发音最小对立体
📖 逐句对照翻译
This week on Ask a Teacher we answer a question from Doraemon in Japan.
本周的《问老师》节目，我们来回答日本的多啦A梦提出的问题。
Here is Doraemon’s question:
这是哆啦A梦的问题：
Hi VOA,
嗨，VOA，
For me, as an English learner, words like clash, crash, and crush sound like the same word.
对我来说，作为一个英语学习者，clash、crash和crush这些词听起来就像是同一个词。
Can you help me to tell one word from others?
你能帮我区分一个词和其他词吗？
Thank you.
谢谢。
I’m happy to answer this question, Doraemon.
我很乐意回答这个问题，哆啦A梦。
When a foreign language contains sounds that do not exist in a person’s native language, it can be difficult for learners to hear those sounds.
当一门外语中包含学习者母语中不存在的声音时，学习者可能很难听出这些声音。
The reason you have difficulty hearing the difference between “crash” and “clash” is because the Japanese language does not have the consonant sounds “r” or “l.”
你之所以难以听出“crash”和“clash”之间的区别，是因为日语中没有“r”或“l”这两个辅音。
And when English speakers are talking quickly, the difference between the sounds of “r” and “l” becomes very small.
当英语母语者语速很快时，“r”和“l”的发音差别会变得非常小。
As a result, those two consonants can sound the same to a native Japanese speaker.
因此，对于母语为日语的人来说，这两个辅音听起来可能是一样的。
Some vowel sounds can also be difficult to hear or pronounce depending on the vowels a person’s native language has.
有些元音发音也可能难以听清或发出，这取决于一个人的母语中包含哪些元音。
For example, consider the difference between the following two words:
例如，考虑以下两个单词之间的区别：
hit heat
击打热
The Spanish language has the vowel sound in the word “heat,” but it does not have the vowel sound in the word “hit.”
西班牙语中有“heat”一词中的元音，但没有“hit”一词中的元音。
As a result, Spanish speakers will sometimes pronounce words like “hit,” “bit,” and “little” with an “ee” sound.
因此，说西班牙语的人有时会把“hit”、“bit”和“little”这类单词发成带“ee”音的。
For example, the two words “hit” and “heat” will both sound like “heat” when spoken with a Spanish accent.
例如，“hit”和“heat”这两个词在带有西班牙口音的人读出来时，听起来都会像“heat”。
Train your ears using minimal pairs
用最小对立对来训练你的耳朵
You can learn to hear the difference between sounds in a foreign language by careful practice using minimal pairs.
通过使用最小对立对进行仔细练习，你可以学会听出外语中不同发音之间的差异。
Minimal pairs are two words that differ from each other by only one sound.
最小对立体是指两个单词之间仅有一个音素不同。
For example, the two words “hit” and “heat” differ from each other by only one sound.
例如，“hit”和“heat”这两个词彼此仅相差一个音。
Here are some tips for using minimal pairs:
以下是一些使用最小对立对的技巧：
Find lists and recordings of minimal pairs through a Google search or on YouTube.
通过谷歌搜索或YouTube查找最小对立对的列表和录音。
For Japanese speakers, find minimal pairs that differ between the sounds of “r” and “l.”
对于日语使用者来说，找出“r”和“l”音之间不同的最小对立对。
Be sure to include minimal pairs that place the two sounds at the beginning, middle, and end of words.
确保包含将这两个音素置于词首、词中和词尾的最小对立对。
Here are examples:
以下是一些示例：
rake lake
耙湖
correct collect
正确的收集
hair hail
头发冰雹
Carefully listen to the pronunciation of the minimal pairs.
仔细听最小对立体中单词的发音。
At first, it might be difficult for you to hear the difference between them.
起初，你可能很难听出它们之间的区别。
But over time you will start hearing the difference.
但随着时间的推移，你会开始听出其中的差异。
Also practice pronouncing these sounds.
还要练习这些发音。
Learning to pronounce them can help you hear them.
学习它们的发音可以帮助你听清它们。
To pronounce them, you need to practice putting your tongue in the correct position.
要发音准确，你需要练习将舌头放在正确的位置。
The tongue is a muscle.
舌头是一块肌肉。
Just as we can train our muscles to play a sport, we can train our tongue to move to the correct positions for pronouncing a foreign language.
正如我们可以训练肌肉来从事体育运动一样，我们也可以训练舌头移动到正确的位置来发出外语的读音。
This How to Pronounce video from VOA Learning English shows the tongue positions you need to pronounce the letters “r” and “l” correctly.
这段来自VOA英语学习频道的“如何发音”视频展示了正确发出字母“r”和“l”音所需的舌头位置。
For our readers and listeners, what are your questions about American English?
对于我们的读者和听众，你们对美国英语有什么疑问吗？
We want to hear from you!
我们期待您的来信！
Send us an email at learningenglish@voanews.com.
请发送电子邮件至learningenglish@voanews.com。
And please let us know where you are from, too.
也请告诉我们你来自哪里。
And that’s Ask a Teacher.
以上就是“问老师”栏目的全部内容。
I’m Andrew Smith.
我是安德鲁·史密斯。
Andrew Smith wrote this lesson for VOA Learning English.
安德鲁·史密斯为VOA英语学习频道撰写了这节课。
