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Tip Two: Becoming One Step Closer to Eliminating Mumbling! Enunciate, Enunciate, Enunciate!

5/27/2020

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One thing that most people who mumble have in common is they just don’t speak clearly. In tip one, you learned that it is important to open your mouth and move your lips when you speak, as this helps you speak more clearly and project your voice more. Now that you have practiced that, you are ready to become one step closer to eliminating mumbling and becoming a speaker who is easy to understand!
Start pronouncing words more clearly by focusing on pronouncing some of the “tongue tip” sounds firmly and clearly. For this article, we will be concentrating on the consonant sounds t, d, n, and l. 
What makes the t, d, n and l sounds so special? These sounds are used very frequently in American English and require some tongue strength to pronounce them clearly. All of these sounds are formed by placing the tip of the tongue just behind the upper front teeth on what is called the “alveolar ridge.” This is the flat part behind your top front teeth. You can feel it if you begin by touching your tongue tip on the back of your upper front teeth and slowly let your tongue move back in your mouth. At the end of the ridge you will feel the roof of your mouth arch upward.  In American English, the tongue tip should never touch the back of your upper front teeth. Try to keep it on the ridge about half way back.
If you are not pressing hard enough on the roof of your mouth when you form the t, d, n and l sounds, then many words you say may sound unclear, especially multi-syllabic words. For example, let’s take the word “generally.” If the “n” in the middle of this word is not formed clearly, the word might end up sounding like. “geh-ruh-lee.” Not only does the “n” get omitted, but a syllable sounds like it’s omitted, as well.
Read aloud every day to practice this new tip and record your speech to see how you sound. Are you pronouncing all the sounds in words clearly? Can you hear the t, d, n and l sounds in multi-syllabic words or do they sound unclear? Think about these questions and your answers when you listen to your speech and make adjustments, as needed. Review any words you said that you think were unclear. Chances are they contained one of the tongue tip consonants!
In summary, tongue-tip consonants, such as t, d, n and l occur very frequently in English and make a huge difference in how clearly we speak. If your tongue tip does not press firmly enough on the ridge, words can sound unclear or have a sound or syllable missing. Take your time when you pronounce words, and you will be one step closer to sounding clear and confident!


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Everyday Versus Every Day: Do You Complete Your Everyday Chores Every Day?

5/27/2020

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The words "everyday" and "every day" are common words we all use many, many times a day. When we say them, they sound exactly alike, but when we write them there is a definite difference. The problem occurs when we write them, as many people misuse them and don't realize it.

"Everyday" is written as one word with no space between them, and "every day" is written as two words and does have a space between them. They can both be classified as "compound words." A compound word is two or more words put together as a single unit or word with a specific meaning. In the case of a two-word compound word, there may be a space between them or they may be put together as one word.
Does the space between "everyday" and "every day" mean anything, or do these compound words mean the same thing? Don't let that little space between them fool you! It is the key to understanding their meaning. Too many people make the mistake of misusing them. We see it constantly in writing, and most of us don't even realize it. Yes, these two words DO have different meanings and are two different types of words. Don't be one of those people who makes a mistake; learn how to use them correctly when you write!
First, let's take a look at "everyday." It is made up of "every" and "day", but they are put together without a space between them and is considered a single unit. Without the space, "everyday" is an adjective to mean something that is typical, a common occurrence or something that is seen or done each day. For example, "My everyday exercising program lasts 30 minutes." In this sentence, "everyday" describes my exercising program and means a program that I typically do each day. When you see "everyday" without a space in between them, it will always have this meaning.
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Next, "every day" also consists of "every" and "day", but here we put a space in between them. With the space, it now becomes a noun. The phrase is used to mean each day. To make it easy, think of "each" as describing "day" so that it means "each day." For example, "Every day I go to work." Every day in this case means "each day."
Hopefully, you will now feel more confident when writing everyday words correctly every day!
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    Cheryl Posey is a licensed and nationally certified speech/language pathologist.   She specializes in accent reduction and communication skills training and provides useful tips and suggestions to help you improve your spoken English and reduce your accent with articles from Speaking Your Best's blog.  Subscribe today so that you don't miss any articles!

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Cheryl Posey, MS CCC-SLP
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