Pronunciation problems in English can be attributed to two types of difficulties: the difference in how a word is spelled and how it’s said, and learning and practising the mouth positions used by native speakers.
mouth, tongue and teeth
As we know, words in English are not phonetically reliable: often they contain more letters than you pronounce, or vowels or consonants put together to make unexpected sounds. Take the word ‘choir’ (c-h-o-i-r) for example, meaning a ‘chorus of voices’, or ‘draught’ (d-r-a-u-g-h-t) meaning a ‘rush of cold air’. The physical movements of your mouth, tongue and teeth are also a determining factor. Sometimes, getting used to an unfamiliar sound is a matter of muscle memory and exercise.
no right or wrong
Regional and national accents can make the same word sound very different. The Scots and the Americans roll the ‘r’. Regional accents in the north of England use a different ‘a’ sound than in the south: ‘castle’ /kæsl / in the north, ‘castle’ /‘kɑ:sɘl/ in the south. Americans or Australians say ‘privacy’ /'praɪvɘsi/ while the British ‘privacy’/’prɪvɘsi/. This is also the case with combined vowels: take ‘route’ /’raʊt/ (American) or ‘route’ /ruːt/ (British). In this case, there is no right and wrong! Here are five common words that are difficult to pronounce:
1. Squirrel
First there is the vowel that may be erroneously pronounced as ‘ee’ /ii/. The double ‘r’ should be emphasised but not overdone, and the ‘e’ towards the end is heard. All in all this word is something of a challenge for the mouth and is best said (in the nature of the animal) quickly. Squirrel.
2. Sixth
As if ‘fifth’ did not pose enough of a challenge, ‘sixth’ then follows with that same tricky ‘th’ as an ending. The ‘th’ sound is often erroneously replaced by ‘t’ or ‘d’ or even ‘f’. It follows an ‘x’, a sound made at the back of the mouth that blends ‘k’ and ‘s’, forcing the tongue to undulate from the back of the mouth to the front teeth. Sixth.
3. Otorhinolaryngologist
Some words are a struggle for everyone and pronouncing medical professions are among the more complicated. This is why Britons often refer to an ‘ear, nose and throat doctor’, rather than an ‘otorhinolaryngologist’. The difficulty is in knowing where to break up the word and where to place the emphasis. Otorhinolaryngologist.
4. Wednesday
This very common word that appears in the middle of every week can prove more of a challenge than ‘Thursday’, with the tricky ‘th’ sound at the beginning. The first consonant, ‘w’, should not sound like a ‘v’, and the middle ‘e’ is barely heard, with an emphasis placed on the ‘n’ instead. Wednesday.
5. Worcestershire
This beautiful historic county in the English Midlands raises common problems as it has given its name to a very popular sauce, an essential ingredient of a Bloody Mary cocktail. Americans often struggle with the word, as a number of the letters blend together (or disappear) in pronunciation, creating an unlikely three-syllable word. Worcestershire.
Now try saying this: I saw a sixth squirrel on Wednesday in Worcestershire on a visit to the otorhinolaryngologist.
