Dark L vs Light L | English Pronunciation Masterclass

「暗 L」對「明 L」｜英語發音高級班

Today we're looking at the difference between the light L and the dark L. Alright, it's

今天我們要來比較「明 L」，（↗ ▁▂▃▅▇ ↗） 和「暗 L」。（ㄅㄤ╲） 好了！那

not the evil L, it's just the dark L. Honestly!

不是闇黑 L，就只是暗 L。（ㄅㄤ╲） 真是的！

Welcome back to another lesson. If you haven't met me before, my name is Tom and I teach

歡迎回到另一個課程。 如果你沒見過我，我的名字是 Tom，而且我在教

fresh modern British English so that you can take your English to the next level and achieve

新的現代英式英語， 那麼你能把自己的英語提升到下個水平，並實現

your life goals. Today we're looking at L and how it can be pronounced in two different

你的生活目標。 今天我們要來看 L ，和怎麼用兩種不同方式

ways.

來發音。

Let's start with the light L. Now we find the light L before a vowel sound and also

我們從明 L開始。 現在我們在母音前發現明 L，也

usually found at the beginning of words for example 'look'. Now how do we make this sound?

通常能在字的開頭找到，舉例：「look」。 我們現在要怎麼來發這個音？

Well, the tongue is the most important thing. So place the tip of your tongue on the alveolar

喲！舌頭是最重要的。那麼把你的舌尖放到齒槽脊（上排牙齒後面一點點有個比較硬的地方，但不是上顎。）

ridge, that is the top of your mouth. Now I place mine just behind my top teeth. There,

（alveolar ridge），就是在你嘴巴上端。現在我把我的放到上排牙齒後；這裡，

ok? So I place the tip of my tongue just behind my top teeth and I blow air out like that.

好嗎？所以我只是把舌尖放到上排牙齒後， 並像這樣吹（吐）出氣。

Now it's a voiced sound so you should feel a vibration in your throat. And then to release

這是有聲的，所以你應該能感覺到你的喉嚨在震動， 然後釋放聲音，

the sound you release your tongue. So 'look' 'listen'. Examples of words with the light

放鬆你的舌頭：「look」；「listen」。 示範用明 L 的字：

L 'long' 'lemon' 'learn' 'language' 'unless' 'follow'. The dark L is usually found at the

long；lemon；learn；language；unless；follow。 暗 L 通常會在字尾

end of words certainly before a consonant or as the final sound of a word. For example

找到，而且肯定會在子音前， 或作為字的最後一個音。例如：

'help'. Now to make this sound our tongue is really important again. Now what we do

「help」。現在來發這個音， 我們的舌頭一樣很重要。現在我們的舌頭

here it's not touching anything and I bring it back, so to create the sound I withdraw

不要碰任何東西， 而我會把舌頭帶（移動）回來，發個我

the tongue into my mouth like this. So for example 'help' Ok, it sounds strange when

把舌頭移回嘴巴裡的聲音，像這樣：/l/； 那麼例如：「help」。好！當我唸很慢時

I slow it down. So my tongue is coming towards the back of my mouth and that's creating the

聽起來很奇怪。我的舌頭移到嘴巴後面，並發那個音：

sound 'help'. So the movement of my tongue there is really important, it's coming backwards

「help」；所以我舌頭的動作在這裡非常重要， 向後移動，

and then finishing kind of pointing upwards. It's not touching anything, ok? That's really

然後做出舌尖向上的那種姿勢。 它沒碰到任何東西，好嗎？那真的非常

important, it's not touching the alveolar ridge or my teeth, it's just in my mouth,

重要，它沒有碰到齒槽脊（alveolar ridge）或我的牙齒， 就只是在我嘴巴裡

moves backwards and then upwards to finish the sound. So back and then up. So 'fall'.

往後移動，然後往上來結束發音， 所以往後再往上：「fall」。

It's important to note that not all British accents use the dark L. Most notably a cockney

這很重要：注意不是所有的英式腔調都會用暗 L， 最明顯的是 cockney 腔（Tom的腔調）

accent doesn't really use the dark L. There are various other sounds that might be used

沒有真的在用暗 L， 而是可能會用其他各種音

instead of it so for example instead of saying 'school' it'll be 'school'. Or 'full' will

代替；所以例如不說：「school」， 用「school」代替；或「full」會變

be 'full'. So it kind of disappears. I always think of it as having the same mouth shape

「full」。所以這是種消失的音， 我都會把它想成嘴形是跟

as a /w/. School, I end my mouth in the same shape as a /w/ sound but I'm not saying /w/

發 /w/ 一樣：School； 我用跟 /w/ 同樣的嘴形結尾，但我不說 /w/，

I'm just making that shape. So 'school' 'pool' 'full'. So the dark L will change and adapt

只是做個形狀。 'school' 'pool' 'full' 所以暗 L 會改變，來適應

depending on what vowel sounds there are in a cockney accent. But anyway, let's get back

在這裡的 cockney 腔的母音，但不管怎樣，我們回去

to looking at a dark L and a light L and comparing the two sounds together. Now what's important

看暗 L 和明 L，把兩種聲音放在一起比較。 現在有什麼重要的

to notice is the change of the L sound. So for example take a word like 'tall'. I'm using

要注意，就是：L 音的變化。 那麼抓個字來舉例，像是：「tall」；我在這裡用

the dark L sound there 'tall' because it's at the end of the word but if I make it a

暗 L 音：「tall」，因為那在字尾；但如果我唸

superlative 'tallest' suddenly I've added -est e is a vowel so the L sound of tall has

最高級：「tallest」，我突然加 -est， e 是母音，所以現在 tall 的 L 音

now gone from a dark L to a light L. So it's not tallest it's 'tallest'. So I am now using

會從暗 L 變明 L，所以不是 tallest（暗）， 是 tallest（明），所以我現在在用

the light L sound. So be aware that even if it's the same word 'tall' to 'tallest', more

明 L 音。 所以要知道，就算是同個字——「tall」變「tallest」

or less the same word, there is a change of sound depending on you know, what's around

——或多或少相同的字，有沒有發音變化， 其實取決於你大概知道那個

the main word. So we are using the vowel sound there of -est so it becomes 'tallest'. It's

主要的字是什麼。我們在用母音 -est（母音 e）， 所以變成「tallest」。

also important to look at words together. So for example 'email address'. Email we said

把字一起看也很重要，那麼舉例：「email address」。Email，我們用

was a dark L sound 'email' but if the next word begins with a vowel sound that L turns

暗 L 音：「email」；但如果下個字開頭是母音，L 從

from a dark L to a light L. So it's now 'email address'. So it's not 'email address' it's

暗 L 轉到明 L，所以是：「email address」； 所以不是：「email address」，是：

'email address'. So i"m using the light L to blend those two words together. So yeah

「email address」，我在用明 L 把那兩個字混在一起。 那麼沒錯！

it's not just about looking at the word individually, you have to look at the other words around

不只是要分別看每個字，你也必須看附近的字

it to help you to understand whether i's a dark L or a light L.

來幫你了解這是暗 L 還是明 L。

Another example might be 'fall over'. 'I fell over yesterday'. So we have fell with the

另一個例子應該是：「fall over」。 I fell over yesterday. 所以我們的 fell 有

dark L but now we've got over which begins with a vowel, it's now 'fell over' so I'm

暗 L，但現在我們發現到是母音開頭， 所以是「fell over」；所以我

using the light L to blend those two words together. Alright let's do a little practice

在用明 L 把那兩個字混在一起。 好了！我們來練習一下

sentence to use both the light L and the dark L. Listen to me first and then repeat afterwards.

句子，來用明 L 和暗 L。 先聽我說，然後才覆誦。

Ok, here we go. 'I love language lessons said the tall girl at school.' Alright, so let's

好！我們來： 「I love language lessons said the tall girl at school.」。 好了，所以我們來

have a look at what Ls we are using there. So I love, the light L. Language, light L

看我們在這裡用的 L。 那麼 I love：明 L。 Language：一樣明 L。

again. Lessons, again the light L. Said the tall, dark L. Girl, dark L. At school, dark

Lessons：還是明 L。 說 tall：暗 L。 Girl：暗 L。 在 school：又是暗 L。

L again. So you've got three light Ls, three dark Ls. I love language lessons said the

所以你練習了三個明 L 和三個暗 L。 I love language lessons said the

tall girl at school.' Ok, your turn to practise.

tall girl at school. 好！換你練習。

Ok, alright let's do it one more time together 'I love language lessons said the tall girl

好！好了！我們來一起練更多次。 I love language lessons said the tall girl

at school.' Practise guys, that's the only way you are going to improve is if you practise.

at school. 夥伴，要練習！唯一能讓你進步的方法就是練習。

Do it in a voice recorder, do it into the mirror, do it wherever you need to but practise

說給錄音機；說給鏡子；說， 不管你到底要在哪裡說，只是練習、

practise practise.

練習、練習。

Guys, if you have enjoyed this lesson and you want more English resources then please

夥伴！如果你喜歡本課程， 而且你想有更多英語資源，請

check out my Patreon page. Over at Patreon I offer extra English resources so it could

看看我的 Patreon 專頁， 我在 Patreon 提供額外的英語資源，那是

be live English lessons it could be Skype lessons with me. So please feel free to go

直播的英語課程，能用 Skype 跟我一起上課， 所以請自由

over there, check it out, see what English resources are available and which level of

過去那裡看看，看能得到什麼英語資源，還有哪個程度

support you would feel most comfortable with. I'd love you to check it out, that would be

的支持會讓你覺得最輕鬆。 我很希望你能去看看，那會

fantastic. Guys if you've enjoyed that video please give it a big thumbs up, make sure

棒透了！夥伴！如果你喜歡本影片， 請給個大「讚」，並確保

you subscribe and you hit that notification bell so that you don't miss a single video.

你訂閱了，還有按接收通知鈴，你就不會錯過影片。

Thank you so much for watching as always, this is Tom, the Chief Dreamer saying goodbye.

非常感謝你總是會來看影片，我是 Tom——首席夢想家 （the Chief Dreamer），說再見！