# 3.2.14. `l`, `r`

`l` 发声时起始的舌尖位置与 `t/d` 相同。

When pronouncing the 'l' sound, the tip of the tongue starts in the same position as it does for 't/d'.

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`r` 发声时起始的舌尖位置相对更加靠后。

For the 'r' sound, the tongue's tip begins a bit further back.

`l` 和 `r` 处于音节开头的时候，人们一般不会觉得困难，比如 *lot* 或者 *rot*……

Pronouncing 'l' and 'r' at the beginning of syllables usually is of no difficulty at all, for example in words like 'lot' or 'rot'…

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有一个重要的细节：

Here's an important detail to note:

> 美式英语中，`r` 发声的时候，舌尖**从不接触**龈脊，只是非常接近龈脊。

In American English, when pronouncing the `r` sound, the tip of the tongue *never* actually touches the *alveolar ridge*, but comes very close to it.

`l` 的困难总是来自于它们处在音节末尾的时候。

The difficulty with 'l' often arises when it's at the end of a syllable.

不妨尝试着先读一下 *milk* `/mɪlk/`…… 很多人读出来的实际上是 `/mjʊk/`……

Feel free to give the word *milk* `/mɪlk/` a try... Many people actually pronounce it more like `/mjʊk/`...

`l` 在音节末尾的时候，有一个看不到的动作，舌尖会向前向上移动直至贴到龈脊。于是，音节末尾的 `l` 会掺杂着一个轻微的 `ə` 的元音音色。

There's a hidden motion when the `l` is at the end of a syllable. The tip of the tongue moves forward and upward until it touches the *alveolar ridge*. Therefore, the `l` at the end of a syllable has a slight vowel sound `ə`  mixed in.

说实话，倒也不是特别难，这只不过是几分钟就可以解决的问题。

Actually, it's not too challenging. With just a few minutes, it can be easily corrected.

> * 先反复说 `ə... əl... ə... əl...` 这里格外需要注意：嘴唇张开之后没有其它动作，**不要带嘴唇变化造成的 `ʊ` 的音色**；从 `ə` 到 `l` 的过程中，保持声带振动，剩余的全靠舌尖移动完成……
> * Start by repeating `ə... əl... ə... əl...` Here's a crucial point: after opening lips, make *no* other movements. Avoid adding the sound of `ʊ` caused by lip changes. During the transition from `ə` to `əl`, while maintaining vocal cord vibration, let the tip of your tongue handle the rest...
> * 接着直接反复说 `əl... əl...`
> * Next, repeating `əl... əl...`
> * 再反复说 `əlk... əlk...`
> * Follow with repeating `əlk... əlk...`
> * 现在反复说 `mɪəlk... mɪəlk...` 现在需要格外注意：为了 `m` 发声所以需要张开嘴唇，但，**此后嘴唇没有其他动作，否则会带着 `ʊ` 的音色**……
> * Now, keep saying `mɪəlk... mɪəlk...`. Again, pay special attention here: lips are opened to make the `m` sound, but after that, there should be no other lip movement, thus avoiding unnecessary `ʊ` sound.

再用同样的方式练练 *girl* `/gəːl/`（常常会被误读成 `/gəʊ/`）, *world* `/wəːld/`（常常会被误读成 `/wəʊd/`）。

Practice pronouncing *girl* `/gəːl/` (often mispronounced as `/gəʊl/`) and *world* (often mispronounced as `/wəʊd/`) the same way.

以 `l` 处于音节末尾的常用词汇很多，读得时候要注意，要加上 `ə`，比如：

There are many common words where `l` ends the syllable. Be sure to include the `ə` sound when pronouncing them. For example:

> *fail*, *file*, *sell*, *sale*, *tell*, *tale*, *trail*, *drill*...

注意，`/ʌl/` 没有 `ə` 的加音，因为 `ʌ` 和 `ə` 原本就非常相近。比如，*ultimate* `/ˈʌltɪmət/`。另外，在自然语音中，`/iːl/` 要注意。比如， reveal 的确读做 `/rɪˈviːəl/`，有加音 `ə`，但，revealing，读作 `/rɪˈviːlɪŋ/`，没有加音 `ə`，可能是因为 `l` 被挪到后面和 `ɪŋ` 构成了第三个音节 `/lɪŋ/`……

Note that `/ʌl/` doesn't have the schwa (`ə`) sound added, since `/ʌ/` and `ə` are already very similar. For instance, *ultimate* `/ˈəltəmət/`. Also, pay attention to `/iːl/` in natural speech. For example, while *reveal* is indeed pronounced as `/rɪˈviːəl/`, with the schwa sound, *revealing* is pronounced as `/rɪˈviːlɪŋ/`, without the schwa. This change might be due to the fact that the `l` sound has been moved to form a third syllable with `ɪŋ` as `/lɪŋ/`.

`l` 在语言学里有个专门的称呼，叫做**音节辅音**，就是因为它的发声动作如果完整的话，前面就会自然附加着一个轻微的元音 `ə` 的音色。比如，*little* `/ˈlɪtl̩/` —— `l` 下面多出的那一个点 `l̩` 的意思是说，这里的 `l̩` 是个**音节辅音**，相当于 `/ᵊl/`…… 当然，很多词典干脆就直接标注成了 `/ˈlɪtəl/`

In linguistics, the letter `l` has a particular name - it's called a *syllabic consonant*. This is because when it is fully pronounced, a subtle vowel sound `ə` naturally attaches to the front of it. For example, in the word *little* `/ˈlɪtl̩/`, the dot under the `l` (`l̩`) indicates that this `l` is a *syllabic consonant*. It's equivalent to `/ᵊl/`. And many dictionaries simply denote it as `/ˈlɪtəl/`.