The schwa sound ("but") / ə / & / ʌ / | Middle Vowels | American English Pronunciation/Ear Training

[@hansschmitt116]

You have described the creation of the Schwa well and pronounced it at 3:20, but in the examples at 7:09 I hear a different, more open sound that sounds more like the one that you have described at 6:11.

[@NativeEnglishHacks]

That's just your ears. I listened to those spots you marked and I don't produce that incorrect sound at 7:09 Make sure to watch the lesson called the truth about the schwa for more information

[@hansschmitt116]

@@NativeEnglishHacks OK; I will also watch your other video (kzbin.info/www/bejne/o3WvpnenfaZrers).

[@douglasmarinho3653]

Thank you so much!! I always thought that these sounds sound the same even the other teachers saying the otherwise

[@likameriabsandze8298]

The best explanation 😊

[@vladimirristevski14]

Excellent explanation

[@NativeEnglishHacks]

Thanks! ☺

[@phuonganh8613]

Thanks so much. This video is actually helpful!

[@NativeEnglishHacks]

🙂 Don't forget to check out this lesson, too: kzbin.info/www/bejne/o3WvpnenfaZrers

[@alisaria2109]

Ur explanation is fantastic, I've seen many teachers in KZbin but u the best , so this shwa sounds comes from the middle of tongue right, cause it worked with me ))

[@NativeEnglishHacks]

Thanks, I appreciate that! 😊 And yep, middle of the tongue. Make sure to also watch the lesson about the truth about the schwa for more information ☺ kzbin.info/www/bejne/o3WvpnenfaZrers

[@adelfadhel7506]

Thank you so much ❤❤❤

[@mariarchila3681]

Perfect, thank you so much

[@EdgarHess09]

Great video !

[@moneyplant1088]

You are just fantastic. Hope more viewers know you.

[@NativeEnglishHacks]

Thanks ☺ "Find" is a better word here than "know" 😎

[@moneyplant1088]

@@NativeEnglishHacks You are absolutely right. Thank you.

[@ivomoreira42]

Thanks a lot for sharing this. Really helpful! You should have loads of more viewers!!! May I ask you something? When looking at the chart you used at the beginning of the video, the schwa is positioned very close to the [ɜ] vowel sound that can be found in the British English pronunciation for the word /fur/ [fɜ:], why is that? I mean, is it like saying the [ɜ] without spreading too much the lips, in a more relaxed way?

[@NativeEnglishHacks]

Thanks for the comment! Yes, so the sound that looks like a 3 doesn't exist in American English, at least not in General American or Western American. We have the sound that looks like a backwards 3 or a curly E, which is the front vowel sound EH, like "men" or "bet". I don't know too much about British English, but from what my ears tell me, that British sound is very similar to the American schwa. Note, however, that the lips aren't involved in the schwa. So I would assume that it's like saying the British sound with relaxed lips, but also note that the exact position is a little lower in American English. So a bit more open and more relaxed. At the end of the day, the IPA is quite problematic in English and there are several reasons why I don't directly teach it much (I really only have it on the chart for reference for those who are familiar with IPA). If nothing else, it's a visual crutch that should ideally only be a short term solution as you work on training your ears. Once your ears are open to all the sounds of English, the IPA becomes more or less useless unless you're interested in deeper linguistic exploration or maybe learning about multiple accents. So your question is a good one, but also don't get too caught up in these little symbols. The positions and qualities of the sounds are far more important.

[@ivomoreira42]

@@NativeEnglishHacks thank you very much for your answer! And yes, IPA for English is a complete mess, hahaha. That's why I came here, because it's better to hear from a native! Again, thanks a lot!

[@alexandrvinokurov2358]

Thank you a lot.

[@jacksonamaral329]

excellent.

[@ahmedyamani7388]

Just found your channel and this great video! love your content! Subscribed!

[@NativeEnglishHacks]

Thanks! 😊 I really appreciate the comment. Feel free to ask me any questions ☺

[@ahmedyamani7388]

English Hacks - Learn English Better alright, I’ve been working on my American accent for a while and it’s always nice to hear from different voices, esp a male figure - since I find that modeling after a male voice is a bit easier than a female one. You’re probably confused but this has been my experience when imitating a new sound! Thanks again for this video. It was incredibly helpful!

[@NativeEnglishHacks]

Awesome! And I think I get it. Teachers are more often female in general and when improving something like pronunciation, it helps to have a model that matches. I know in some languages, there are actually slight differences in speech patterns between male and female, so it makes total sense to try to find a male to model if you're a male ☺

[@ahmedyamani7388]

English Hacks - Learn English Better glad you understood my point! I have already downloaded two of your videos to practice offline! Cheers :)

[@ramakrishnachintala8552]

Thanks a lot Josh , but descriptive material of class is unavailable on the tube channel.

[@NativeEnglishHacks]

?

[@delete0133]

I love your voice

[@NativeEnglishHacks]

Thanks ☺ That makes one of us haha. I've always hated my voice, but I guess it works

[@mindelicious]

Thank you❤ But I’ve heard that schwa can’t be stressed, or I’ve got it somewhere wrong? Almost all your examples having stressed vovel

[@NativeEnglishHacks]

Watch my lesson called "The Truth about the Schwa"

[@english_tipsnow1112]

sound 3:20

[@GamerHouse2.0]

ǝ ⭐Magic✨

[@MuhammadTayyeb-vu3oy]

Thanks

[@John2corner]

Josh I've been watching some of your vidoes over the last weekedand so far it is pretty impressive. You teach great tricks and tips that other youtubers dont teach or dont know. How can you do that? Thanks a lot.

[@NativeEnglishHacks]

It's one part noticing (just like learners should do), one part talent/really good ears, and one part how my brain works 🙂

[@edflam7555]

no matter how I try I can't produce this elusive schwa, you mentioned it's produced in the middle of the mouth, positioned similar to an Eh...I hear this schwa coming from the back of the mouth, like a back vowel..I know it's my foreigner brain playing tricks on me.

[@NativeEnglishHacks]

Definitely not in the back. Your perception actually might be a side-effect of mouth placement if your language uses a more forward position (I'll be making a video on that soon)

[@grigoriidifero]

Do you see schwa or v in OF? Me neather. But they are there.

[@eliot1197]

I really love you. I have posted about you on Reddit. One day, I will have enough money to pay you back and make your life better as you have done with me !

[@edwingonzales573]

:( I don’t understand the schwa and I’m so tire of this .... I heard something like (a ) idk 🤷

[@NativeEnglishHacks]

It can be very difficult and frustrating. Have you done the minimal pair practice lessons for this sound? They're after this lesson, the extra practice, and the reductions lesson in the full course playlist. I'm also currently developing an ear training software that will help ☺