How to Pronounce Rural Words | American English Pronunciation
Checkout this video:
Introduction
Whether you’re a city slicker or a country mouse, you might come across some words that you don’t know how to pronounce. Here are some tips on how to say rural words correctly.
Vocabulary list:
-Acre: A-kuhr
-Barndominium: bahrn-duh-muhn-tuhr
-Barn: bahrn
-Bobcat: BOB-kat
-Bull: bool
-Calving: kal-ving
-Cattle: kat-uhl
-Combine: kuhm-byn
-‘Coon: kuhn
-Crop: krop
-Deer: deer
Elk: elk
Farm: fahrm
Fence: fence
Field: feeld
Garden: GAHRR-dn
Goat: goht
Harvest: HAHV-rist Hay: hhei Horse: hawrs John Deere: jon dee -uhr Leatherback turtle : LEE -dhuhrbak TUR -tuhl Livestock : LIV -stok Milking : MIL -king Mooing : moo -ing Mulching : MUL -ching Ox : ox Prairie : prair -ee Rabbit : RAB -bit Ranch : rantsh Sheep : shpeep Silo : SIL -oh Soybean : SOI -been Tractor : TRAK -tuhr Windmill : WIN -mil Zoning : ZOHN -ing
The Pronunciation of Rural Words
If you’re not from a rural area, there are some words you may not be familiar with. Here are some tips on how to pronounce rural words.
The Letter “R”
The letter “R” is one of the most difficult letters to pronounce in the English language. There are many different ways to pronounce it, and it can be hard to know which one is the right way. In this guide, we will go over some of the most common ways to pronounce “R”, and how to know when to use each one.
The first way to pronounce “R” is as a vowel. This is the most common way to pronounce it, and it is what you will usually hear in American English. To do this, you simply say the letter “R” by itself. For example, you would say “red” as /ɹɛd/, “right” as /ɹaɪt/, and “read” as /ɹi:d/.
The second way to pronounce “R” is as a consonant. This is less common in American English, but it is more common in British English. To do this, you need to put your tongue behind your teeth and say /ɹ/. For example, you would say “red” as /ɹεd/, “right” as /ɹa:t/, and “read” as /ɹεæd/.
The third way to pronounce “R” is somewhere in between the vowel and consonant sound. This is called a tap or an approximant, and it is when you quickly touch your tongue to the roof of your mouth and then release it. For example, you would say “red” as /ɹ̆ed/, “right” as /ɹ̆aɪt/, and “read” as /ɹ̆i:d/.
The final way to pronounce “R” is with a trill. This is when you vibrate your tongue against the roof of your mouth. It can be difficult for some people to do, but if you can make a rolling “r”, then you can do this. For example, you would say “red” as /r̆ed/, “right” as /r̆aɪt/, and “read” as /r̆i:d/.
The Letter “A”
The letter “A” is usually pronounced like the letter “A” in the word “hay” or “mane”. However, there are some exceptions. In words that have the sound of “ay” at the end of them, such as “day”, “pay”, or “ray”, the letter “A” is pronounced like the letter “I” in the word “pine”. In words that have the sound of “ah” at the end of them, such as “father”, or “bother”, the letter “A” is pronounced like the letter “U” in the word “but”.
The Letter “U”
The letter “u” is pronounced as a short “u” sound, as in the word “but”. In some words, the “u” is silent, as in the word “guess”.
The Letter “L”
In rural areas, the letter “L” is pronounced as a guttural sound, similar to the sound made in the back of the throat when gargling. This pronunciation is most commonly heard in words that have the letter “L” followed by a vowel, such as “lady” or “milk.” In some cases, the “L” sound may also be followed by an “R,” such as in the word “ollar.”
Conclusion
We hope this guide was helpful and that you found it easy to follow. If you have any questions about how to pronounce rural words, please feel free to ask in the comments section below.
