keep updated

1000-hours/sounds-of-american-english/3.1-fluency.md

@@ -16,13 +16,13 @@ One of the most important and often overlooked *differences* is:
 >
 > English syllables, in most cases, are pronounced *much longer* than the individual characters in Asian languages...
 
-首先，英文的元音有长短之分，除了 *6* 个基础元音 `ʌ`、`e`、`ə`、`ɪ`、`ʊ`、`ɒ` 是短元音之外，剩下的 *14* 个都是**相对更长**的元音；而亚洲语言的元音都是等长的。
+首先，英文的元音有长短之分，除了 *6* 个基础元音 `ʌ`、`e`、`ə`、`ɪ`、`ʊ`、`ɒ` 是短元音之外，剩下的十几个都是**相对更长**的元音；而亚洲语言的元音都是等长的。
 
-Firstly, English vowels have variations in length. Aside from the *6* basic short vowels `ʌ`, `e`, `ə`, `ɪ`, `ʊ`, and `ɒ`, the remaining *14* vowels are relatively longer. In contrast, vowels in Asian languages are all of equal length.
+Firstly, English vowels have variations in length. Aside from the *6* basic short vowels `ʌ`, `e`, `ə`, `ɪ`, `ʊ`, and `ɒ`, the remaining more than dozen vowels are relatively longer. In contrast, vowels in Asian languages are all of equal length.
 
-除此之外，在英文中，当一个短元音处于重音音节的时候，会出现因强调而发生的短元音变长的情况。比如，你可以试着说一下 *This is a **big** **city**!* —— 为了强调 *big*，你会不由自主地将它读成长长的 `/biːg/`，而不是 `/bɪg/`，如果强调 *city*，它的第一个 `/sɪ/` 也会稍微变长一点点……
+除此之外，在英文中，当一个短元音处于重音音节的时候，会出现因强调而发生的短元音变长的情况。比如，你可以试着说一下 *This is a **big** **city**!* —— 为了强调 *big*，你会不由自主地将它读成长长的 `/biːg/`，而不是 `/bɪg/`，如果强调 *city*，它的第一个 `/sɪ/` 也会稍微变长一点点（你可以把 `s` 拉长）……
 
-In English, a short vowel in a stressed syllable can *elongate* when emphasized. For example, try saying, *This is a **big** **city**!* You'll notice that to emphasize *big*, you naturally stretch it into a long-sounding `/biːg/`, instead of the short `/bɪg/`. If you stress *city*, the first `/sɪ/` will also lengthen slightly.
+In English, a short vowel in a stressed syllable can *elongate* when emphasized. For example, try saying, *This is a **big** **city**!* You'll notice that to emphasize *big*, you naturally stretch it into a long-sounding `/biːg/`, instead of the short `/bɪg/`. If you stress *city*, the first `/sɪ/` will also lengthen slightly - you can stretch the `s` sound.
 
 而英文的音节构成也相对更为复杂，元音前有可能是两个辅音。亚洲语言的**音节**（字）几乎没有两个辅音作为开头的情况，在英文中这种情况却非常普遍。亚洲语言的音节同样没有两三个辅音作为结尾并且还要发声清晰的情况，在英文中这种情况同样非常普遍。每个辅音都要发声清晰的话，就会占用一定的时长。比如，*flexed*, `/flekst/`，虽然整体上只是一个音节（`ccvccc` 的结构），可即便这个音节中的元音 `e` 是短元音，整体发声时它也比任何一个亚洲语言中的 “字”（同样是一个音节）都长。
 
@@ -60,9 +60,9 @@ All these nuances combined result in a particularly common phenomenon:
 >
 > **Asian people often speak English too quickly...**
 
-常常把**长元音**和**双元音**读成更短的版本（尤其是 `æ`），很多**辅音**没有清楚地发音，很多实际存在的微妙**停顿**（比如**塞音**）全都忽略，甚至可能在某些辅音之后插入了原本**不存在的元音**，但是，反过来常见的**加音**却实际上缺席……
+常常把**长元音**和**双元音**，以及美式英语特有的**半长元音**读成更短的版本（尤其是 `æ`），很多**辅音**没有清楚地发音，很多实际存在的微妙**停顿**（比如**塞音**）全都忽略，甚至可能在某些辅音之后插入了原本**不存在的元音**，但是，反过来常见的**加音**却实际上缺席……
 
-Asian speakers often shorten long vowels and diphthongs, especially the `æ` sound. Many consonants aren't clearly pronounced, and subtle stops that should be there are often overlooked. Sometimes, vowels are added where they don't exist, yet, ironically, added sounds that should be present are often missing.
+Asian speakers often shorten long vowels and diphthongs, as well as the unique half-long vowels in American English, especially the `æ` sound. Many consonants aren't clearly pronounced, and subtle stops that should be there are often overlooked. Sometimes, vowels are added where they don't exist, yet, ironically, added sounds that should be present are often missing.
 
 整体结果就是，同样一句话，亚洲人总是能够做到更快、很快、甚至太快地讲完。可问题在于，从理解的角度来看，在英文母语使用者耳中，几乎所有的韵律和节奏全都是错的。用错误的韵律节奏，讲的速度越快，就越难以被理解。
 
@@ -80,15 +80,15 @@ Another subtle factor that often makes beginners speak English unnaturally fast
 
 However, this perception is nothing but an illusion born out of misunderstanding. The reason we perceive foreign speakers as speaking quickly is simply because we don't understand what they're saying. When we listen to our native language, our brain can process information on the sentence level. Suddenly, when faced with a foreign language, we're thrust back to the syllable level. With unfamiliar phonemes, prosody and rhythms, we, of course, need more mental effort... If we don't understand, we certainly can't remember. As a result, our brains struggle more, enhancing this illusion of rapid speech.
 
-其实，全世界的人在说话的时候，不管使用任何语言都一样，都会不由自主地**划分意群**，下意识地**选择轻重**，并且都会有意无意地**适当停顿**，不仅是在句子之间，句子之内也有可以换气的停顿，甚至连单词之内音节之间也都有可能存在也许不需要换气的停顿。没有人说话不喘气。正常语速从来都不可能过快。
+其实，全世界的人在说话的时候，不管使用任何语言都一样，都会不由自主地**划分意群**，下意识地**选择轻重**，并且都会有意无意地**适当停顿**，不仅是在句子之间，句子之内也有。
 
-In reality, all speakers, regardless of the language they're using, instinctively chunk phrases, choose stress levels subconsciously, and take deliberate pauses. These pauses are not only between sentences but also within them, for breathing, and even potentially between syllables within words, without breathing pauses. Nobody talks without taking a breath. A normal speech rate is never excessively fast.
+In reality, all speakers, regardless of the language they're using, instinctively chunk phrases, choose stress levels subconsciously, and take deliberate pauses. These pauses are not only between sentences but also within them.
 
 可是，突然之间，只是因为听不懂、记不住，大脑就像一台同时运行了太多软件的电脑， CPU 过热，内存溢出，恨不得当场死机。于是，不知不觉之间产生了幻觉，就是觉得对方说话快，即便对方正在以再正常不过的语速讲话。
 
 But then, all of a sudden, just because you can't understand or remember, your brain starts working like a computer running too many apps at once. The CPU overheats, memory overflows, and it feels like it's about to crash right there and then. Without realizing it, you start to imagine that the other person is speaking too quickly, even though they're speaking at a perfectly normal pace.
 
-基于上面这个普遍误解的下一个误解，同样微妙，人们常常误以为**语速够快**就能构成**讲得足够流利**。其实，**流利**的构成与**语速快慢**几乎全无关系**。是否流利**更多是发音是否正确，措辞是否准确，句法和用法是否符合习惯，逻辑是否顺畅，等等等等 —— 以及，很多人可能并未意识到的另外一个很重要的东西，叫做**节奏**。
+基于上面这个普遍误解的下一个误解，同样微妙，人们常常误以为**语速够快**就能构成**讲得足够流利**。其实，**流利**的构成与**语速快慢**几乎全无关系。是否流利**更多是发音是否正确，措辞是否准确，句法和用法是否符合习惯，逻辑是否顺畅，等等等等 —— 以及，很多人可能并未意识到的另外一个很重要的东西，叫做**节奏**。
 
 Building on the common misconception mentioned above, there's another subtle misperception often held: people tend to equate *speaking fast* with *being fluent*. In reality, *fluency* has almost nothing to do with *the speed of speech*. True fluency hinges on accurate pronunciation, precise choice of words, adherence to customary syntax and usage, smooth logical presentation, and so on. What's more, something many people may not fully realize is the crucial role *rhythm* plays in fluent speech.