American English Sounds - UR [ɜ] Vowel - How to make the UR as in BIRD Vowel

In this American English pronunciation video,

在這美國英語(美語)發音影片中

we’re going to learn how to make the

我們將會學習如何

UR as in BIRD sound.

發出「ɜ:」，「bɜːrd」的發音。

我有時會說「ɜ:」

I sometimes say this is the vowel version

of the R consonant. It's always followed by R,

這元音是「R」輔音。「ɜ:」總是跟著「R」這輔音，

and there's no distinction between the

這兩個音之間在美語中

sounds in American English. This sound

是沒有區別的。

will always be written with two different

這個音在IPA中

International Phonetic Alphabet, or IPA,

寫成是兩個不同的音

symbols, but will be pronounced

但很顯著的「ɜ」

rrrrrr, just one sound, bird.

只是一個音，「bɜːrd」

To make this sound, the corners of the

發這個音，嘴角收縮，

lips come in, pushing the lips away

由臉推動嘴唇，

from the face. The middle part of the

舌的中間部份

tongue lifts towards the roof of the mouth

升起頂向嘴內

in the middle. The front of the tongue hangs

的中間部份。舌尖朝下

down, but it's drawn back a bit. So, it's not

但微微縮後，所以不要

touching anything.

碰到任何東西。

As the tongue lifts in the middle, it may be

隨舌升起到嘴內中間，

close to the roof of the mouth without

舌頭可能靠近嘴頂而沒碰到，

touching it, or it may touch the sides of

或者舌頭可能會

the roof of the mouth, or the insides or

碰到口腔頂部

bottom of the top teeth, here, ur, ur.

或者上齒底。聽︰「ɜ:」，「ɜ:」

This, along with the R consonant, is one

這沿著「R」輔音，

of the hardest sounds to make in American

在美語中是非常困難的，

English. It’s especially hard because the

特別是因為

lip position hides the tongue position.

嘴唇的位置遮擋了舌頭的位置。

Let’s take a look.

看看。

From the side, we can’t even see the

在側面，我們看不到舌頭。

tongue. The front view doesn’t help

前面視角也看不到。

much either. This is because the

這是因為舌頭往後面，

tongue goes back, but the lips flare

但嘴唇急速向前。

forward.

Here’s the word ‘hurt’. Watch the

聽這個字「hɜːrt」。

tongue pull back and up

看在舌頭拉回去和上升

before coming forward for the T.

發出T音之前。

In a stressed syllable, the UR vowel curves

在重讀音節，「ɜ:」沿曲線

up then down. Hurt, ur. In an unstressed

由高到低，「hɜːrt」，「ɜ:」。

syllable, it’s lower in pitch, as well as

在非重讀音節，「ɜ」是低音、

quieter and quicker, ur, ur. The vowel

輕聲和快速的，「ɜ」，「ɜ」。

is unstressed in the word ‘research’, ur.

這是不重讀的「research」，「ɜ」。

Let’s look at this word up close

讓我們來近距離和

and in slow motion.

慢動作看這個字。

The lips flare, but the jaw doesn’t

舌頭急速，

drop as much.

但下巴不會大幅下垂。

Let’s compare the stressed UR in

來比較一下重讀「ɜ:」，「hɜːrt」

‘hurt’, on the top, with the unstressed

在畫面上方和

vowel in ‘research’, on the bottom.

非重讀「rɪˈsɜːrtʃ」在畫面下方

The lips flare for both, but in this case,

兩者舌頭都很快，但在這情況

there was much more jaw drop for the

下垂更多的是

stressed version of this vowel.

在重讀「ɜ:」的時候。

This is typical. Unstressed vowels are

這是典型的。非重讀是短的。

shorter, so there isn’t as much time to

所以這不會用很多時間

make the full mouth position.

去完全做出嘴型。

重讀的「ɜ:」元音，「hɜːrt」，「ɜ:」。

The UR vowel, stressed: hurt, UR

Unstressed: research, ur

非重讀「rɪˈsɜːrtʃ」，「ɜ」

UR, ur, UR, ur

「ɜ:」，「ɜ」，「ɜ:」，「ɜ」

Example words. Repeat with me:

字詞例子，請跟我讀︰

Earth, search, circle, thirteen, return, outburst.

Earth「ɜːrθ」，「ɜ:」，「ɜːrθ」。

search「sɜːrtʃ」，「ɜ:」，「sɜːrtʃ」

circle「sɜːrkl」，「ɜ:」，「sɜːrkl」

thirteen「θɜːrˈtiːn」，「ɜ」，「θɜːrˈtiːn」

return「rɪˈtɜːrn」，「ɜ:」，「rɪˈtɜːrn」

outburst「aʊtbɜːrst」，「ɜ」，「aʊtbɜːrst」

I hope this video helps you understand

this sound. That’s it, and thanks so much

for using Rachel’s English.