#5: MORE PRONUNCIATION SKILLS
LESSON 23 : PRONOUNCING "S" IN ROOT WORDS
( #5: Track 1 )
-THE SOUND & STYLE OF AMERICAN ENGLISH

THE INITIAL "S" CONSONANT
( #5 : Track 1)
SO [ soʊ ]
SAY [ seɪ ]
SEEM [ sim ]
SAVE [ seɪv ]
SOME [ sʌm ]
STAR [ stɑr ]
STUDENT [ ˈstudənt ]

THE STUDENT SAT IN FRONT OF THE STADIUM [ðə ˈstudənt sæt ɪn frʌnt ʌv ðə ˈsteɪdiəm ]

STOP EATING STEAK IF YOUR STOMACH HURTS [ stɑp ˈitɪŋ steɪk ɪf jɔr ˈstʌmək hɜrts ]

( #5 : Track 1)
On this disc, we'll explore some of the really tricky things that happen with the pronunciation of consonants in English.
Particularly American English, some of these lessons deal with individual English language consonants.
That maybe difficult for speakers from specific first languages.
Other lessons on this disc involve subtle pronunciations.
That are unique to American English, and that can be difficult or confusing for almost any non-native speaker.
Lesson 23 pronouncing the S in root words.
The hissing sound of the letter S : [ ɛs ] , [ s ], [ s ] as in SO[ soʊ] or SAME [ seɪm ] exists in almost every language.
So, forming the sound is not usually a big problem.
Let's try it.
Put your tongue tip just behind your top front teeth and start a soft gentle hissing sound :

[ s ]
(Pause)

[ s ]
(Pause)

Don't push hard create a quiet relaxed high-pitched hiss.

[ s ]
(Pause)

[ s ]
(Pause)

Don't move your tongue up onto your teeth and move closer to that th sound.
Don't do : [ θ ], [ θ ].

Keep your tongue on your pallet just behind the teeth for the [ s ].

You try it :

[ s ]
(Pause)

[ s ]
(Pause)

Also avoid sliding your tongue farther back or farther up on your palate and moving it closer to the to [ ʃ ] : to the sh.
Don't do : [ ʃ ], [ ʃ ]
Again.
Keep it on the front of the pallet sometimes called the gum-ridge right behind the top teeth for that soft hissing :

[ s ]
(Pause)

[ s ]
(Pause)

Do it again :

[ s ]
(Pause)

[ s ]
(Pause)

It's almost like the high-pitched hiss of steam escaping.

[ s ]
(Pause)

[ s ]
(Pause)

Try it on these words :

SO [ soʊ]
SAY [ seɪ ]
SEEM [ sim ] 
(Pause)

But it's easy as this is it still causes problems for some non-native speakers depending on their first languages.
For example, when the S is the first letter in words like  :

SAVE [ seɪv ]
STAR [ stɑr ]
STUDENT [ˈstudənt ]

People from particular languages will insert A [ eɪ ] quick vowel sound before the S.
They might say : A SAVE [ eiseɪv ], A STAR [ eistɑr ], A STUDENT [eiˈstudənt ].
But for English, you must begin the word with the [ s ], the hissing S.
No voiced bowel before it so try repeating the words after me that way  :

SAVE [ seɪv ]
Go right into the S.

SAVE [ seɪv ]
(Pause)
SOME [ sʌm ]
(Pause)
STAR [ stɑr ]
(Pause)

Careful no vowel not A STAR [ eistɑr ].
Try it again :

STAR [ stɑr ]
(Pause)

and

STUDENT [ˈstudənt ]
(Pause)

And now, try that same initiation right into the S with no vowel sounds in the context of these sentences.
Repeat each one after me :

THE STUDENT STOOD IN FRONT OF THE STADIUM
[ðə ˈstudənt stʊd ɪn frʌnt ʌv ðə ˈsteɪdiəm ]

Again.
Don't do it on one-note.
Remember the intonation, remember the general feeling of muscularity in the mid tongue.
Next one :

STOP EATING STEAK IF YOUR STOMACH HURTS
[ stɑp ˈitɪŋ steɪk ɪf jɔr ˈstʌmək hɜrts ]
(Pause)

No A STOP [ eistɑp ], or A STOMACH [ eiˈstʌmək ].
Begin with the hiss.
Once more :

STOP EATING STEAK IF YOUR STOMACH HURTS
[ stɑp ˈitɪŋ steɪk ɪf jɔr ˈstʌmək hɜrts ]
(Pause)

All right.
Review this track, then stop the CD and practice the exercises for initial S on P. 28 of the manual.

きました。S。
ああ、今日も一日、また、スースー言うのかと思うと、ユーウツです・・・
（その前は、一日、オウオウ ゆーてました）

さて、the gum-ridge　の 場所 ですが、

おそらく、

alveolar ridge（ 歯茎 ）：
音声学での歯茎とは、上の前歯のすぐ後ろにある小さな隆起で、舌で簡単に感じることができる。
医学などでは、歯槽堤（歯堤）と言われており、上歯のすぐ上か、下歯のすぐ下の部分で舌で感じることができる、表面が小さな隆起で覆われている部分。

のことかと思われます。

たしかに、上の前歯にべったり舌をつけて、そのまま後ろにズラしていくと、盛り上がった部分にあたります。
（ちょうど、上の絵の４番５番あたりです）。

そう思うと、このイラストは、すごく正確だと思います。

が、tongue touching alveolar ridge とは、どういうことでしょうか？
舌の淵のことでしょうか？
たしかに、舌の淵をあてて、スーっっと発音すると、安定する気がします。
いずれにしても、うちの google先生は、かなり思いっ切り S を発音しないと、聞き取ってくれません。
（ S を落とした単語を表記してくれます）

soft だの gentle だのは、まったく不可能です。
むしろ、肺活量を鍛える訓練が必要かも・・・？

なんとなく、COVID-19 が、アメリカやヨーロッパで拡大したのは
（しかも、マスクを嫌がるのが）、このへんに理由があるのかもしれませんね。

そりゃ、こんな発話してたんじゃ、日本の 4 - 5 倍くらいの飛距離は、かるくでてるわ・・・