bajabero
Member
- Joined
- Aug 11, 2012
- Member Type
- Student or Learner
- Native Language
- Arabic
- Home Country
- Yemen
- Current Location
- Saudi Arabia
I learned from some YouTube channels that the main distinct between the positive (Can) and the negative (Can't) is that the vowel in the positive one is very short. Sometimes it sounds like c'n with almost no vowel. The negative form will sound normally with a very clear vowel sound. Ok,this was not helpful for me in some cases.
Here is one (can) I've been able to understand perfectly:
* In a radio show about health care. When the interviewer said:
There are two negative (can)s in that segment (it is at 15:50 of the show, you may listen to it here:ht tp://ww w.npr.org/2012/06/01/154148664/can-technology-deliver-better-health-care)
This is ok. I can easily understand it as Flatow's made a slightly long vowel.
But here is another one that I couldn't catch! I thought that the speaker said: (can't) while it was actually positive (can).
It is in one of Obama's speeches can be found here: (13:15 when he said: our union can be perfected)
ht tp://ww w.youtube.com/watch?v=Jll5baCAaQU)
I think the vowel sound in that one was long. That's why I thought it was negative.
Could you please help me with this thing? more information about how to know whether it is positive or it is negative
Thanks a lot
Here is one (can) I've been able to understand perfectly:
* In a radio show about health care. When the interviewer said:
FLATOW: Reed Tuckson, let me just, I'm going to direct a question to you, and I'd be very happy if you'd answer, then you can make your point, please. What about - are we going to be creating another class of people who can't afford these devices, who don't have the smartphones and can't get the same sort of medical care as all these people who do have them?
There are two negative (can)s in that segment (it is at 15:50 of the show, you may listen to it here:ht tp://ww w.npr.org/2012/06/01/154148664/can-technology-deliver-better-health-care)
This is ok. I can easily understand it as Flatow's made a slightly long vowel.
But here is another one that I couldn't catch! I thought that the speaker said: (can't) while it was actually positive (can).
It is in one of Obama's speeches can be found here: (13:15 when he said: our union can be perfected)
ht tp://ww w.youtube.com/watch?v=Jll5baCAaQU)
I think the vowel sound in that one was long. That's why I thought it was negative.
Could you please help me with this thing? more information about how to know whether it is positive or it is negative
Thanks a lot