4.2. Differences in the articulation bases of English and Russian consonants

Dif­ferences in the system of consonants in English and in Russian are the following:

• The English fore-lingual consonants are articulated with the apico-alveolar position of the tip of the tongue. The Russian fore-lingual conso­nants are mainly dorsal: in their articulation the tip of the tongue is pas­sive and lowered, the blade is placed against the upper teeth. The Russian fore-lingual apical consonants are only: [л, л', ш, щ', ж].

• Russian students often use the hard [ш, ж] phonemes instead of the soft English [∫, ].

• Palatalization is a phonemic feature in Russian. There is no opposition between palatalized — non-palatalized con­sonants in English. The soft colouring of the English [∫, t∫, d, l, ] is non-phonemic.

• In the articulation of [w] the primary focus is formed by the lips, which are rounded but not protruded, as it happens when the Russian [y] is pro­nounced. The bilabial [w] which is pronounced with a round narrowing is very often mispronounced by Russians. They use the labio-dental [в] which is pronounced with a flat narrowing instead of the English [w].

• The primary focus in the articulation of "dark" [] is formed by the tip of the tongue pressed against the teeth ridge in the initial position.

• English voiceless plosives [p, t, k] are aspirated, when followed by a stressed vowel and not preceded by [s].

• The English voiceless fortis [p, t, k, f, s, ∫, t∫] are pronounced more energetically than similar Russian consonants.

• The English voiced consonants [b, d, g, v, d, z, , d] are not replaced by the corresponding voiceless sounds in final positions and be­fore voiceless consonants.

Consonant phonemes in English which have no counterparts in Russian are the following:

1. the bilabial sonorant [w];

2. the dental consonants [ð, θ];

3. the voiced affricate [d];

4. the post-alveolar sonorant [r];

5. the back-lingual nasal sonorant [ŋ];

6. the glottal [h].

Consonant phonemes in Russian which have no counterparts in En­glish are the following;

1. the palatalized consonants;

2. the voiceless affricate [ц];

3. the rolled sonorant [p];

4. the back-lingual voiceless [x].

The most common mistakes are the fol­lowing:

1. dorsal articulation of the English [t, d];

2. the use of the Russian rolled [p] instead of the English [r];

3. the use of the Russian [x] instead of the English glottal [h];

4. mispronunciation of the English inter-dental [ð, θ];

5. the use of the fore-lingual [n] instead of the back-lingual velar [ŋ];

6. the use of the Russian dark [ш , ж] instead of the soft English [∫, ];

7. the use of the labio-dental [v, в] instead of the bilabial [w];

8. weak pronunciation of voiceless fortis [p, t, k, f, s, ∫ , t∫];

9. devoicing of [b, d, g, v, ð, z, , d] in the terminal position.

Questions

1. What are the principal differences in the articulation bases of the English and Russian vowels?

2. What mistakes result from the differences in the articulation bases of the English and Russian vowels?

3. What are the principal differences in the articulation bases of the English and Russian consonants?

4. What mistakes result from the differences in the articulation bases of the English and Russian con­sonants?