Learn German - Lesson 4 - Pronunciation practice:
Im Konsulat
(photo
by Snappy used
under terms of Creative Commons license.)
A. The German ich-sound
Whisper English "yes". Prolong the initial sound, as if you were stuttering: "yyyes". Whisper the name "Hugh" and prolong the initial sound in the same way: "Hhhhugh". Feel the air friction alone, like a long drawn out, whispered hy- cornbination. Now try the German words with your instructor. If you have difficulty with them whisper English "yyyes" and "Hhhhugh" again for a moment and try to get the air friction sound here distinctly. The same kind of air friction will occur in all of the following German words:
Practice
1.
ich |
König |
Milch |
leicht |
mich |
wenig |
welch |
nicht |
weich |
wichtig |
solch |
echt |
Pech |
endlich |
durch |
recht |
Practice
2.
sicher |
Fächer |
weichen |
München |
siechte |
nächste |
gezeichnet |
Häschen |
Küche |
Löcher |
Seuche |
Rippchen |
Tücher |
höchste |
leuchte |
Söckchen |
B. The German ach-sound
There is no sound in English similar to German -ch in ach. Pronounce English "knock" and ask your instructor to pronounce German nach. Notice the difference in the final sounds of the two words. In the English word the back of the tongue is pressed against the back part of the roof of the mouth stopping the flow of air. If you don't stop the flow of air entirely but let some of it through by lowering the back part of your tongue just a little, you should approximate the German sound. This air friction or spirant sound is not the same as the one described under A. It is a lower frequency sound, because it is produced farther back in the mouth cavity. Practice until your instructor is satisfied with your pronunciation of the following words.
Practice 3.
doch |
Docht |
kochen |
Tochter |
auch |
taucht |
fauchen |
hauchte |
nach |
macht |
lachen |
dachte |
Tuch |
sucht |
buchen |
suchte |
Bruch |
Sucht |
|
Buchten |
Practice 4 - the ich-sound and the ach-sound compared.
Nacht |
Nächte |
Loch |
Löcher |
schwach |
schwäche |
Tochter |
Töchter |
auch |
euch |
Buch |
Bücher |
fauchte |
feuchte |
Sucht |
süchtig |