How to read English sounds in Russian. Phonetic transcription signs

We encounter discrepancies in the spelling and pronunciation of English words already in the first lessons, when we independently begin to read small texts and translate them. Therefore, along with the alphabet and the simplest vocabulary, novice students need to get acquainted with such a concept as English transcription. It is this multi-character system that helps to convey the pronunciation of the sounds that make up the word in writing. In today's lesson, we will analyze the work of these symbols in practice, i.e. we will learn how the English transcription, translation and pronunciation of the most useful words should sound correctly. At the same time, examples of the correct sound will be presented both in English and in Russian. But first, let's look at a few useful rules.

How transcription works

Record. Make it a rule that the transcription of English words is always written using square brackets: book — [ b ʊk ] - book.

stress. An apostrophe is used to indicate stress, or, more simply, a stroke icon. ′ , which preceded stressed syllable: dictionary – [ˈdɪkʃənrɪ] - vocabulary.

Special signs. The transcription may contain dots, colons, parentheses, and resized letters.

Period - English uses this transcription mark as a syllable separator: undisputed – [ˈʌndɪsˈpjuːtɪd] - undeniable.
Colon - an indicator of a long drawn out sound: water – [‘ w ɔ:t ə] – water.
Parentheses are an indicator that the sound enclosed in them is not pronounced or is pronounced very weakly: happen – [‘ h æp (ə)n ] - happen, happen.
The changed size of the letter is a designation of a sound that is not always pronounced. You can often find the sound r written in superscript format. This is an indication that the pronunciation of the word depends on the dialect or other circumstances, such as the subsequent word: car – [ k ɑːr ] - the car. By the way, the British pronunciation of words is indicated by the abbreviation UK, and the American - US.

Repeat characters. Depending on the dialect being studied, the recording of transcription marks may also differ. However, only their spelling is excellent, these sounds are pronounced the same way. Here are pairs of such identical characters: [ɒ] = [ɔ] , [e] = [ɛ] , [ʊ] = [u] , [əʊ] = [ɔu] , [з:] = [ə:] , = [ɛə] .

Armed with these rules, let's begin our acquaintance with the transcription and pronunciation of the English language.

English transcription translation and pronunciation of popular words

For a Russian person, it is not new that words are not pronounced the way they are written. But the sometimes very large-scale discrepancy that occurs in the English language will amaze even the most unimpressive native speakers of the Russian language.

In the following tables, we will study all the transcription signs of the English language, working out their correct sound with the help of popular words. Since we still have an initial level of knowledge, we will work with pronunciation in an easy mode, i.e. additionally deciphering English words in Russian letters. In addition, each word will be represented with translation ohm into Russian. So by the end of the study of the tables, we will significantly expand our vocabulary and, working with entry-level texts, we will already be able to do without dictionaries and online translators.

Let's start with practicing vowels, as they are the most "capricious" in pronunciation. Stretch a short sound a little - and that's it, you have already said not a ship (ship), but a sheep (sheep). Therefore, be careful and monitor the quality of the pronunciation of each sound.

Vowel sounds
Sound	Word and transcription	Russian pronunciation	Translation
[ɑː] A lingering a, approximately like a percussion a in Russian. fell a that	start	staat	start off
	park	paak	the park
	large	laaj	big, big
	arm	aam	hand
	after [‘a:ftə]	aafte	after
[æ] e, pronounced with articulation a	family	family	family
	bad	bad	bad
	apple [‘æpl]	apple	Apple
	dance	dance	dance, dance
	can	ken	be able, be able
[ʌ] short a, as in Russian. St. a t	Sunday [ˈsʌndeɪ]	Sunday	Sunday
	study [ˈstʌdi]	stages	study
	suddenly [ˈsʌdənli]	Sadanly	suddenly
	cup	cap	goblet, cup
	young	young	young
sound similar to Russian. kr ah	mind	mind	mind, thought
	try	tray	try
	smile	smiley	smile, smile
	life	life	a life
	sky	skye	sky
sound combination ay	house	house	house
	now	nau	now, now
	down	down	down
	hour [ˈaʊə(r)]	auer	hour
	flower [ˈflaʊə(r)]	flower	flower
lingering and, as in Russian. l and ra	evening [ˈiːvnɪŋ]	ivning	evening
	machine	machine	apparatus, machine
	we	in and	we
	because	bicosis	because
	even [‘i:v(ə)n]	ivn	even
[ɪ] short and as in Russian. whale	difficult [ˈdɪfɪkəlt]	difikelt	difficult
	story [ˈstɔːri]	story	story
	different [ˈdɪfrənt]	diffrent	different
	English [ˈɪŋ.ɡlɪʃ]	English	English
	decision	disposition	decision
[iə] sound combination ie	near	noe	close, near
	hear	hier	hear
	theater	tietr	theatre
	dear	die	Dear beloved
	here	hie	here
[ə] neutral sound, vaguely reminiscent of a or e. Often not pronounced.	second [ˈsecənd]	second	second, second
	fire [ˈfaɪə(r)]	fire	the fire
	under [ˈʌndə(r)]	andre	under
	across [əˈkrɒs]	ekros	through, through
	banana	benanee	banana
[e] hard e, practically Russian e	never [ˈnevə(r)]	nevre	never
	help	help	help, help
	heavy [ˈhevi]	heavy	heavy
	next	next	next
	hotel	hotel	hotel
resembles the Russian sound hey in the word sh her	fail	fail	failure
	change	change	change, change
	explain [ɪkˈspleɪn]	xplane	explain
	page	page	page
	rain	rain	rain
sound combination uh	hair	haer	hair
	square	square	square
	chair	chaer	chair
	care	caer	care
	fair	Fairy	fair
[ɜː] Russian yo, as in the word cl yo n	first	fest	first
	girl [ɡɜːl]	girl	young woman
	Thursday [ˈθɜːzdeɪ]	today	Thursday
	birds	troubles	bird
	person [ˈpɜːsn]	songs	Human
[ɔː] lingering o, as in Russian. sl about in	water [‘wɔ:tə]	wote	water
	almost [‘ɔ:lməust]	olmost	almost
	before	bifor	before
	horse	haws	horse
	hall	hall	hall, hall
[ɒ] brief about (note that final consonants are not stunned!)	not	notes	not
	nod	node	nod
	fog	fog	fog
	stop	stop	stop
	lot	lot	a bunch of
[ɔɪ] combination oh	boy	the battle	boy
	foil	foil	foil
	joy	Joy	joy
	voice	voice	voice
	toy	toy	a toy
[əʊ] combination OU	road	road	road
	no	know	No
	most	bridge	greatest
	know	know	know
	Foal	foul	foal
lingering y, as in Russian. duck	fool	full	jester
	room	room	room
	move	move	move
	school	cheekbones	school
[ʊ] short y	good [ɡʊd]	good	good
	put	put	put
	woman [ˈwʊmən]	woman	female
	yuz	use
	human [ˈhjuːmən]	human	human
	music [ˈmjuːzɪk]	music	music
	student [ˈstjuːdnt]	student	student

English transcription of consonants is much easier for Russian speakers to perceive, so the translation and pronunciation of words here will be intensively worked out only for special cases.

w Periodically working with these two tables, you will improve your pronunciation from time to time, and eventually become the owner of an excellent British accent. In parallel, the active vocabulary will also increase, so soon you will be able to easily translate simple sentences both into Russian and back into English. We wish you successful and speedy mastering of all the nuances of English pronunciation! See you in new classes!

	Consonants
Sound	Word and transcription	Voice acting	Russian pronunciation	Translation
[b]	building [ˈbɪldɪŋ]		building	building, building
[d]	drink		drink	drink, drink
[f]	forever		fairware	forever and ever
[ʒ]	pleasure [ˈpleʒə(r)]		Pleasure	pleasure
	prover	prove
[r]	rainbow [ˈreɪn.bəʊ]		rainbow	rainbow
[s]	summer [ˈsʌmə(r)]		samer	summer
[t]	travel		travel	travel
[θ] The tongue is stuck between the upper and lower teeth. In this position, it is necessary to pronounce f or s.	thank [θæŋk]		tsank	thank
	three [θriː]

Elena Britova

Academic manager of the TransLink-Education company, certified trainer in speed reading and memory development.

The English alphabet has 26 letters and 44 sounds. If in some languages each letter is responsible for only one sound, then in English one letter can convey up to four sounds, and in some cases even up to seven. Hence the favorite saying of the English: "We write Liverpool, but we read Manchester."

In addition, articulation (movement of the tongue, lips, mouth) is significantly different from Russian. There are sounds similar to Russian, but when they are pronounced, the organs of articulation work differently.

If you want to get rid of the accent, or at least get closer to English speech, all the differences must be taken into account. Here are some tips on how to get yourself the correct English pronunciation.

1. Learn the alphabet

Many adults consider this a child's exercise. But one day they will definitely ask you: “Please, spell your name” (“Spell your name”). This is where knowing the letters of the English alphabet comes in handy. In addition, there may be letters in abbreviations, street names, house numbers and flight numbers, and, for example, at the airport they will definitely be pronounced as in the alphabet.

2. Practice articulation when pronouncing consonants

Once you have mastered the letters of the alphabet, feel free to move on to learning the sounds they convey. Accustom yourself to the correct articulation right away. Learn to pronounce sounds separately first, bring to automatism, and then move on to words, phrases and sentences.

In English, there are consonant sounds that at first glance (or rather, hearing) are pronounced as in Russian.

1. Check where the tip of the tongue is when pronouncing the sounds [d] - [t], [n], [r], [s], [z]. Sticking to your teeth? Congratulations, you pronounce the Russian alphabet. In native English, the tip of the tongue at this time is on the alveoli (the largest tubercle in the upper palate). Try it. Now you get pure English sounds. Practice: bed - ten , not , rat , sun , zoo .

2. Depict a hare when pronouncing the sounds [f] - [v]. The upper teeth must be placed on the lower lip. Work out: fat - vet.

3. Remember that the sound [l] is always hard: London [ˈlʌndən].

4. When practicing the [w] sound, take a candle: this is the best way to learn how to pronounce it correctly. Fold your lips into a tube and pull forward (like small children reach out for a kiss), and then smile sharply. Then this sound will come out. When training, hold the candle at a distance of 20-25 cm from the lips. If the flame goes out when you pronounce the sound, then you are doing everything right. Practice: say the word well.

5. Warm your hands when practicing the [h] sound. It has nothing to do with Russian [x]. Imagine that you are very cold and are trying to warm your hands with your breath. You bring them to your lips and exhale. During exhalation, a light, barely audible English sound [h] is formed. As in the word home.

6. Practice the sound [ŋ] with a bad cold or imagine that you have one. There is no such sound in Russian, it is transmitted by the combination ng in English. Press the tongue like a spatula against the upper palate and let the sound through the nose. It reminds a little of [n], if you pronounce it with a severe cold. Remember that your tongue is still touching the alveoli, not the teeth. Practice: interesting [ˈɪnt(ə)rɪstɪŋ].

7. Be a snake and a bee for training [ð] - [θ]. These sounds are absent in Russian and are formed by combining the letters th in English.

[ð] - voiced sound. Bite the tip of your tongue lightly with your teeth and pronounce the sound [z]. If during training the lower lip and tongue are tickled, then you are doing everything right. If not, then you may have bitten the tip of your tongue too hard, loosen your teeth a little. Say the word this [ðɪs], do you get it?

[θ] - dull sound. The articulation is the same, only we pronounce the sound [s]. To practice the hollow sound [ θ ], say the word thank [θæŋk].

3. Learn the four types of syllables for the correct pronunciation of vowels

The reading of vowels depends on the type of syllable in which they are:

open (syllable ends in a vowel);
closed (syllable ends in a consonant);
vowel + r;
vowel + re.

In the first type of syllable - open - vowels are read as in the alphabet (that's where knowledge of the alphabet came in handy!). For example: plane , nose , tube , Pete .

In the second type, you need to learn by heart the pronunciation of each vowel:

[æ] - open sound, not long. It is conveyed by the letter A in a closed syllable. Test yourself: sit at the table, straighten up, put one elbow on the surface, bend the brush under the chin. Between the chin and the hand you will have a place, unless, of course, you have straightened your back. Now we lower the lower jaw down so that it reaches the brush, and pronounce [e]. Practice with the word bag.
[e] is often confused with the previous sound. When pronouncing [e], you just need to slightly raise the corners of your lips up, as if smiling slightly. These are two different sounds, and they are not similar to each other, and even more so to Russian [e]. Practice: pet .
Short sounds [i], [ɔ], [ʌ], [u] are pronounced intensively, not in a singsong voice: big, box, bus, book [bʊk].

In the third and fourth types of syllables, the letter R not readable, it only forms a syllable and lengthens the vowel sound: car, sort, turn.

, [ɔ:] - special sounds. Imagine that you are at a doctor's office examining your throat. The root of your tongue is pressed with a stick and asked to say "Aaaa." It is in this position that the tongue should be when pronouncing the sounds [a] and [o]. If at the same time you want to yawn, then you are on the right track! Try it right now: car , sort .

4. Remember the correct accents

Most often in English the stressed syllable is the first. If you need to pronounce a word, but there is no one to ask or there is no dictionary at hand, put the stress on the first syllable. Of course, it is better to immediately memorize words with the correct stress or check yourself in a dictionary.

5. Don't Forget Four Important Rules

There are no soft consonants in English.
Voiced consonants are not stunned at the end of a word.
Vowels are long (in transcription they are denoted by [:]) and short.
No extra - especially sharp - movements of the lips.

Learn a few phrases to practice correct pronunciation:

Very well [‘veri ‘wel].
World Wide Web or WWW [‘w əuld ‘waid ‘web www].
Eleven benevolent elephants [ɪˈlevn bəˈnevələnt ˈelɪfənts].
Stupid superstition [ˈstjuːpɪd ˌsuːpəˈstɪʃ(ə)n].
Pirates Private Property [ˈpaɪrəts praɪvət ˈprɒpəti].

And remember: different sounds have a meaningful function. For example, man ("man", "man") and men ("men"); ship [ʃip] ("ship") and sheep [ʃi:p] ("sheep") and so on. Many people read the word three (“three”) as (which means “tree”) or (“freedom”), not taking into account that th [θ] is read differently, it simply does not exist in Russian (remember the exercise "bee"). Knowing the correct pronunciation of words, you definitely will not get into a mess!

The phonetic system of the English language includes 44 sounds (20 vowels and 24 consonants).

Consonants Consonants		Vowels Vowels
paired	unpaired	monophthongs	diphthongs
[p]-[b]	[m]	[ᴧ]
[t]-[d]	[n]	[æ]
[k]-[g]	[l]	[ɔ]	[əu]
[s]-[z]	[r]	[e]
[f]-[v]	[w]	[ι]	[ɔι]
[θ] - [ð]	[j]	[u]	[ιə]
[∫] - [Ʒ]	[h]	[ə]
-	[ƞ]	[ɔ:]	[εə]



		[ə:]

Vowels can be front or back, open or closed, rounded or unrounded, clear or nasal. To understand these definitions, you need to imagine the structure of the articulatory apparatus.

The division of vowels into front and back, open and closed depends on the position of the tongue. The division of vowels into rounded and unrounded depends on the participation of lips. The division of vowels into pure and nasal depends on the position of the palatal curtain.

When articulating various sounds, it is necessary to strictly observe the correct position of the tongue, lips and palatine curtain.

English vowels sounds are divided into monophthongs, i.e. sounds consisting of one element, and diphthongs, or triphthongs, i.e. sounds consisting of 2 or 3 elements. Vowels can be short or long. The length of the sound is indicated in the transcription by 2 dots , .

front-lingual - sounds formed by the front of the tongue - [ι], , [æ]
middle language - sounds formed by the middle part of the language - [ᴧ]
back lingual - sounds formed by the back of the tongue -, [u]
closed - sounds formed with a slight opening of the mouth - [ι], , [u]
open - sounds pronounced with a wide open mouth - [æ],
half-open (half-closed) - sounds formed by a half-open mouth - [e], [ᴧ].

English consonants

according to the method of formation of the barrier:
- stop - [k], [g], [p], [b], [m], [n]
- slotted - [f], [v], [h], [l], [j], [w], [r], [t], [d], [θ], [ð]
- occlusive-slotted - ,
according to the work of the active organ of speech and the place of formation of the barrier:
- labial - [p], [b], [m], [w]
- labiodental - [f], [v]
- front-lingual - [l], [n], [z], [s], [θ], [ð], [r], [t], [d]
- middle language - [j], [Ʒ]
- back-lingual - [k], [g], [h]
on the participation of the vocal cords:
- voiced - [r], [b], [g], [v], [m], [ð], [z], [d], [n]
- deaf - [p], [f], [θ], [k], [t], [s], [∫],

Final voiceless consonants are characterized by strong articulation, a significant weakening of articulation is inherent in final voiced consonants.

The consonant sounds of the English language are pronounced more energetically than the corresponding sounds of the Russian language. Most of them are breathy ( aspiration).

↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓

English sounds, like Russian ones, can be divided into vowels and consonants. A feature of vowels is the presence of sounds that consist of more than one letter. They are called diphthongs. Moreover, the first part of the sound is pronounced clearly, and the second part is in the form of a short additional sound. Vowel sounds are pronounced clearly, with a certain length. Pay special attention to the length of the sound when memorizing a new word, since many words differ only in the length of the vowel sound. And depending on whether you pull this sound, the meaning of the whole word may change dramatically.

Vowel sounds:

Sound	Russian pronunciation	An example of a word in English language
ə	Sound in an unstressed syllable. Has no distinct coloration. Sounds like a short "e"	as[ ə z] , river , about[ ə baʊt] .
a:	Long and extended sound "a"	party ["p a: ti] , large , art [ a: t].
ʌ	a short sound "a", as when pronouncing the sound "o" in the word she	come one, under[" ʌ ndə(r)] .
æ	There is no analogue in Russian, the average between the sounds "a" and "e".	back , add[ æ d] , bad.
ɒ	Short "o", a bit like "a"	on[ ɒ n] , what , want .
i	Similar to a short "and" sound	in[ i n] , its[ i ts] , give .
i:	Drawl "and", not turning into "s"	even[" i: vn] , feel , me.
e	Sounds like "e"	get , never ["n e və(r)] , every[" e vri] .
ɔ:	Long "o" sound	order[" ɔ: də(r)] , call , talk.
ε:	Sound similar to the Russian sound "e", but not so soft	girl, early [" ε: li] , turn.
ʊ	Sounds like a short "y" sound	would, look, put.
u:	Sounds like a long "y" sound	blue, too, move .
ei	Diphthong, pronounced "e" and short "and" (does not turn into "y")	say, way, day.
ai	Diphthong, pronounced "a" and short "i" (does not turn into y)	time , my , like .
ɔi	Diphthong, pronounced "o" and short "and" (does not turn into "y")	point, voice, boy.
aʊ	Diphthong, pronounced "a" and short "u"	out [ aʊ t] , now , down .
əʊ	Diphthong, pronounced "ə" and short "y"	go, know, so.
ʊə	Diphthong, pronounced "y" and short "e"	power ["pa ʊə (r)] , sure [ʃ ʊə (r)] , during ["dj ʊə riŋ] .
iə	Diphthong, pronounced "i" and short "e"	here, idea, real.
eə	Diphthong, pronounced "e" and short "e"	where , air [ eə(r)] , care.

In the examples, the sign " " " indicates a stressed syllable.

Consonants in English also have a number of features. Firstly, in English, consonants are pronounced clearly without deafening them, even if they are at the end, as is customary in Russian. It can completely change the meaning of a word. For example:

ba t- bat

ba d- bad

Secondly, when studying consonant sounds, you need to know such a concept as alveoli - tubercles above the upper teeth. Sounds like t, d, l, n are pronounced like similar Russian sounds, but with a touch of the tongue of the alveoli. The sound is more solid and clear.

Consonants:

Sound	Russian pronunciation	An example of a word in English language
b	Pronounced like the Russian sound "b"	build[ b ild] .
s	Pronounced like the Russian sound "s"	send[ s end].
d	It is pronounced like the Russian sound "d", but the tip of the tongue is placed to the alveoli. This makes the sound louder.	door [ dɔ:(r)], d eath.
f	Pronounced like the Russian sound "f".	fit[ f it].
ʃ	Pronounced like the Russian sound "sh".	show[ ʃ əʊ] .
tʃ	It is pronounced like the Russian sound "h", but the tip of the tongue is placed to the alveoli. This creates a sound on its own. "tch".	child[ tʃ aild] .
ʒ	Pronounced like the Russian sound "zh".	division.
dʒ	It is pronounced like the Russian sound "zh", but the tip of the tongue is placed to the alveoli. This creates a sound on its own. "j".	just[ dʒʌst] .
k	It is pronounced like the Russian sound "k", but with a stronger exhalation.	keep [ k i:p] , kind [ k aind] .
l	It is pronounced like the Russian sound "l", but the tip of the tongue is placed to the alveoli.	leave [ l i:v] , life[ l aif] .
m	Pronounced like the Russian sound "m".	man[ mæn] .
n	It is pronounced like the Russian sound "n", but the tip of the tongue is placed to the alveoli.	new[ n ju:] , need [ n i:d] .
p	It is pronounced like the Russian sound "p", but with a stronger exhalation.	people[ p i:pl] , price[ p rais] .
r	It is pronounced like the Russian sound "r", but the tongue is placed behind the alveoli.	result[ r i "zʌlt], rule[ r u:l] .
g	Pronounced like the Russian sound "g".	great [ g rate] .
t	It is pronounced like the Russian sound "t", but the tip of the tongue is placed to the alveoli.	tell [ t el] , try[ t rai] .
v	Pronounced like a Russian "v" sound.	very [ v eri] .
h	It is pronounced like the Russian sound "x", but not with such a strong exhalation, while there is no such wheezing.	how[ h aʊ] .
w	Lips are put as when pronouncing "y" and we say "in".	word[ wε:d] , water[" wɔ:tə(r)] .
z	Pronounced like the Russian sound "z".	zero[ z iərəʊ] , size .
ŋ	There is no analogue of this sound in Russian, the sound is similar to the Russian sound "n", but the tongue rests on the base of the lower teeth and is pronounced with a stronger exhalation through the nose (a nasal sound, like m,n).	among [ə "mʌ ŋ ] , long.
ð	There is no analogue of this sound in Russian. The tip of the tongue is between the teeth and we say "in" or "z".	that [ ð æt] , with.
θ	There is no analogue of this sound in Russian. The tip of the tongue is between the teeth and we say "c" or "f".	throw[ θ rəʊ], thank [ θ æŋk] .
j	Pronounced like the Russian sound "y", but less distinctly. Softens the previous sound.	unit[" j u:nit] .

Having learned the transcription of the English language, we can always find out how to pronounce a new unfamiliar word, since in a good dictionary there is always a transcription next to the written word. Therefore, I advise you to periodically repeat English sounds, reading them in a dictionary and checking their voice acting. So you will feel more confident in further training.

It seemed like an impenetrable jungle with 26 dangerous predators hiding in the wilds. However, now you will probably easily name and arrange all the letters in the correct order, and even flash a few facts that are far from known to every philologist.

After reading this article, the topic of English transcription and pronunciation will be transferred from the room of fear to the room of laughter. Today's program:

Getting rid of the fear of reading and the study of graphic symbols
. acquaintance, memorization and memorization of diphthongs, vowels and consonants (classification of sounds), arranged in unique tables
. pause for downloading and printing English transcriptions in pictures
. a clear and concise explanation of the use of English sounds by comparing them with Russian relatives
. consolidation of the material covered with a 10-minute video about English transcription

Are you still afraid? Then we are coming to you!

Graphic symbols of transcription in English

Before you plunge into the pool of English reading with your head, we strongly recommend that you heed the advice of experienced divers. Naturally, the child learns to sit first, and then to walk, and not vice versa - the same thing will happen to us: first learn to read the transcription, and then pronounce it (in the head or out loud). You should not get carried away only by reading, otherwise you risk digging into the jungle of theory and breaking away from practice.

First you need to learn and clarify all the questions regarding each transcription symbol. Then listen online as many examples as needed for a clear and precise idea of how this symbol sounds in live speech. Learn strictly from examples of sounds not taken out of context (like Rian's "uh-uh" in the hit "Umbrella"), but in a specific combination of letters found in words. Then, first listen to each new word and only then check what you catch with your ears with the alphabetic dictionary transcription enclosed in square brackets. By the way, about them and other essential companions of transcription:

Square brackets. They signal that inside is exactly transcription.
For example, English is a word, and ["ɪŋglɪʃ] is its transcription;

‘ - main emphasis. Placed BEFORE the stressed vowel: around [əˈraʊnd];

, - secondary accent. Placed BEFORE the vowel: ["hæmˌbɜːgə];

: - vowel length.

The proposed option will seem at first glance not the fastest, but the wise one will not go uphill - the wise one will bypass the mountain. As a result, the time spent is converted into the comfort of speech perception: you no longer need to painfully strain your ears, trying to recognize unfamiliar sounds. And soon unfamiliar "squiggles" will acquire a meaningful sound. Isn't it magical? This is the secret of not only the correct pronunciation, but also the ease of listening to speech.

Foundation of English transcription

Since “it’s great that we are all here today” about the study of transcription, let's get to know it better. There are two types of transcription: phonetic and phonemic. You are mistaken if you think that you have taught/will learn phonetic transcription to a more familiar ear. She, as a rule, is of interest to serious uncles and aunts of linguists, our choice is the study of phonemes (sound language units). Simply put, if two sounds are very similar, but the difference between them can change the meaning of the word, then they form two different phonemes. In Russian, this is not so noticeable, because if you call a cat at least “cat”, even “koooooot”, he will still come, but the meaning of the word will not change. One phoneme for two different sounds. In English, the number will not work: "cot", "caught" and "coat" contain different phonemes. Why so many "smart letters"? In addition to the fact that dictionaries contain phonemic transcriptions, remember this and do not let yourself be confused:

Pope(dad, papal):
1) is a phonetic transcription, it is emphasized here that the first [p], unlike the second, is pronounced with aspiration (aspiration after consonants p, t, k before vowels);
2) is a dictionary (phonemic) transcription.

What else do you need to know about transcription? That there is a different syllable in it:

- open(there is no consonant after the vowel) - New
- closed(after the vowel there is a consonant) - York

- vowel: single - [e], diphthong - [ɔʊ], triphthong - [ɑiə]
- consonant:[d]

English vowel sounds (with online pronunciation)

There are fewer vowels in English than consonants, but more than diphthongs. This picture clearly shows the difference, for example, between the sounds [I] and. Anyone who has even heard of the existence of the imagination will distinguish between the words "fish" and "tree", which, like rebuses, contain the sounds mentioned. You can reread the rules as much as you like, or you can study the transcription in pictures in detail once, which visualizes examples of the use of sounds. For memory training, you can download and even print a picture, this option is provided. For audials, it is possible to hear every sound online in a word after clicking on the speaker icon.

English consonants

Consonant sounds in English are not twin brothers in Russian at all. The articulation of their creation is seriously different. However, we are here not to intimidate with smart words, but rather to make life easier for beginners in English, so we painted voiced consonants in purple, and deaf ones in blue. When forming the same plural of nouns, it is very important to feel and know the difference. 24 new words serve as a bonus to the learned sounds. We train visual memory and save English transcription in pictures for re-use when needed! Audials still click on the speaker icon under each letter to pronounce sounds in online transcription.

Diphthongs (double vowels) of English

And it would be scary from the presence of 8 diphthongs in English, if not for the wonderful pictures, thanks to which the study turns into an entertaining charade. It is enough to look at the picture, hold your eyes, voice the diphthong by pressing the speaker icon under the letter and practice correct pronunciation. Anyone who appreciates the creative approach to business is allowed to download a picture for a long memory!

From theory to practice
Some time will pass, the dictionary will be covered with a thick layer of dust or removed from the bookmarks (in the electronic version), because the translation of the necessary words is known, the sound is familiar - what other America can you discover there? Do not believe it, it is precisely the clarification of the transcription of what seems to you well-known words that is the very unplowed field that is worth crossing in order to improve the sound of speech.

Let's give an everyday example: the frequently used word "real" has a phonemic transcription a), b) or c)?
The first option is fictional and erroneous, the second and third are British and American pronunciations. What is the moral of this fable?

So that you are not painfully ashamed of your reading, we recommend that you at least briefly familiarize yourself with these tables as follows:
- read the line from left to right;
- listen to the perfect pronunciation of the sound;
- we take a mirror in our hand and train hard (you will surely like to train [æ] or [ð]).

Table of English sounds similar to Russian
These sounds in English transcription do not have to be explained on the fingers.

Sound	Example	Explanations
[ɑː]	car, far, garage	Sounds like a long "ahh". Remember the cartoon about Mowgli, where was the wise Kaa?
[ʌ]	up, but, love	Short sonorous "a". Something similar in Russian "ai".
[ɔː]	more, board, floor	Sounds like a long "oo". Imagine surprise.
[b]	book, board, tab	Russian energetic "b". When you are walking down the hallway in the dark and suddenly you stumble
[g]	green, grace, agree	Russian "g", but not as energetic.
[f]	forest, atmosphere, enough	Very energetic Russian "f".
[k]	kill, cord, school	Russian "k". It is breathy before a stressed vowel (if you put your hand in front of your lips and say “keel”, then your palm should feel your fresh breath)
[m]	mother, lamb	Russian "m".
[n]	nine, note, intrusion	Russian "n".
[p]	pub, gallop, open	Russian energetic "p". Before a stressed vowel - with aspiration.
[v]	vest, vocal, give	Russian "in".

Now let's look at some tricky examples in practice:

subtle - hardly distinguishable
"Sutl" and only like that, no "subtle" with a drum "b" in the middle.

palm - palm
Naturally, everyone wants to be under a palm tree, but here it does not smell like it. Not “palm”, not “by:lm”, but “pa:m”, as in “car” and “path”. In company with a palm turn out to be calm- "calm" and balm- "balm".

halt - stop
Drive away the analogy with the German "halt" - the correct pronunciation is "ho: lt".

won - won, won in the past from "win"
Wonderful if you pronounce "won" like "one" - .

of - preposition of belonging
Only a botanist would think of checking the sound of a two-letter word? Oh well. "Of" and no nails? Remember: "Of" is pronounced with "v" at the end. The full form is [ɔv], the reduced form is [əv]. Always.

Table of English sounds that have something in common with Russian
These sounds cause the greatest temptation and at the same time danger: the relative similarity with the usual pronunciation in Russian threatens with an absolutely wrong sound. Pay enough attention and understand the differences well.

Sound	Example	Explanations
[i]	fit, bit, symbol	The middle between "s" and "i". Pronounced very briefly, as at the end of "apchi".
	cheese, tree, sea	What photographers ask us to say on camera. As in the Russian word "syyyr", but with a touching smile.
[ɒ]	hot body rock	Average between "o" and "a". That is, by no means the Vologda “o”.
[u]	cook, foot, woman	It looks like a Russian short "u", but it is easier to pronounce and the lips are slightly stretched. It turns out like "y" with a half smile. No pouty lips.
	true fool shoes	Like the previous sound, but longer.
[e]	get, bed, head	Intelligent "e". As in the Russian word "tin".
[ə]	about, until, alias	Average between unstressed "e" and "a".
[l]	let, laughter, illegal	Softened Russian "l". Something between the sound of the word "la" and "la".
[s]	stress, sunday, citizen	Muted Russian "s". He never whistles. Remember the song "Girl" by the Beatles? Now, if their famous inhalation “sssss” is pronounced with an exhalation and briefly, then you get beautiful English [s].
[z]	zero, cosmonaut, xenon	Everything is the same as about the sound [s], only loudly.
[t]	tree, trunk, receipt	Looks like Russian "t". But the tip of the tongue should not be put to the teeth, but to the tubercle behind the upper teeth.
[d]	drink, ad, diligent	Similarly: like the Russian "d", only the tip of the tongue rests on the tubercle immediately behind the upper teeth.
[ʃ]	ship, action, special	Between the Russian "sh" and "sh". Does not whistle, because the tongue does not rest with force on the teeth, but gently touches them.
[ʒ]	pleasure, visual, garage	Softened Russian "zh". Doesn't ring or whistle.
	jump, jungle, logic	We connect English [d] with [ ʒ ] and get a soft "J".
	inch, chance, catch	We connect English [t] with [ ʃ ] and get something similar to the Russian "h". As in the word "kitsch".
[j]	yes, yet, you	Average between "y" and "i".
[ɪə]	hear, fear, beer	It looks like the Russian "ie" with an accent on "i".
	air, hair, care	Russian "ea" with an accent on "e".
	make, tray, ace	Russian "ei" with an accent on "e". "I" is pronounced very short.
	hi, sky, bye	Russian "ai" with an accent on "a". "I" is pronounced very short.
[ɔɪ]	boy, joy, coin	Russian "oi" with an accent on "a". "I" is pronounced very short.
	how, cow, hour, our	Russian "au" with an accent on "a". "U" is pronounced very short.
	fire, wire	Russian "aye" with a strong accent on the first "a". Pronounced quickly and fluently.
	our flower	Russian "aua" with a strong accent on the first "a". Pronounced quickly and fluently.

were - were
"Were" is not the same as "where" - . Instead of a diphthong, we use a neutral vowel - , an abbreviated form -.

debt - debt and doubt - doubt
Fans of the group "No doubt" had more than a dozen years left to clarify how the name of their favorite group sounds right. "Debt" and "daubt" are not so easy to pronounce. In English, there is no such Russian-speaking phenomenon as stunning or voicing a consonant, but throw away their words for a sweet soul: it is pronounced and.

good - good, book - book and look - look
The double "o" does not become a long "y" in these words. Therefore, you should not copy the howl of wolves to the moon - speak correctly with a short vowel -,,.

Table of English sounds that have nothing to do with Russian
Practice well in pronouncing these sounds online, at least your speech apparatus should get used to playing them correctly.

Sound	Example	Explanations
[ɜː]	earn, her, first	If the Russian "o" wanted to become "ё", it would sound exactly like that. Something like the sound when children tease by sticking out their tongue. But you need to achieve this sound without protruding anything anywhere. To do this, silently prepare your mouth to pronounce "yo", and say "oo" out loud.
[əu]	go, joke, own	Between the Russian "ou" and "yo" (without "y") with an emphasis on the first sound. "U" is pronounced very short.
[æ]	cat, apple, compact	It is very important not to confuse this sound with [e], otherwise instead of “bad” (bad) you get “bed” (bed). You need to stretch your lips wide, lower your lower jaw and say “uh” from the heart.
[h]	hot, head, uphill	Every Russian man knows how to pronounce this sound. When they ask you to “come on, breathe,” then all the men begin to speak English, because they pronounce [h] exactly as they should: a slight exhalation, vaguely reminiscent of “x”.
[r]	red, random, orange	Russian bears are fluent in English [r]. Try to growl, bending your tongue up.
[w]	well, what, windows	Fold your lips into a tube and stretch sharply. And now the same thing, but with sound.
[ŋ]	strong, sing, sink	Children are scolded for talking with their mouths full. But if you listen to the sounds made, then there many consonants sound exactly like [ŋ] . Open your mouth and, without closing it, say "n".
[θ]	thanks, ethical	Stick your tongue between your teeth and say "s".
[ð]	they, there, others	Stick your tongue between your teeth and say "h". The best practice is to say "Is this" 100 times. Never later confuse "z" with [ð].

folk - people, folk
The letter "l" has become a victim and is not pronounced at all -.

comb - comb
No "comb" - only "koum". The English "m" and "b" are quite insidious guys who will mess things up more than once. Be alert!

won't - will not - short for "will not"
Were tormented by the question of how the cunning English distinguish between "want" and "won't" in oral speech? It’s just worth pronouncing the negation in the future tense correctly -. That's all the magic.

salmon - salmon
Not "Salmon" and certainly not "Solomon". Salmon is on your mind - as in "cat" and "apple".

Bonus for the most patient

The human brain is the eighth wonder of the world, the deep possibilities of which we can only guess so far. Something important for us now is known for certain: there is a speech center in the brain. There is no special center responsible for reading, but there is for speech. That is why we strongly recommend repeating the words out loud for the hundredth time. It is out loud, and not to yourself, because in this case also connects muscle memory. Naturally, words can "live and sound" in your head. The main thing is not to get stuck and stop at the stage of deciphering the transcription symbols, choosing the necessary rule for each sound. In this case, only the speed of a snail is ensured.

If the language is still alive after previous exercises, then we bring to your attention a video that is better to see once than to hear about it 100 times. All phonetic transcription of English in 10 minutes. Clear, concise and very clear.