Pronunciation

The World’s Quietest Shift: The Great Silence of French

Move beyond the Great Vowel Shift and explore French's "Great Silence"—the massive, historical loss of final consonants. This single change…

4 weeks ago

The Echo Vowel: Parasitic Vowels in Irish and Japanese

Have you ever heard a vowel that wasn't spelled, like the "a" in the Irish word *uisce* (ish-ka)? This phenomenon,…

4 weeks ago

What’s a Diphthong? (And How to Say Them)

Ever wondered what the sounds in 'boy', 'cow', and 'my' have in common? They're diphthongs—two vowel sounds smashed into a…

4 weeks ago

The 10 Hardest English Words to Pronounce

Ever stumbled over 'Worcestershire' or 'anemone'? This guide breaks down 10 of the hardest English words to pronounce, offering simple…

4 weeks ago

The Word-Eating Glitch: What is Haplology?

Ever wonder why so many people say 'probly' instead of 'probably' or 'libry' instead of 'library'? This common linguistic shortcut…

4 months ago

German Filler Words: Sound Like a Native

Tired of your German sounding like it's straight from a textbook? This guide explores the essential filler words (Füllwörter) like…

4 months ago

Beyond Accent: The Goal of Clear Speech

Many language learners chase a "perfect" native accent, often leading to frustration and a fear of speaking. This post reframes…

4 months ago

The Spanish ‘S’ Ghost: Where Does It Go?

Ever wondered why the 's' in Spanish sometimes vanishes into thin air or turns into a soft puff of air?…

4 months ago

That French ‘R’ Sound? Here’s How to Nail It.

The infamous French 'R' can feel like an impossible hurdle for English speakers. But what if the secret to mastering…

4 months ago

The Secret to Sounding French: Liaison

Ever wonder why 'les amis' sounds like 'lez-ami' in spoken French? That magical connection is called *liaison*, the phonetic glue…

4 months ago

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