Embarking on the journey of mastering a new language is an exciting endeavor, but it comes with its fair share of challenges. For Vietnamese speakers delving into the intricacies of English, navigating the maze of pronunciation can be particularly daunting.
Our comprehensive guide on English Pronunciation for Vietnamese Speakers can help you to navigate those challenges and provide a strong foundation to help you tackle American English pronunciation as a native Vietnamese speaker.
In this article, we'll explore common pitfalls encountered by Vietnamese learners when pronouncing challenging English words. With clear insights, phonetic guidance , and engaging activities , we aim to help you not just pronounce these words correctly but also enjoy the process of refining your English pronunciation skills.
Let's embark on this linguistic adventure together!
1. Island /ī-lənd/
An “island” is a piece of land surrounded by water. Since the word is spelled with a silent “s,” native Vietnamese speakers often make the mistake of pronouncing the “s.”
Remember that the “s” is silent - this word should be pronounced as “eye-land.” Practice by repeating the words “eye” and “land” slowly, before bringing them together to produce “island.”
2. Vehicle /viː.ə.kəl/ The word “vehicle” refers to a mode of transportation. Vietnamese speakers tend to incorrectly place stress on the second syllable, and overemphasize the “h” sound when in correct American English pronunciation, the “h” in “vehicle” isn’t pronounced.
Be sure to stress the first syllable and avoid pronouncing the “h.” The “i” should be pronounced as a schwa sound .
VIDEO
3. Stomach /stə-mək/ The organ in the body where food is digested is called the “stomach.” This word can confuse Vietnamese speakers due to its spelling, resulting in mispronunciations like “stum-atch.”
To avoid getting confused by spelling variances, consult the IPA chart for a phonetic breakdown of tricky words.
The “ch” in “stomach” should be pronounced as a “k” sound rather than a “ch” as in “chair.” Practice by repeating the word “stomach” slowly, exaggerating the “k” sound. Consider recording yourself as you practice to document your progress and pinpoint areas for improvement.
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4. Foreigner /fȯr-ə-nər/ A person from another country is considered to be a “foreigner.” Although this word is spelled with a “g,” the “g” is not pronounced. The preceding “ei” vowel should be pronounced as a schwa sound.
Listen to how a native speaker from America pronounces the word “foreigner,” and try to mimic that pronunciation. Pay attention to the American pronunciation of “foreign” in the following video as an example:
VIDEO
5. Women /wi-mən/
The word “women” refers to more than one adult female. It is the plural version of the word “woman.”
“Women” is commonly mispronounced due to the initial “o.” The “o” is pronounced differently in the singular and plural form of this word, which can cause confusion for Vietnamese speakers learning English.
In the singular “woman,” the “o” is pronounced as /ʊ/. In the plural “women,” it is pronounced as /ɪ/. “Women” then sounds more like “wih-mun.”
Practice both the singular and the plural word separately and pay attention to the difference between them. Practice regularly until the distinction becomes second nature!
6. Meter /miː.t̬ɚ/ A “meter” is a unit of measurement in the metric system. The first “e” in “meter” is often mispronounced by Vietnamese speakers - it should be pronounced as an elongated “ee” sound, as in “sheep.”
The “t” can also cause some pronunciation problems. Although spelled with a “t,” American speakers would pronounce this with more of a muted, flapped sound than a clear, sharp “t.”
Practice this word using the minimal pairs “meter” and “matter.” Be sure to emphasize the initial “e” in “meter” and maintain a muted sound for the “t.”
7. Colleague /kɑː.liːg/ A “colleague” refers to a coworker, commonly used in more professional or intellectual workplaces.
Non-native speakers of English, Vietnamese included, often mispronounce this work by confusing it with the word “college.” Note that the “ea” is pronounced as /iː/ and the “g” is pronounced as /g/, not /dʒ/.
Listen to and mimic the American pronunciation of “colleague”:
VIDEO
8. Clothes /kloʊðz/
“Clothes” are items worn to cover the body. This word is difficult for Vietnamese speakers to pronounce due to the subtle “th” sound .
American speakers will pronounce the “th” in “clothes,” but just barely. It sounds almost exactly the same as “close” as in “close the door,” but with the slightest hint of a “th” added. Vietnamese speakers tend to over-pronounce the “th” sound.
Listen to the American English pronunciation here:
VIDEO
Practice repeating this word in front of a mirror to note your mouth and tongue positioning.
9. Recipe /ˈres.ə.pi/
A “recipe” is a set of instructions used to prepare a particular dish when cooking or baking. A common error made by Vietnamese speakers is to shorten the word to two syllables (either as “ruh-seep” or “ree-sipe”) when it should really have three distinct syllables.
Practice separating the word into its syllables and pronouncing each separately: “ress-uh-pee.” Bring it together and mimic the American English pronunciation in the following video:
VIDEO
10. Pizza /ˈpiːt.sə/
A popular Italian dish, “pizza” can be difficult for Vietnamese speakers to pronounce correctly.
Vietnamese speakers will often neglect to place stress on either syllable, whereas an American speaker would place stress on the first syllable: “PEET-saah.” Another common error is a mispronunciation of the double “z” - the first “z” should be pronounced as a “t,” and the second as an “s” to produce “peet-saah.”
11. Eighteen /ˌeɪˈtiːn/
The number “eighteen” (18) is often mispronounced due to its stress placement. Vietnamese speakers may incorrectly stress the first syllable, “eight.” This makes “eighteen” (18) sound very similar to “eighty” (80), resulting in confusion.
The word “eighteen” should have equal stress on each syllable. Practice each syllable separately then bring them together, making sure to stress each syllable equally. Create sentences using both “eighteen” and “eighty” to emphasize the difference.
12. Photographer /fəˈtɑː.grə.fɚ/
A person who takes photographs is a “photographer.” An American English speaker would place the stress on the second syllable to produce “phoTOGrapher,” whereas native Vietnamese speakers often incorrectly stress the first syllable.
Listen to the following example and record yourself practicing this word to pay attention to stress placement .
VIDEO
13. Korea /kəˈriː.ə/
The name of the East Asian country, “Korea,” is also often mispronounced due to stress placement. While Vietnamese speakers often incorrectly emphasize the first syllable, the stress should be placed on the second syllable: “kor-EE-ah.”
Improve your pronunciation by listening to news broadcasts or documentaries featuring Korea and produced by American English speakers, paying attention to correct stress patterns.
14. Guitar /gɪˈtɑːr/
The stringed musical instrument “guitar” is often mispronounced due to incorrect stress placement as well. Stress should be placed on the second syllable to produce “gui-TAR,” rather than the common mispronunciation “GUI-tar.”
To improve, try listening to songs with the word “guitar” in the lyrics and practice repeating the word in context.
15. Literature /ˈlɪt̬.ɚ.ə.tʃɚ/
“Literature” refers to written works, and when pronounced correctly, has the stress placed on the first syllable: “LIT-er-a-ture.” Vietnamese speakers often misplace the stress, producing “lit-er-A-ture.”
Listen to the correct American pronunciation here:
VIDEO
To practice, find an article discussing literature and read it out loud. Record yourself and compare your pronunciation to the video above, tweaking as needed.
16. Disease /dɪˈziːz/
A “disease” is a disorder or abnormal condition in the body or mind, often with recognizable symptoms. While an American speaker would emphasize the second syllable in the word, native Vietnamese speakers often struggle and instead emphasize the first.
Consult the following video for the correct American pronunciation:
VIDEO
Practice with other words that emphasize the same syllable, like “appease” and “Pyrenees.”
17. Comment /ˈkɑː.ment/
A “comment” is a verbal or written remark expressing an opinion or reaction. It should be primarily stressed on the first syllable, as in “COM-ment,” rather than the second syllable.
Practice conversing with native speakers of English to absorb and mimic their stress patterns, and to practice your own English pronunciation.
18. Thick /θɪk/
“Thick” is an adjective, meaning to have a considerable distance between opposite surfaces or to be densely packed. It can be challenging for Vietnamese speakers to pronounce due to the unvoiced “th” sound.
To correctly pronounce the voiceless “th,” position your tongue between your upper and lower front teeth, allowing air to pass through without vibrating your vocal cords.
VIDEO
Practice by using tongue twisters that focus on the unvoiced “th” sound, like “thick and thin thistles.”
19. There /ðer/
“There” is an adverb used to indicate that something is in, at, or to a certain place or position. It can be a challenge for Vietnamese speakers to pronounce, particularly the voiced “th” sound.
To produce the voiced “th,” position your tongue between your upper and lower front teeth, but this time, let your vocal cords vibrate.
VIDEO
Use tongue twisters to strengthen your ability to smoothly transition between voiced and voiceless "th" sounds.
20. Chair /tʃer/
A “chair” is a seat for a single person, and it rhymes with the previous word “there.” The challenge with this word is the initial “ch” sound, which can be troublesome for Vietnamese speakers.
To pronounce “ch,” position your tongue against the roof of your mouth, creating a slight obstruction of airflow before releasing. Practice this sound using words like “cheese,” “match,” and “kitchen.”
21. Shape /ʃeɪp/
A “shape” is a geometric figure such as a triangle or circle. The “sh” sound in “shape” can be difficult for Vietnamese speakers to pronounce, resulting in mispronunciations. Listen to the correct American pronunciation:
VIDEO
Position your tongue close to the roof of your mouth, allowing air to flow through a narrow gap to produce the “sh” sound. Practice this sound with words like “shift,” “ash,” and “usher,” focusing on the airflow.
22. Jam /dʒæm/
To “jam” something is to squeeze or pack it tightly into a specified space. The initial “j” sound in “jam” can present a problem for Vietnamese speakers learning English.
To pronounce “j,” position your tongue against the roof of your mouth, releasing it with a slight burst of air. Practice by singing along to songs with words containing the “j” sound, or incorporate the sound into tongue twisters for a fun and challenging exercise.
23. Sheep /ʃiːp/
“Sheep” are domesticated farm animals with fluffy, wooly coats. Vietnamese speakers can struggle with the “ee” sound in “sheep,” often incorrectly replacing it with a shorter “i” sound. This can produce confusion, as “sheep” begins to sound like “ship.”
To pronounce “ee” correctly, position your tongue close to the roof of your mouth, creating a slightly wider gap for a longer vowel sound. Practice this sound using minimal pairs such as “sit” and “seat” or “lip” and “leap.”
24. Discuss /dɪˈskʌs/
To “discuss” something is to talk about something with another person or a group of people. The “sc” consonant cluster in “discuss” is uncommon, and it can pose a challenge for Vietnamese speakers to pronounce correctly.
Practice both the “s” and the “c” separately before bringing the sounds together. Incorporate other words using the same cluster, such as “school” or “flask.”
25. Apt /æpt/
When something is “apt,” it is appropriate or suitable in a given circumstance. The word “apt” contains the “pt” consonant cluster, an uncommon cluster and one that tends to trip up native Vietnamese speakers learning English.
By simply practicing this sound, you can improve your familiarity and become more comfortable pronouncing the sound in natural settings. Practice with words like “capture” and “script” in front of a mirror to notice and improve your mouth and tongue positioning.
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In the dynamic journey of language acquisition, conquering the nuances of pronunciation emerges as a pivotal milestone. For Vietnamese speakers venturing into English, overcoming pronunciation challenges not only enhances communication but also fosters confidence and cultural integration, not to mention open doors to professional opportunities.
Accurate pronunciation is the key to effective expression, eliminating potential misunderstandings and ensuring clarity in your interactions. As you navigate the world of English pronunciation, remember that every correct utterance is a step closer to fluency.
At BoldVoice , we recognize the significance of mastering pronunciation in language learning. Our tailored resources and expert guidance empower language enthusiasts to refine their speaking skills and embrace linguistic diversity with confidence. Whether you're a seasoned learner or just starting, correct pronunciation opens doors to broader opportunities and enriches your language journey.
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