|
 |
Rolling Rs with a cleft palate? | ||
Tags: Difficulty | Pronunciation | ||
Share with:
| ||
 Language Learning Forum : General discussion |  | |
| shadowzoid Groupie United States Joined 5768 days ago 76 posts - 85 votes  Speaks: English* Studies: German, Russian | Message 1 of 4 21 July 2009 at 6:51pm | IP Logged | ||
|
I'm studying German and Russian, and like most languages, they require the rolled R. I can't make the sound, and I have a cleft palate (fixed when i was an infant). I know it will be near to impossible to achieve this sound due to my condition, but is it possible? Do you know of anyone who had a cleft palate but can still roll Rs?
if not, does that mean I shouldn't learning these languages? 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| snovymgodom Diglot Senior Member United States Joined 5810 days ago 136 posts - 149 votes Speaks: English*, Russian | Message 3 of 4 21 July 2009 at 9:24pm | IP Logged | ||
|
Most dialects of German don't use the alveolar trill, and in Russian you can get by with only using a single tap. Many people do trill the r in Russian, but since the language doesn't actually distinguish between a single flap and a trill, it isn't absolutely necessary, and you'll have no trouble being understood even if you use only the tap.
And it doesn't matter that much if you can't pronounce it anyway. Even if you go on to learn languages like Spanish, Arabic, or Finnish, which all distinguish a single tap from a prolonged trill, there are many native speakers who cannot produce the sound. 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| OrlMoth Groupie United StatesRegistered users can see my Skype Name Joined 6449 days ago 77 posts - 83 votes 2 sounds | Message 4 of 4 22 July 2009 at 12:06am | IP Logged | ||
I couldn't till I was 13!!! I don't know how if there's any difference in German, but to get it right in Spanish, try this: Start with a familiar sound you CAN pronounce that is close. In this "Dad". Easy enough? Now try "Daddy". Notice how the "dd" vibrates. Then, try repeating the sound followed by different vowels, experiment a bit: "Daddy", "Deddy", "Doddy", etc. After you've mastered it, try words like "diddiddiddiddi" that repeat the sound over and over. Try saying it as fast as possible. Finally, eliminate the vowels and you're there. Though it may take years. In my case, I still have to force my rolled "R" sometimes. Specially when followed by a consonant, such as "S" or "N", though it's rare nowadays. This method has helped a few friends who are learning Spanish, hope it helps you. It's always easier to build on what you know than to start from zero. 1 person has voted this message useful |
If you wish to post a reply to this topic you must first login. If you are not already registered you must first register
|  | 
Printable version
|
| Copyright 2025 FX Micheloud - All rights reserved No part of this website may be copied by any means without my written authorization. |
