Learn German - Lesson 7 - Pronunciation practice:
Beim einrichten
(photo
by Tobias Steinhoff used
under terms of Creative Commons license.)
A. Vowels in Syllables Not Having Primary Stress
Up to now we have given our attention to the vowels occurring in stressed syllables. Most of the items presented for pronunciation practice have been one or two syllables in length, although German words of six or more syllables occur. While only one syllable receives primary stress, vowels in syllables not having primary stress retain the same sound quality and length which they have when stressed. Practice the following words with your instructor, making sure that your imitation of all vowel sounds in each ward is accurate:
Practice
1.
|
Umweg |
Amerika |
Konsulat |
|
Autobus |
Museum |
Amerikanerin |
|
Schreibmaschine |
politisch |
Universität |
|
Heimatstadt |
Verabredung |
Sekretärin |
|
Wiedersehen |
spaziergang |
Bibliothek |
B.
Review
Continuing the review of difficult pronunciation features begun in Lesson 6 here are two troublesome vowel contrasts: short -a- and short -o-, and long -i- and long -e-:
Practice
2.
|
Kasten - kosten |
sieht - seht |
|
lachen - lochen |
Wiesen - Wesen |
|
Tanne - Tonne |
liegen - legen |
An important and often difficult consonant contrast is that between the ich- or ach- sounds on the one hand and the k- sound on the other: