The short vowel u

Rachael Orbach  - this is background why it is difficult for Israeli children to pronounce the short u sound. 

The Problem With The Vowel Short U.

This vowel can be hard to pronounce by Israeli children because it doesn’t exist in Hebrew.  The Hebrew vowels are

 אִ     אּוּּ      אוֹ.     אֵ    אֶ    אָ 

The pronounciations of these vowels are:

[ i:]        /a:/     /e/      /ei/                            /u:/

There are many more vowels in English.   The vowel short u, most Israelis pronounce as as Hirik, [ i:]

This vowel u   pronounced as : / ә/   appears in the word mother, and the color rusty.  In the word rusty ,  [rәstı:]  sometimes it is pronounced  “ risty” [rıstı:]. 

The way to pronounce the vowel   /ә/ is as follows: 

The mouth is opened,  the tongue is placed on the bottom of the mouth, the throat is opened.  This is a open-mid vowel. 

Practise with the vowel /ә/ 

First I will say two words, and you will have to tell me which vowel I am saying.

We will choose   the vowel [ i:]  and the vowel  /ә/

Bit                                burr                             

Pit                                purr

Mitt                              murmur

Sit                                summer

Now you will practice saying the two words in our list.

Now say more words with the vowel /ә/

Rusty                            Humble                        Hush                            Hunt    

Roughhouse                  Gymnasium                   Gumshoe                      Mother

Run                              Fun                              Father                          Hydration

Serve                           Sesame                        Trunk                           Villager

Make up your own words with the vowel   /ә/