Understanding Pronunciation in English

Phonetics is a weak point of language acquisition, and English language is not an exception to that rule. In addition to this, the language has a very large inventory of words and fun phonetic patterns which makes it difficult for the learner to pronounce some words correctly. Buried in these words is “Berlin,” the capital and biggest city of Germany.

The Basics of “Berlin”

The word “Berlin” consists of two syllables: “Ber” and “lin.” Surprisingly, there is a difference in how you pronounce the word and this depends on the native language spoken. However, for the purpose of this post and for the listeners who are not native English speakers, we will use the most relevant to English language pronunciation.

Breaking Down the Syllables

Let’s break down the word into its individual syllables:

“Ber”: Pronounced as “bɜːr” (buh-r)

“Lin”: Pronounced as “lɪn” (lin)

“Ber”: Pronounced as “bɜːr” (buh-r)

“Ber”:

“Lin”: Pronounced as “lɪn” (lin)

“Lin”:

Pronouncing “Ber”

The first syllable, Ber, is almost the same sound as berry. For those readers who do not know the correct way to pronounce the word, it has a short, emphasized “e” sound. To pronounce it, follow these steps:

First say the syllable “b” as in the word boy, as said at the demonstration given below.

Part the lips slightly and let the air out as if saying ‘eh’ sound as in bed like you bless common in the middle of English.

Mix the two sounds, “b” and “eh,” and get ‘Ber.’

Initially you should put your lips together and make the ‘b’ sound as in the word ‘boy’.

Protract your lips as if saying “eh” as in bed and feel the force pressing against the upper teeth.

Dial “ber”, it is produced, when the two sounds “b” and “eh” are combined together.

Pronouncing “Lin”

The second syllable ‘In’ can be justified since it is very close to the word ‘linen’ of English etymology. It has the short “i” sound like the letter ‘it;’ it is a non-stress. To pronounce it correctly, follow these steps:

The mechanism of vocal folds vibration depends on your openness of the mouth; for instance, wherein the mouth is slightly opened, there is a production of a soft ‘l’ sound.

After the fourth tone, proceed to the next tone that seems like a short “i”(sound like the word ‘sit’)

Put together those sounds to the word “Lin”.

Part your lips, and while doing so, should pronounce the letter “L”.

Go on to the next letter that must sound like the short “i” as in sit.

Combine the sounds to form a new name “Lin”.

Putting it Together

Now, let’s combine the syllables to pronounce the word “Berlin” correctly:

First, say “Ber” referring back to the steps learned in previous sections. Then, without pause, you proceed to “Lin.” However, be sure to pronounce the ‘i’ in Lin very briefly!

All in all, if you are going to pronounce Berlin in English, it will sound like b. uh r. l. in. Now try this slowly starting with each syllable and gradually speeding up as you comfortable.

Accents and Voice – Good and Bad English – How not to say it = Mispronounced words to avoid

Even if you know the proper pronunciation it is still useful to know what are the most common mistakes people make and avoid them. Here are a few examples:

1. “Burr-lin”

Some people want to stress the ‘r’ component in ‘Ber,’ pronouncing it ‘burr,’ rather than ‘buh-r.’ Just review that the “r” sound should always be kept short and muted.

2. “Behr-lin”

Another mistake is the tendency to pronounce the “er” sound as in the word “bear.” However, do not forget that the right pronunciation is “uh” (buh-r).

Practice Makes Perfect

As anything in the language, pronunciation needs exercise. Here are a few tips to improve your pronunciation:

1. Listen to Native Speakers

Try to use the language in all scenario possible. Immerse oneself in the native English speakers podcasts, podcasts or talking in movies or TV shows to get accustomed to how and where and when the right sound and intonation are placed.

2. Repeat and Record

Reading Berlin, and saying the words out loud especially Berlin should be practiced so that the person can pronounce properly. Use record your speech with the help of voice recorder and compare with the native speakers, where you can find that which part of the word you have pronounced wrong.

3. Mimic Mouth Movements

Be observant of how the mouth moves when producing some of the sounds by the native English speakers. -copying such movement will assist you to pronounce the language with a lot of precision.

4. Seek Feedback

Get feedback from native English speakers or language teachers to know how you can pronounce your words correctly. Constructive criticism may help when it comes to pointing you to the appropriate method for improving your pronunciation.

Conclusion

It took some times to pronounce it in English correctly but with time it does not sound strange. Remember the key steps:

Sociologically divide the word into two parts: “Ber” and “Lin.”

Learn how to pronounce both the vowels and the consonants with the maximal precision.

Add up the syllables and utter the word “Berlin.”

Decompse the word into “Ber” and “Lin”.

Learn the correct pronunciation of every single syllable.

Put the syllables together now and say Berlin.

With the help of the given tips and with proper practice, you’d be soon pronouncing Berlin royally and rightly in English.