English: How to Pronounce OH [oʊ] diphthong: American Accent

127,258 views ・ 2011-03-27

Rachel's English


Please double-click on the English subtitles below to play the video.

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The 'oh' as in 'no' diphthong. The first sound of this diphthong does not occur on its own
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as a vowel in American English, o, o, oh. You can see the lips have a rounded position,
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o, oh. The tongue raises up a bit in the back towards the soft palate. In general, the tongue
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raises some and shifts back a bit, o, o. This means the tip of the tongue, pulled slightly
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back, is not touching anything. The second sound is the 'uh' as in 'pull' vowel sound,
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though, in this diphthong, the lips will round more for the second sound than when the 'uh'
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as in 'pull' occurs on its own as a vowel. Oh, you can see that tighter circle. The back
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part of the tongue will stretch even further towards the soft palate in the second half
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of this diphthong. The tip of the tongue, usually touching behind the bottom front teeth
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for the 'uh' as in 'pull' vowel, may be slightly further back because it was further back in
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the first half of the diphthong. Oh, no. Here we see both sounds of the diphthong. In the
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first sound, you can see the jaw is dropped more. In both sounds the lips are rounded,
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but they are more rounded in the second sound. Here are the two sounds in profile. Again,
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note that the jaw has dropped more for the first sound. Here, parts of the mouth are
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drawn in. In the first sound, the tongue is pulled slightly back and up. In the second
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sound, it stretches up even more towards the soft palate. In both sounds, the tongue tip
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is not quite touching the bottom front teeth. Sample words: lonely, owner, telephone. Sample
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sentence: The window of the hotel was blown out and broken. Now you will see this sentence
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up close and in slow motion, both straight on and from an angle, so you can really study
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how the mouth moves when making this sound. The. Tongue through the teeth for the TH sound.
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Window, lips make the W shape, tongue up for the N. Teeth together for the D. And
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here a quick 'oh' as in 'no' diphthong. Of, bottom lip up for the V, the hotel, again, 'oh'
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as in 'no', 'eh' as in 'bed', and the tongue up for the L. Was blown, the 'oh' as in 'no',
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you can see the lips rounding more at the end. Out, with the 'ow' as in 'now' diphthong.
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And broken. Lips together for the B, R, and here is the 'oh' as in 'no' diphthong. Broken.
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And from an angle. Tongue through the teeth for the TH. The window, lips make the W. Tongue
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up for the N and D. And here is an 'oh' as in 'no'. You see the lips round more at the
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end. Of the ho-, again 'oh' as in 'no', you see the tongue move back, hotel. Lips together
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for the T. 'Eh' as in 'bed' and the tongue comes forward for the L. Was blown, lips together
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for the B. Tongue up for the L and down, 'oh' as in 'no', again you see the tongue moving
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back. Tongue up for the N. Out. Teeth together for the T. And broken, lips together for the
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B, again an 'oh' as in 'no' diphthong, forming a tight circle at the end. Broken. Tongue
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tip up to make the N. That's it, and thanks so much for using Rachel's English.
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