Pronunciations of fundamental WMA terminology

[Eric Chisler]

Hey guys, I'm doing a short demonstrative speech on WMA in my Public Speaking class. I was wondering if some of our multilingual scholars would be willing to break down the masterstrikes and guards phonetically for me. Thank you, guys.

-Eric

[Keith Culbertson]

well, for the German, remember that every syllable and sound is pronounced--no silent stuff like in French or English.

For vowels, a normal 'o' is always very round, not clipped to an 'ah' sound, nor wide open like in 'row'. A normal 'u' is like in 'put', rather than 'but'. A normal 'e' is like 'let', but 'ie' is like 'see', while 'ei' is like 'pie'. A normal 'i' is always like 'pit'. A normal 'a' is like 'ah'. The 'r' is a growling semi-vowel more than a consonant (not a trill like in Spanish). Whenever the umlaut (two dots) are above the a, o, or u, that vowel is more rounded and stressed. For other diphthongs, 'au' is like 'how'.

Most consonants are similar to English, but a 'j' is like a 'y', an 's' by itself at a word beginning is like a 'z', an 'st' is like 'sht', and 'sch' is like 'shch' mashed together--'s' at word end and mid-word are like in 'hiss', not like 'his'. A 'v' is like an'f', a 'w' is like a 'v' and a 'z' is like 'ts' in 'cats'. 'ch' is that famous hard, throaty 'kh' sound, not like in 'cheese'. 'ng' is same like 'ring', but sometimes the 'g' sounds in the middle of a word.

Alber: all-bear
Ochs: okhs (NOT like the tree)
vom Dach: fom dahkh
vom Tag: fom tahg
Pflug: pflug (remember, 'u' like 'put')
Langenort: langen-ort
Schrankhut: shchrahnk-hut "
Fenster: same...but watch the vowels
Eisenporte: eyezen-porteh
Kron: same, but watch the 'o'
Winden: vendehn
stark: shtark
schwach: shchvahkh
weich: veikh (remember, 'ei' like 'pie')
links: lynx
rechts: wrekts
Zwerchhau: tsvehrkh-how
Schielhau: shcheel-how
Krumphau: krump-how ('u' like 'put')
Scheitelhau: shcheyetell-how
Zornhau: tsorn-how ('o' not like 'ah' or 'oh', but between...)


well, there is a start, but feel free to list any more words you planned to use

[Eric Chisler]

Thanks a load Keith! The only other words I planned on using were Vor and Nach, but with your phonetics guide I should be able to figure it out. Thanks a load!

-Eric

PS: Pflug -- do you pronounce the p? pa-flue-g?

[Matt Bryant]

The "p" in "pflug" is barely pronounced. It is pronounced shortly and kind of melds into the "f." You could get away with not even pronouncing it, like "floog."

[Keith Culbertson]

anytime Eric. but I have to disagree with Matt, because there really is a demonstrable semantic difference between the 'f'/'v' and the 'pf' consonant cluster, so try to keep the 'p' in there, just do not aspirate with it.

cheers

[Randall Pleasant]

Eric

There use to be a WAV file in the members area with the pronouncation of the most important terms. I'm not sure if it is still there.

[Stacy Clifford]

Eric

There use to be a WAV file in the members area with the pronouncation of the most important terms. I'm not sure if it is still there.

Yes, the pronunciation guide is still there.