and phrases where unstressed vowels are reduced to the Schwa sound. They should also practice speaking aloud, mimicking how native speakers reduce vowels in unstressed syllables.

Why do native English speakers not find the Schwa sound difficult?

Native speakers of English don't find the Schwa sound difficult because it is a natural part of their speech. They are accustomed to unstressed syllables reducing to the Schwa, and they do not need to consciously focus on it, as it is inherent to their language patterns.

What role does the Schwa sound play in the rhythm of English?

The Schwa sound plays a crucial role in the rhythm of English, as it helps maintain a stress-timed flow of speech. Unstressed syllables with the Schwa sound help speed up the rhythm and prevent speech from sounding choppy.

How does the use of the Schwa sound differ in various English accents?

The use of the Schwa sound can vary across different English accents. For example, in some accents, words may have more pronounced vowels, while in others, the Schwa sound is more prominent and used more frequently in unstressed syllables.

What advice does the speaker give for overcoming pronunciation challenges with the Schwa sound?

The speaker advises learners to practice listening to native speakers, pay attention to how words and syllables are reduced in connected speech, and focus on saying entire sentences rather than individual words. They recommend not just focusing on pronunciation of individual sounds but also the overall rhythm and flow of the language.