Lesson 2 Simple Vowels : ɑ, o, e, er, i, u, ü
Simple Vowels
ɑ
Open your mouth widely with tongue in the middle and its position in the lowest vertically. Let the air stream out naturally. This sound is close to the last sound (underlined) of jar, but the tongue position for Chinese “ɑ” is slightly more forward than that of “ar” in jar.
o
Contract the tongue toward the root direction and at the same time raise the tongue to the half-high position and round your lips. This sound is close to the second sound in log. However, the tongue position for Chinese “o” is higher than that of “o” in log, and the mouth shape for Chinese “o” is not an oblong circle as in log but a perfect circle.
e
Make the shape of your lips and tongue position as in pronouncing “o”, then change your lip shape to a very flat oval. This sound is close to the second sound in bird, except the tongue position for Chinese “”e is slightly higher and the mouth shape is flatter than that of “ir” in bird.
er
The two letters form a single sound. Put your tongue and lip in position as when pronouncing Chinese “e”, then raise the middle part of your tongue slightly and at the same time roll up the tip of your tongue backward. Make sure the position of your tongue stays in the middle of the oral cavity and touches nowhere.
i
Place your tongue tip in the high position and it should touch the back of the lower front teeth, at the same time, stretch the corners of the mouth toward two sides. The simple vowel “i” is the same as the first sound in east.
u
Contract your tongue toward te root and keep the tongue tip in the low position. Make your mouth shape a small oval and protruding slightly. This simple vowel is close to the second sound in moon, but the tongue position for Chinese “u” is higher with more rounded mouth shape than that of “oo” in moon.
ü
First, use the same tongue position as in pronouncing Chinese “i”, then draw your lips in to form a perfect circle as small as possible. No English equivalent.
Initial Consonants
b（+o）
An unvoiced plosive. Completely close both lips and then release the compressed air in the mouth suddenly to make an unaspirated unvoiced plosive. This sound is close to the first sound in brother, except that Chinese “b” is an unvoiced sound, thus the vocal cords do not vibrate.
p（+o）
An unvoiced plosive. Begin as in pronouncing “b”, release the compressed air in the mouth to make an aspirated sound. Similar to the first sound in pie. Pay attention that the “p” in Chinese is aspirated.
m（+o）
This is a nasal. Close and press the lips initially and let the air out through the nose. Vibrate your vocal cords to make sound and it is the same as the first sound in mug.
f（+o）
Unvoiced fricative. The articulators involved in producing this sound are the upper front teeth and the lower lip. The upper front teeth touch the lower lip lightly and let the air escape through them. This is an unvoiced aspirated sound. This sound is the same as the first sound in far.
