I have problems pronouncing words that starts with the letters Th ? I know the rule how to pronounce it, but even I have been practicing a lot, when I asked a native how did that sound, they answered that I pronounced like "t" without the ending "h", somethime like "d" or "f".
I asked a teacher form Canada, he said: Have you ever listened to your voice, you should record yourself speaking and listen for your own mistakes. I do that, but it isn't getting better.
I have worked a lot but maybe in a wrong way, and I know a lot of native have the same problem with this sound too.
If anyone knew how to fix this problem, help me! I will appreciate your help.
I want to pronounce right these words : though, through thorough, thought and although.
Here are two ways to try to say it which you might find helpful.
1) Blow air out between your top two front teeth by blocking the space under them with your tongue. You should be able to do this quite naturally. Do this for as long as you want, but eventually quickly lower your tongue so that air rushes out where your tongue was. This is an unvoiced 'th' sound.
2) Say 't' right now and notice where in your mouth your tongue touches. It should be where your teeth meet your gums.
Now say 't' again, but touch your tongue to the very bottom of your top teeth. It should still sound like a 't'. Do this again, but move your tongue slightly forward so that the part of your tongue that touches your teeth (it should be the same spot on your teeth) is a little bit further back in your mouth. The tip of your tongue will naturally be between your teeth (it doesn't need to be far).
As you do this, you will feel air flowing between your front two top teeth. It should feel similar to the way air flows between your lips when you hold an 'f' sound. Unlike a 't' or 'd' (but like an 'f'), you should be able to hold this sound for some time while air flows between your teeth. In conversation however, the sound is usually said as quickly as a 't' or 'd'.
The 'th' sound isn't the sound of the air flowing between your teeth, but the sound of air escaping as you lift your tongue <em>off </em>your teeth while still blowing air.
To Meredith:
I don't know how I was positioning my tongue, because I have been watching video on youtube, try to copy them, thus I think that I'm pronouncing on the right track, but some how I can't pronounce the right word.
Here is the video :
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrqHrGoMJdTTxnYDCdHPRcHCXLGDMbIGy
To Simson:
Thank you for you invataion, sir!
But I think I will do it by my own first, then If I couldn't, I would ask for your help.
Sincerely.
Correction : I have worked a lot but maybe in a wrong way, and I know a lot of NON-native have the same problem with this sound too.
How are you positioning your tongue and lips when you're making the sound? Ideally, you want the tip of your tongue touching the bottom of your top front teeth and your lips pulled slightly back (you can think of it as sticking your tongue between your teeth and trying to make an "sssssss" sound). It sounds like you might be touching your tongue to the back of your teeth, or maybe like your lower lip is too high, although without hearing or seeing it's hard to say.
The TH sound is one of my top topics in my pronunciaiton classes. I put together a page that should help. I teach you how to place your tongue and give you words to practice.
http://englishsl.com/pronunciation-th-sound.php
Let me know if this helps.
Regards,
Simon
