How can I improve my pronounciation of the "ɪə" sound?

[hardyweineberg]

I have been practising this sound for month, but I haven't achieved any success. I pronounced "ear, beer, clear, dear, fear, mere, near, and here" in the recording below.

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1) Please, tell me what I am doing wrong?

2) Is the "i" sound a short, medium, or long sound?

 

[emsr2d2]

Who told you they're wrong? They're all understandable and the sound is the right length. I'm not sure why you added the word "yeah" between "near" and "here".

 

[hardyweineberg]

Who told you they're wrong? They're all understandable and the sound is the right length. I'm not sure why you added the word "yeah" between "near" and "here".

Oh! I was trying to pronounce "year". That's how everyone in my country pronounces it, or at least, all the ones I have heard say that word.

"Who told you they're wrong?"
Whenever I pronounce those words in that way while talking to my friends, it causes confusion. I guess this is what gave me that impression.

 

[jutfrank]

I too think your pronunciation is fine. You have an accent, of course, but that's okay.

If you want better feedback from us, show us how you say these words in the context of sentences.

Whenever I pronounce those words in that way while talking to my friends, it causes confusion.

Your Nigerian friends?

 

[hardyweineberg]

I too think your pronunciation is fine. You have an accent, of course, but that's okay.

If you want better feedback from us, show us how you say these words in the context of sentences.



Your Nigerian friends?

Yes, my Nigerian friends

 

[emsr2d2]

Yes, my Nigerian friends.

Remember to end every sentence with an appropriate closing punctuation mark. Are the Nigerian friends you're talking about native English speakers or other Igbo speakers?

 

[hardyweineberg]

Remember to end every sentence with an appropriate closing punctuation mark. Are the Nigerian friends you're talking about native English speakers or other Igbo speakers?

There are no native English speakers in Nigeria. Even the ones who only or mainly speak English don't speak the language properly; I would say broken or pidgin English is what we use to communicate most of the time.

Back to the main question, those people are Yorubas, Hausas, Igbos and members of the other ethnic groups in Nigeria.

 

[emsr2d2]

In that case, I suggest that you take more notice of the opinion of the native English speakers on this forum. With the exception of "year", which you pronounced as "yeah", they were all perfectly fine (albeit, as jutfrank said, with an accent that clearly indicates you're not a native English speaker).
"Year" should rhyme with "near", "here", "deer" etc.