《lesson1-12》.doc

Lesson 11.1 Pronunciation1.2 Vowels1.3 Diphthongs and double vowels1.4 Consonants Pronunciation The rules for the pronunciation of Dutch are very consistent and easy to learn. Pronunciation is a distinctive and therefore essential component of a language. It is in the interest of the students progress that the following characteristic sounds of Dutch be learned thoroughly. For pronunciation, more than any other element of the language, the rule that practice makes perfect holds true. The following sounds are different or unknown in English but quite common in Dutch. A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z 1.2 Vowel sounds 1. a- (short a-: between duck and dock). The a- is found in words such as pak (parcel, suit), and plat (flat). Exercise 1. Practice the a- sound in the following words by reading them aloud: plat, kranten, dag, zakken, pak, vast, wal, klap, ratten, gat. 2. aa- (long aa-: not found in English at all. It is produced by shaping the mouth for the vowel sound in the English words by, why, etc. but opening the mouth much wider). It is found in Dutch words such as: kaas (cheese) and gaan (to go) and also in open syllables, i.e. in syllables ending on a vowel, as in maken (to make) and praten (to talk). Exercise 2. Read the following words aloud: kraal, ramen, aap, daar, platen, vaak, kaal, bazen, ja, amen. Note i: There is en essential difference in meaning between such words as plat (flat) and plaat (picture, record), mak (tame) and maak (to make), etc. This difference is determined by the difference between the short and the long a- sounds. It is therefore very important to distinguish clearly between these sounds. Mispronunciation may, in may cases, lead to serious misunderstandings. Here are a few more examples: tak is branch in English, but taak means task; man has the same meaning as man in English but maan means moon. Note ii: The plural of tak (branch) is takken (branches); this means that the consonant has to be doubled,