Highlights from Georgetown University Round Table (GURT) 2009 Implicit & Explicit Conditions, Processes, & Knowledge in SLA and Bilingualism

Production of Final Voiced Stops in English(Native Spanish Speakers)

Fernando J. Gonzalez L.

What is a Voiced Stop?A stop consonant involves a complete closure of the articulators and thus total blockage of airflow. The stops found in English are /p, b, t, d, k, g/.When the vocal cords, located in the larynx, are brought together, the air passing through create vibration, and the resulting sounds are voiced.

The stop sounds find in the English language are /b, d, k/

/b//d//g/

http://www.uiowa.edu/~acadtech/phonetics/english/frameset-ad3.html You can Access this address, where the picture were taken from and see the animations. It might be helpfull to watch them.

Why is this a problem?Spanish Language does not have a single word with a voiced consonant at the end of it. Our brain is trained to not recognize these sound because it does not exist in our native language.English WordMeaningPronunciationDevoiced P.Meaning cabA taxi[khb] [khp]A hadbadNot good[bd][bt]A batbagA Bag[bg][bk]Back

What can we do?

The easiest solution to this problem is to be aware when we are speaking. Every time a consonant is located at the end of a word, the vowel that is previous to the voiced sound it tend to be a little bit longer, in order for us to be able to vibrate our vocal cords. From now on, remember to make the vowel sound a little bit longer and in that way, confusion may be avoid.

Lets Practice/b/

AbCabCobCrabBlabGabKebab/d/

AdBadHadDadGladDeadLead/g/

BagNagHagJagRagFlagDrag

ReferencesYavas, Mehmet. "First Chapter." Applied English Phonology. Oxford: Blackwell, 2006. Print.

"Phonetics: The Sounds of English and Spanish." The University of Iowa. Web. 04 May 2011. .

null35112.0null95712.0null130008.0null158328.0null93432.0null37825.324