13. [g]
/ɡ/ as in GO /ɡoʊ/, BEGIN /bɪˈɡɪn/, and EGG /ɛɡ/
PRONOUNCING /ɡ/
BACK OF TONGUE: touches the soft palate.
AIRSTREAM: is stopped and then exploded.
VOCAL CORDS: are vibrating.
The sound /ɡ/ in English is similar to the sound of the Spanish letter g after n or before a, o, u, or r in certain Spanish words. English /ɡ/ is more explosive than Spanish g.
SPANISH KEY WORDS WITH /ɡ/
Spanish words with this sound are spelled with g.
KEY WORDS: tengo gato guerra grande
POSSIBLE PRONUNCIATION PROBLEMS FOR THE SPANISH SPEAKER
This is another easy consonant for you to say. However, when /ɡ/ is the last sound in a word, you might forget to add voicing. This will make /ɡ/ sound like /k/ and change the meaning of your word.
EXAMPLES:
If you substitute /k/ for /ɡ/ :
bag /bæɡ/ will sound like back /bæk/
dug /dʌɡ/ will sound like duck /dʌk/
Always make your vocal cords vibrate for /ɡ/ , especially at the end of words. Let your /ɡ/ GO with an explosion. Your
/ɡ/ has GOT to be GOOD!
EXERCISE A
The following words should be pronounced with /ɡ/.Repeat them carefully. Be sure to make your vocal cords vibrate.
/ɡ/ At the Beginning
/ɡ/ In the Middle
/ɡ/ At the End
go /ɡoʊ/
get /ɡɛt/
girl /ɡɚl/
gone /ɡɑn/
great /ɡreɪt/
guess /ɡɛs/
green /ɡrin/
glass /ɡlæs/
gather /ˈɡæðɚ/
cigar /sɪˈɡɑr/
agree /əˈɡri/
begin /bɪˈɡɪn/
anger /ˈæŋɡɚ/
forget /fɚˈɡɛt/
bigger /ˈbɪɡɚ/
hungry /ˈhʌŋɡri/
beggar /ˈbɛɡɚ/
cigarette
/ˌsɪɡəˈrɛt/
beg /bɛɡ/
pig /pɪɡ/
bag /bæɡ/
rug /rʌɡ/
log /lɑɡ/
dog /dɔɡ/
egg /ɛɡ/
drug /drʌɡ/
flag /flæɡ/
/ɡ/ Spelled
“g”
go /ɡoʊ/
give /ɡɪv/
game /ɡeɪm/
forgive /fɚˈɡɪv/
regain /rɪˈɡeɪn/
“x”
exact /ɪɡˈzækt/
exam /ɪɡˈzæm/
example /ɪɡˈzæmpəl/
exert /ɪɡˈzɚt/
exhibit /ɪɡˈzɪbɪt/
EXERCISE B
Read aloud the following pairs of words. (Be sure to make your vocal cords vibrate for /g/ and to prolong any vowel BEFORE the sound /g/.)
[g]
[k]
bag /bæɡ/
pig /pɪɡ/
log /lɑɡ/
dug /dʌɡ/
tag /tæɡ/
back /bæk/
pick /pɪk/
lock /lɑk/
duck /dʌk/
tack /tæk/
EXERCISE C
The boldface words in the following phrases and sentences should be pronounced with /g/. Read them aloud as accurately as possible.
good night
ɡʊd naɪt
I don’t agree.
aɪ doʊnt əˈɡri.
Where are you going?
wɛr ɑr yu ˈɡoʊɪŋ?
begin again
bɪˈɡɪn əˈɡɛn
a good girl
ə ɡʊd ɡɚl
a big dog
ə bɪɡ dɔɡ
Peggy is going to the game.
ˈpeɡi ɪz ˈɡoʊɪŋ tu ðə ɡeɪm.
The dog dug up his bone again.
ðə dɔɡ dʌɡ ʌp hɪz boʊn əˈɡɛn.
Don’t kill the goose that lays the golden egg.
doʊnt kɪl ðə ɡus ðæt leɪz ðə ˈɡoʊldən ɛɡ.
There’s a big bug on the rug.
ðɛrz ə bɪɡ bʌɡ ɑn ðə rʌɡ.