Long E Flashcards
Long E explanation
In English there are some vowel sounds that are long, meaning they are moving and complex, involving the use of two or more mouth positions. In order to master the sound, it is necessary to learn all of the positions and bring them together in rapid succession. When a vowel is long, it is not necessary to stretch the sound unless you are stressing the word. You may say the sound very quickly, but it is still long because it is complex, with multiple tongue positions.
Long E pronounciation
The first position in this sound is common in many languages. We will refer to it as a Latin I. This position involves arching the middle of the tongue up in the center very close to the palate, or the roof of the mouth. After this, the tongue moves forward into the second position, which is a /y/ as in “yes”. This position is formed by pushing the arch to the front of the tongue close to the alveolar ridge, or the bump behind the top teeth. This creates a vibration that is felt both on the tip of the tongue and the alveolar ridge. The movement from Latin I to /ʏ/ is very small, with only a few millimeters between the two. But without this forward movement, the Long E can be mistaken for a Short I, which will be discussed in another lesson.
These two positions must be made in rapid succession for the standard American pronunciation. Any accentuation or pause, especially on the second position, may result in a non-standard regional accent.
Long E how to
Start with the tongue arched high up in the middle of the mouth
Arch the front of the tongue and push it forward
Drop the tone as the movement is made
he
hE
we
wE
leaf
lEaf
funny
funnY
meat/meet
mEat/mEet
feel
FEel
read
rEad
rainy
rainY
beach
bEach
tear
tEar
tier
tiEar
deep
dEep
