everyone-can-use-english/1000-hours/sounds-of-american-english/2.2.15-wj.md

# 2.2.15. <span class="pho">j</span>, <span class="pho">w</span>

<span class="pho">j</span> 和 <span class="pho">w</span> 是半元音。

The sounds represented by <span class="pho">j</span> and <span class="pho">w</span> are semivowels in English.

<span class="pho">j</span> 与后面的元音相连，相当于在那个元音前面加上了一个 <span class="pho">ɪ</span>，比如 *you* <span class="pho alt">juː</span><span class="speak-word-inline" data-audio-us-male="/audios/us/you-us-male.mp3" data-audio-us-female="/audios/us/you-us-female.mp3"></span>，读音上相当于是 <span class="pho alt">iuː</span>。

When <span class="pho">j</span> is connected to the following vowel, it is as if an <span class="pho">ɪ</span> sound is added in front of that vowel. For instance, the word *you* <span class="pho alt">juː</span><span class="speak-word-inline" data-audio-us-male="/audios/us/you-us-male.mp3" data-audio-us-female="/audios/us/you-us-female.mp3"></span>, pronounced the same as <span class="pho alt">ɪuː</span>.

<span class="pho">w</span> 与后面的元音相连，相当于在那个元音前面加上了一个 <span class="pho">ʊ</span>，比如 *way* <span class="pho">weɪ</span><span class="speak-word-inline" data-audio-us-male="/audios/us/way-us-male.mp3" data-audio-us-female="/audios/us/way-us-female.mp3"></span>，读音上相当于是 <span class="pho">ʊeɪ</span>。

Similarly, when <span class="pho">w</span> is paired with a vowel, it's as if a <span class="pho">ʊ</span> sound precedes that vowel. Take the word *way* <span class="pho alt">weɪ</span><span class="speak-word-inline" data-audio-us-male="/audios/us/way-us-male.mp3" data-audio-us-female="/audios/us/way-us-female.mp3"></span>, pronounced the same as <span class="pho alt">ʊeɪ</span>.

<span class="pho">w</span> 可以和另外的辅音结合作为音节开头：<span class="pho">sw</span>、<span class="pho">tw</span>、<span class="pho">dw</span>、<span class="pho">kw</span>、<span class="pho">skw</span>、<span class="pho">gw</span>…… 这其中最容易出错也最常的是 <span class="pho">kw</span>，尤其是 <span class="pho">kwɒ</span> 和 <span class="pho">kwɔː</span>，比如，*quart* <span class="pho alt">kwɔːrt</span><span class="speak-word-inline" data-audio-us-male="/audios/us/quart-us-male.mp3" data-audio-us-female="/audios/us/quart-us-female.mp3"></span>，常常会被误读为 <span class="pho alt">kɔːrt</span>（听起来和 *court* <span class="pho alt">kɔːrt</span><span class="speak-word-inline" data-audio-us-male="/audios/us/court-us-male.mp3" data-audio-us-female="/audios/us/court-us-female.mp3"></span> 同音）；再比如，*quality* <span class="pho alt">ˈkwɔːlɪti</span><span class="speak-word-inline" data-audio-us-male="/audios/us/quality-us-male.mp3" data-audio-us-female="/audios/us/quality-us-female.mp3"></span> 常常会被误读为 <span class="pho alt">ˈkɔːlɪti</span> —— 关键在于，<span class="pho">k</span> 的音之后有一个发出 <span class="pho">ʊ</span> 的嘴唇动作，否则 <span class="pho">kw</span> 就变成了 <span class="pho">k</span> —— 这个差异在母语使用者听起来异常地明显。

The letter <span class="pho">w</span> can combine with other consonants to form the beginning of a syllable, such as <span class="pho">sw</span>, <span class="pho">tw</span>, <span class="pho">dw</span>, <span class="pho">kw</span>, <span class="pho">skw</span>, <span class="pho">gw</span>… The most common and often mispronounced combination is <span class="pho">kw</span>, specifically <span class="pho">kwɒ</span> and <span class="pho">kwɔː</span>. For example, the word *quart* is pronounced <span class="pho alt">kwɔːrt</span><span class="speak-word-inline" data-audio-us-male="/audios/us/quart-us-male.mp3" data-audio-us-female="/audios/us/quart-us-female.mp3"></span>, but it is often misconstrued as <span class="pho alt">kɔːrt</span>, which sounds like *court* <span class="pho alt">kɔːrt</span><span class="speak-word-inline" data-audio-us-male="/audios/us/court-us-male.mp3" data-audio-us-female="/audios/us/court-us-female.mp3"></span>, or *quality* <span class="pho alt">ˈkwɔːlɪti</span><span class="speak-word-inline" data-audio-us-male="/audios/us/quality-us-male.mp3" data-audio-us-female="/audios/us/quality-us-female.mp3"></span> as <span class="pho alt">ˈkɔːlɪti</span>. The key to getting this right is to make a lip movement for the <span class="pho">ʊ</span> sound after the <span class="pho">k</span> sound; otherwise, <span class="pho">kw</span> just becomes <span class="pho">k</span>. This distinction is incredibly noticeable to native speakers.