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Thread: Difference between /əl/ and /əʊ/

  1. #1
    thincat is offline Junior Member
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    Default Difference between /əl/ and /əʊ/

    Hello everyone,
    I am not a native English speaker.
    Can anybody tell me the differences in pronouncing /əl/ and /əʊ/?
    To me, it seems that they sound the same.
    It's quite confusing.

    Thank you in advance for your help!

  2. #2
    thincat is offline Junior Member
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    Default Re: Difference between /əl/ and /əʊ/

    To be more specific:
    For example, according to dictionary, "financial" is pronounced as /faɪˈnænʃ
    ə
    l/
    If I pronounce it as
    /faɪˈnænʃ
    əʊ
    /, is there any difference?
    If yes, what is the major differences in the position of tongue, roundedness of lips etc.?

    Thank you very much!

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    Raymott's Avatar
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    Default Re: Difference between /əl/ and /əʊ/

    Quote Originally Posted by thincat View Post
    Hello everyone,
    I am not a native English speaker.
    Can anybody tell me the differences in pronouncing /əl/ and /əʊ/?
    To me, it seems that they sound the same.
    It's quite confusing.

    Thank you in advance for your help!
    /əʊ/ is the 'o' sound in "photo, phone, bone, no, know ..."
    I don't think /əI/ (small cap I) is used. Where did you see it? In any case, it's not the same as /əʊ/; it can't be.

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    5jj
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    Default Re: Difference between /əl/ and /əʊ/

    Quote Originally Posted by Raymott View Post
    I don't think /əI/ (small cap I) is used. Where did you see it?
    It's supposed to be schwa followed by lower case L.
    Context is important. Please provide enough for us to be able to deal effectively with your question.
    Your thread title should include all or part of the word/phrase being discussed.
    If you just want to know the meaning of a word, try OneLook Dictionary Search first.


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    thincat is offline Junior Member
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    Default Re: Difference between /əl/ and /əʊ/

    Quote Originally Posted by 5jj View Post
    It's supposed to be schwa followed by lower case L.
    Yes, you are right. It's lower case L.
    (financial: /fa ɪˈnæn. ʃəl/)

    So, do you know what's the differences in the
    manner of articulation between /əl/ and /əʊ/?

    Thanks a lot!

  6. #6
    BobK's Avatar
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    Default Re: Difference between /əl/ and /əʊ/

    Sometimes the /l/ is subject to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Labialisation; in this case //əl/ approaches [əʊ].

    My phonetics teacher (early '70s) had been a teacher of German. He told us that when he was teaching in the East End of London, he got his students to pronounce the German /o/ (very close to the cardinal [o]) by telling them to copy the vowel sound that they used at the end of the word 'people'.

    b

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    Default Re: Difference between /əl/ and /əʊ/

    Bobk:
    Thank you very much for your reply.
    Do you mean that there is lip-rounding in /l/ of /əl/, so that /əl/ resembles /əʊ/?
    If it is the case, do I need to move my tongue to the alveolar ridge when approaching /l/ in /əl/, or just simply use a /əʊ/ sound to replace?

    Thanks!

  8. #8
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    Default Re: Difference between /əl/ and /əʊ/

    Yes, that's what happens (lip-rounding) in some cases (some /l/s in some phonetic contexts, more so in some accents than in others). But note that the Wikipedia article refers to it as a feature of 'secondary articulation'. It's never essential, and it's often wrong. Don't do it.

    b

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    Default Re: Difference between /əl/ and /əʊ/

    Yes, that's what happens (lip-rounding) in some cases (some /l/s in some phonetic contexts, more so in some accents than in others). But note that the Wikipedia article refers to it as a feature of 'secondary articulation'. It's never essential, and it's often wrong. Don't do it.

    b

  10. #10
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    Default Re: Difference between /əl/ and /əʊ/

    The first is made with the tongue touching the palate, the second is produced with the lips closing into a small opening.
    5jj likes this.

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