The L in American English - How to get it right! | Dark L | Light L

Hey, guys.

It's Hadar, and this is the Accent's Way.

Today we are going to talk about one of the most common and tricky sounds for

non-native speakers - the American L.

There are actually two different L sounds: the dark L and the light L, so today

we're going to talk about both of them.

And also, another reason why it's so difficult is because there are many

substitutions to both of these sounds.

I'm also going to talk about the common substitutions that

non-native speakers make.

Now, if you find that I'm talking about something that is less relevant

to you, then skip forward to the part where I do talk about something that

is relevant to you, a substitution that you are actually making.

Let's begin by talking about the light L.

The light L appears at the beginning of words, or before

vowels in the middle of the word.

For example, "light", "allow", "belly", and "listen".

To make the L sound you bring the tip of the tongue up to

touch the roof of the mouth.

So this part, just the tip, should go up and touch that little

bump right behind the teeth.

It shouldn't necessarily touch the teeth, although it's not a huge problem,

L, L, it's sort of the same sound, but it has to be a continuous sound.

'LLL', right?

Now, two common mistakes made by non-native speakers are: first, is

what I call the 'ultra light' L.

This is relevant for Spanish speakers or French speakers or Hebrew speakers.

This is when the tongue does go up and touches the upper palate, but the

sound lacks this tension and muscle.

Listen: 'light', 'listen', instead of "Light", "Listen".

What's the difference?

It feels like that in addition to bringing the tip of the tongue up and

pushing the air out to pass between the sides of the tongue, I'm also

engaging the back of the tongue.

'L'.

It feels like as if I'm pushing the tongue forward and adding some tension here.

So I feel like I'm pushing down the root of the tongue to create the sound:

"Listen", "Law", and not 'listen', 'law'.

"Allow", and not 'allow'.

Now, it's not a huge problem to substitute it with the ultra light L.

Everyone will still understand you, but if you want to be more accurate and get

that American or English sound, then you should definitely practice engaging

the back of the tongue a little more.

Now, if it's still not clear, wait until they explain the dark L, and then I

think that's definitely gonna help you.

Another common substitution, usually relevant for Korean speakers or

Japanese speakers, is to substitute this L sound with a light flap or an

R sound: '/r/ight', '/r/isten, okay?

So there is a light tap there, but it's still sounds like an R sound.

So here's the trick: you got to create contact between the tip of the tongue

and the upper palate, continuous contact.

So you want to be able to hold out the sound - 'LLLight'.

When you're pronouncing your native L sound or R sound, it's a very abrupt

sound and it's not a continuous sound.

So if you try to hold it out, you won't be able to, if you're

going back to old habits, right?

So, make sure that you bring the tongue up, you can even hold it, make the sound

and then practice it in many, many words that have L's at the beginning or L's

before vowels in the middle of the word.

And if you want a list of words to practice with, you can click on the

link below and get a list of words, phrases, sentences of the light L and

dark L to work with, with my recording.

So that's very, very effective, very effective way to practice.

Okay.

So that was the light L.

Let's practice it in a few more words.

Play.

Close.

Clean.

Allow.

Shallow.

Lost.

Now, let's talk about the dark L.

The dark L is not really an L.

Yes, there, I said it.

It's not really an L.

It's this weird, vague sound that colors the vowel right before the L.

The dark L appears after vowels or before consonants, also in the middle of the

word, but usually at the end of words.

So if it's hard for you to remember where it is, focus on L's that

are at the end of the word.

For example: well, fall, milk.

It can also be at the end of the word, even if it's a part

of a consonant cluster, a bunch of consonants put together.

Now, what's the difference between this light L sound that we practiced -"light",

and this dark L at the end - "well"?

So, you hear the quality of the sound, right?

It's really deep and dark.

I don't even have to bring the tip of the tongue to touch the upper palate

to make the L sound, the dark L sound, because it's more about that tense

sound right before the L, then it is about actually making the L sound.

Listen - "well", that's the dark L.

"Well", right?

I kept the tongue down.

I could bring the tip of the tongue up.

Listen - "well", but only at the end, only after I create this nice tense sound, and

then I bring the tip of the tongue up.

So the dark L actually affects the vowel before the L, okay.

That's what it's about.

To make the sound you want to push the back of the tongue down so as

if you're swallowing something.

Some languages have actually this sound, this 'L' sound, or you have to

engage the root of the tongue, right.

It's when something is really disgusting, try it.

Okay, so let's try swallowing together.

'L', right?

That's the sound.

Let's practice it in a few words.

Wall.

Help, help.

Girl, right - here, we have an R and then this 'L' sound, and then the L - "girl".

Right?

Let's assume that I bring the tip of the tongue up at the end.

"girl".

Right?

It is not 'gerl', don't bring the tongue up to quickly.

Create that weird sound and then bring the tongue up, or just don't bring the tongue

up so you can practice it with your finger on your tongue, forcing it to stay down

and still trying to make this L sound.

"Girl.

Well.

He'll".

Right?

Now, two quick tricks.

If there is a high E sound before the dark L, you hear a

'y' sound right before the L.

'hea[y]l', 'hea[y]l'.

'pee[y]l', 'dea[y]l'.

It's not 'deal'.

Even if I'm making a darker L here - deaL', right, or a heavy L it is not

'deal', but it's 'dea[y]l', right.

I'm dropping the back of the tongue before creating the L sound.

'fee[y]l - "I feel ya".

Same thing with the tense 'oo' sound, only this time we add a W sound.

'poo[w]l'.

It's not 'pool' 'pool' - 'poo[w]l'.

'rue[w]l', 'coo[w]l'.

"That's so cool".

It's not "that's so 'coo/l/'".

'coo[w]l'.

So, two common substitutions made by non-native speakers.

So, first of all, all you light L makers, ultra light L makers

- like French speakers, Spanish speakers, and Hebrew speakers.

It is very, very important not to make an ultra light L at the end of words.

So, you should definitely work on your dark L more than

even working on your light L.

Because when you put an ultra light L at the end of words - 'wel', instead of

"well", it may not be perceived as an L.

Native speakers might think that you're making this weird

substitution of an R sound or another sound, or a W sound, right?

So they'll think that you're saying "where" instead of "well".

Because the L sound at the end is not about lifting the tongue up,

it's not about that l-l-l sound, it's about that L-L-L weird sound.

"Well", "help".

"Wall", and not 'wal'.

Another common mistake made by non-native speakers, again, like Korean speakers

or sometimes Portuguese speakers, is that they make a W sound instead of an

O sound: 'we[w]', 'we[w]', 'he[w]p'.

Okay?

So here it's closer to the dark L, but notice that it's still not

this L sound, it's not "help".

Don't round your lips so much, it's not a W sound, right?

"hole", right, it's not 'ho[w]'.

So you really have to focus on creating this tension in the back and not

trusting your lips to create this sound.

Okay, that's it.

Now I want to hear from you.

So let me know in the comments below where you're from and what is the most

difficult L word you've ever come across, or if you ever had difficulties expressing

yourself because people couldn't understand you because of the L sound.

Let me know.

If you want to practice it more, if you want to practice the L sound, click on

the link below and get a list of words and phrases and sentences with my audio.

Okay?

So all you have to do is put in your email address and you'll

get it straight to your inbox.

This is a good opportunity to say, subscribe to my channel if you

haven't subscribed yet, and click on the bell to get notifications.

Thank you so much for watching.

And don't forget that making mistakes is the only way to really getting it right.

Have a wonderful week, and I will see you next week in the next video.

Bye.