Articulation Indistinct

Articulation
When we emit sounds like aaaa-hhhhaa, it's not articulation.
On the farm, when a cow moos, the cow is producing a
moo-sound that's all.
The cow does not use her tongue, lips
and jaw to chop that sound into syllables or words. That
stream of sound needs to be chopped and moulded into
distinct words. Hence, the sound which is enriched and
magnified by resonance, is still simply sound per se. It is not
speech.
To convert sound into human speech, you use your
tongue, lips, teeth and jaw to mould words from sound.
This process is called articulation.
There are four aspects which directly affect articulation:
1) Lack of Resonance: ,
Resonance is the amplification and enrichment of tone by
reflection and sympathetic vibrations in the mouth,
cranium, chest, and nasal cavity. A thin, feeble voice is
devoid of resonance. Such a voice lacks
(i) power in the
abdomen, and
(ii) normal pitch. Hence, a thin, feeble voice
is unable to project crisp and clear vowel sounds or
consonant sounds.
2) Nasality
Nasality is talking-through-the-nose. Articulation suffers
when there is too much nasality in speech. Some nasality is
required, but only in these sounds: m, n, and ng.
Unfortunately, sloppy speakers add nasality to the vowel
sounds also.

To check if you are a nasal speaker, pinch your
nose closed and say, "Liberty means responsibility. That is
why most men dread it". There should be vibrations in your
nose only with the m and n sounds. Now, hold your nose again
and say aloud, "a, death where is thy sting? a grave, .yhere
is thy victory?" There should be no buzzing in your nose
except when you say 'sting', the ng sound.


3) Indistinct Articulation:
It comes from being jaw-lazy, lip-lazy, and tongue-lazy.
This does not mean that one is literally 'lazy.' Indistinct
articulation stems from an inability to use the muscles of
the jaw, tongue and lips with alacrity and energy. Each
sound requires a distinct shape, size and tension of the
speech organs.

 If speech muscles move sluggishly then
articulation is blurred and indistinct.
4) Haste and Indifference
While many people speak very fast and trip and slur over
words, many others are plain indifferent to bother about
pronouncing words properly and correctly. Do you also
say:
dint for didn't; jest for just; probly for probably; uiui
for what; didju for did you; sich for such; ketch for catch;
pitcher for picture; may sure for measure; accepts for
accepts; lie-s for lists; ask for asks
Methods and exercises to improve articulation are laid
down in the following chapter, Correcting Speech Blemishes.
Speak with Flair and Finesse Grouping Sounds and Words Together
YOU know how the sounds of the vowels and the consonants form the words. But English is not spoken word by word.

Good speech doesnot consist of uttering the separate sounds in each word.

We do not converse by speaking each word separately. The problem is that when we learn a foreign language, we begin by memorising the new vocabulary and its grammar, and thereafter when we use it in conversation we try to punctuate each word as distinctly as it was learnt. But languages are not spoken that way - uttering every sound and every word. If we conversed that way, our speech would sound like rat-tat-tat-tat, very staccato, like machine-gun fire. Blending Sounds into Speech For English conversation to sound pleasant to the ears, we group words together, and blend the sounds together, so that whole groups of words are spoken as if they were one word.' For example, if you were to say, "Where are you?" Would you first say "where", then'after a break say, "are", then break again and after that say,. "you"? Never. Actually you would say, "Whereareyou," with the whole thought spoken as one word. As we are not accustomed to seeing words run together in print as we hear them in conversational speech, we will indicate them in this manner, "Where-are-you," the 'links' showing the group of words as one word. Now observe the blending in larger groups of words. How, for example, would you read the following lines? . Oh, I am a cook, and a captain bold And the mate of the Nancy brig. You would read it something like this: Oh-T-ama-cook an-da":'captain-bold Anthe-rnate-ovthe- Nanty-brig. Have you noticed that the sixteen written words are blended into only three spoken words? Have you also noticed that certain sounds are dropped to make the blending smooth? It is good cultured speech to do this - to drop certain sounds - and you are not being a clumsy or sloppy speaker when you do it. For example, take the words, "There he is." You would not say, " there, " and then "he," and finally "is." In fact, you would not even say, "There he is." Actually, you would drop the h and say, "There e is."

It would sound clipped, artificial and staccato to the ears to put in the h, because in this particular combination of sounds, it spoils the blending. Now, if you were to say, "I like bread and butter," and if your blending of sounds with words was 'cultured' you would say, "bread n butter," _ definitely not "bread and butter." As a good, cultured conversationalist, saying, "I like bread n butter," is excellent blending. In the same sentence, the blending would change if you were afraid of being served bread without butter; then you would say, "I like bread and butter." Since blending depends on what meaning you want to project, sounds are dropped or emphasised accordingly. On the other hand, if you were delivering a speech, or reading aloud before an audience, you would distinctly say, "I like bread and butter." So we speak, not in single sounds or in single words, but in whole units of thought, and each unit of thought is pronounced as though it was one long word. In the following selection, the sounds in the adjoining words are blended together.
Adown- Titanic-glooms-of-chasmed-fears,
From-those-strong-Feet that-followed, followed-after,
But--with-cunhurrying-vchase
And-unperturbed -pace,
eliberate-speed majestic-instancy.
They-beat - and-the-Voice-beat
More-instant-than-the- Feet -
"All-things-betray-thee, who-betrayest- Me."
FRANCIS THOMPSON - The Hound of Heaven
Speak with Flair and Finesse 107
Intonation
I -fled - Him down-the-nights-and -down-the-days: L-fled-Him down-the-arches-of-the-years: r-nea- Him, down-the-labyrinthine-ways Of-my-own-mind, and in-the-mist-of-tears I-hid-from-Him, and under-running-Iaughter. Up-vistaed-hopes-T-sped, And -shot,-precipated,

Intonation projects the speaker's state of mind as he speaks, and the mentalttitude which accompanies his words.

 
What is intonation, you may ask? Intonation is the movement of the voice up and down the musical scale. It is the tune, the melody, the music of speech. It is a pleasing arrangement of pauses, pitch changes, and emphasis that is called 'speech tune,' or intonation. The speech tunes of English are not the same as in other languages, that each and every language, including Americanism has its own distinct speech tunes. Those learning English as a second language, invariably speak English by applying the tunes of their regional language - making it sound 'foreign' or accented. Just as it is important to pronounce correctly the English vowels and consonants, so also it is important to use the correct English intonation. When you speak, you do not speak every word on the same note - and if you do so, you will sound woefully monotonous. Take, for example, the words, "Oh, shut up," when you say it in jest among friends, or when you say it in mild, or stem disagreement, or in anger, you will use the same words in different 'lilts' to express your exact intent. Using different melodies in speech is what intonation is all about. IntonatJon in your speech will reflect your present mood. When conversing, you will notice how your voice goes up and down the scale; you change your inflections, you vary the force, and you alter the speed of talking. While intonation impacts speech, it does not alter the meaning of the words. The" words "Oh, shut up," still has the same meaning no matter what intonation is used; but a different intonation does show a.different attitude on the part of the speaker. Intonation, which is-the tune, melody and music of speech, is also the emotional force you put into the wotds

which you use to express your thoughts. Let us take a look
at 'Ascending Melody and Descending Melody in the folloWing
selections.
Ascending Melody
In this melody, the intensity of feeling increases from the
first word to the last and the voice gradually climbs
upwards, as in the following lines: .
Oh, where, tell me where, is your Highland laddie gone?
Oh where, tell me where, did your Highland laddie dwell?
Oh, what, tell me what, does your highland laddie wear?
Descending Melody
In this melody, the maximum of ntensity is at the beginning
of the sentence, as in these lines:
Haste thee, nymph, and bring with thee
Jest and youthful jollity,
Quips and cranks, and wanton Wiles
Nods, and Becks, and wreathed Smiles.'
. JOHN MILTON
Intonation Exercises in Conversation
Apply the principles of intonation in the following exercise
and bring out the exact mood and feeling - as you would
in everyday conversation. (Suggestion: look at the mirror
when doing this exercise so that your facial expressions
match the mood you want to portray.)
Drill:

A

Greetings

Response

How are you? (indifferent) How are you? (concerned): How are you? (flippant) How are you? (relief)

Fine (apathy) Fine (assuring) Fine (insincere) Fine (relaxed)

B

Apologetic

Response

Sorry (sarcastic)	That's okay (insincere)
Sorry (sincere)	That's okay' (forgiving)
Sorry (indifferent)	That's okay (dismissive)
'Sorry (defensive)	That's okay (conciliatory)

C

Appreciation

Response

Thank you (regular)	You're welcome (regular)
Thank you (surprise)	You're welcome (flippant)
Thank you (curt)	You're welcome (insincere)
Thank you (pleased)	You're welcome (enthusiastic)

D

Question

Answer

Okay? (angry)	Sure (boredom)
Okay? (concerned)	Sure (hopeful)
Okay? (surprise)	Sure (whimsical)
Okay? (impatient)	Sure (indifferent)

E

Question

Answer

What? (shock)	I don't know (defensive)
What? (laughing in disbelief)	I don't know (sing-song)
What? (incredulous)	I don't know (pleased)
What? (impatient)	I don't know (hesitant)

Sprinkle Your Conversation with Idiomatic Expressions Having come this far, you need to know the last and final cherry-on-the-dessert impact when you speak English. Learning English as a second language has a slight disadvantage which you can overcome. When you learn a second language, you start with the vocabulary and the grammar, and group them into sentences. Hence, when you speak English, you speak it literally. Did you notice that you do not speak your regiona language (mother tongue) literally? You speak your mother tongue idiomatically. That's because when you were \ying in the cot, your infant ears picked up speech sounds from your parents and you mimicked those expressions - colloquial slang and all. You speak your mother tongue using words loaded with colourful imagery, phrases and metaphor to express innuendoes, jokes, pithy couplets, poetry. and prose. As a master craftsman - a wordsmith - choice words pour out of your lips with such finesse and ease that your listeners happily indulge their senses 'feeling' the texture and taste of your expressions. You need not speak English literally. You can teach yourself to speak English idiomatically - just like the way you speak your mother tongue. Get hold of a book on English Idioms and Phrases, and another book on English Limericks, and regularly browse through them. If you like some phrases and idioms, note them down and use them - immediately. To be funny, memorise the English limericks and shoot them out to your family and friends. Don't be afraid of mistakes, the more the mistakes - the faster you'll learn. As you entertain others and yourself, you'll see how well idioms and phrases blend in spoken English.
A Few Tips to Hit the English Fluency Jackpot A common mistake made by many learners is that when they attempt to speak English, they first think in their national or regional languages, and then run a quick mental translation before expressing their thoughts in English. This process not only slows down the flow of words, but also twists out of proportion the idiomatic expressions, and word- blending - giving the language a 'foreign' flavour. To quickly gain fluency in spoken English, the best way is to:
(1) Speak English at every opportunity you get: in the office, at home, at parties, everywhere! (Don't insist that others, too, should speak to you in English). (2) Listen to English news channels on TV and radio. (3) Watch English movies and television serials. Read English newspapers, magazine and novels - (at times aloud, at times record your reading, and listen to the recording the next day - when you're not so familiar with the text you read the previous day). (4) Bombard your ears with English, English, English all your waking hours. Soon, you will dream dreams in English, and then you will know that English has got under your skin and flows in your blood. Good luck and sweet dreams. May your dreams bring you all the success you've worked for.