Help with the rl sound?

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17-Dec-2011, 04:18
an idiot

Help with the rl sound?

Hi, I've been wondering how to make the rl sound as in 'girl' or 'curl'. I can't seem to be able to say it and I've been avoiding words with those sounds. When I try to say these words, I always exaggerate the ir and say 'uuurrr' and I can't say the l part. Help!
17-Dec-2011, 04:53
5jj

Re: Help with the rl sound?

Welcome to the forum, an idiot. :hi:

If you are following the standard BrE model of pronunciation, there is no real problem, because there is no /r/ sound in the word.The vowel in 'curl', /ɜ:/ is very similar in quality to a lengthed /ə/, the vowel in 'the'.
17-Dec-2011, 05:17
Raymott

Re: Help with the rl sound?

Quote:

Originally Posted by an idiot

Hi, I've been wondering how to make the rl sound as in 'girl' or 'curl'. I can't seem to be able to say it and I've been avoiding words with those sounds. When I try to say these words, I always exaggerate the ir and say 'uuurrr' and I can't say the l part. Help!

Only Americans and devotees of their dialect, and maybe some obscure hidden villages in Britain and Ireland say an /r/ here. You will be understood everywhere without pronouncing the /r/ (assuming that you are understandable generally!)
In AusE, it's more like /gɜ:əl/
19-Dec-2011, 13:56
bagzi94

Re: Help with the rl sound?

I have troubles with pronouncing letter L - sometimes I drop it.
What do you think of my pronunciation of girls?
Girls.wmv - YouTube
20-Dec-2011, 06:51
iKitty

Re: Help with the rl sound?

NOT A TEACHER

Your pronunciation is perfectly understandable.
20-Dec-2011, 11:30
5jj

Re: Help with the rl sound?

Quote:

Originally Posted by bagzi94

I have troubles with pronouncing letter L - sometimes I drop it.
What do you think of my pronunciation of girls?
Girls.wmv - YouTube

I had to listen to it four times before I understood it. However, this was because of unnatural stress and intonation. Once I had understood it, the pronunciation of the 'girls' was not a problem.
20-Dec-2011, 23:56
raindoctor

Re: Help with the rl sound?

rl = uh-r + uh-l
21-Dec-2011, 13:04
5jj

Re: Help with the rl sound?

Quote:

Originally Posted by raindoctor

rl = uh-r + uh-l

That is not what bagzzi said. It is also not what any any speaker of standard British or American dialects says.
21-Dec-2011, 18:39
raindoctor

Re: Help with the rl sound?

Quote:

Originally Posted by 5jj

That is not what bagzzi said. It is also not what any any speaker of standard British or American dialects says.

In American lects, that's how it is dealt with, not as a consonant cluster. This was discussed in DG Davies "American spoken english in Real life: fast natural, urgent survival foreign accent begone!"
21-Dec-2011, 19:01
5jj

Re: Help with the rl sound?

So how many syllables does Davies say there are in the word 'girl'?