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Darkslide820
Best Way to Pronounce ר
שלום
So I am just starting out with Modern Hebrew this week (with some background, having learned the basics and the alphabet in Hebrew School 20+ years ago) and I think I have most of the pronunciation down, except for resh (ר).
I know it's not a straight "R" sound that we're used to in English.
I feel like some words I have down, by pronouncing it as an almost non-existent, a very slight "W" sound (like Adam Sandler in "The Zohan"), but also a "CH" sound (כ or ח), but I'm not sure I want to commit to doing that, and if I'm going to break any bad habits it should be now in the beginning of my studies. Also trying to avoid sounding French with it (unless it should?)...
Can anyone here offer a good technique for pronunciation, or reference to a good source?
Thanks in advance. תודה
Jan 8, 2018 3:41 AM
Answers · 1
I’m just learning Hebrew myself, and I’m really into phonetics, so here is an idea: The R in modern Hebrew is a voiced uvular approximant for most speakers — a so-called “guttural” R. (Although some speakers use an apicoalveolar version as well.) The French and German “guttural” Rs are similar but not identical.
Here’s a webpage I came across that has audio samples from Israelis (as well as videos by Frenchmen, but I would ignore the French ones, as French Rs tend to be a bit different — the Israeli R is very soft).
http://www.teachmehebrew.com/hebrew-r-and-kh-sounds.html
Description: the Israeli R is formed with the back of the tongue in the back of the mouth, similar to the Israeli KH (as far back as possible in the mouth, but not in the throat), but the airflow should not be nearly as constricted (it’s an approximant, not a fricative). Also, unlike the KH (or French R), the vocal cords should usually be vibrating the whole time you say the R. Also, do not allow the syllable final R to change the quality of the preceding vowel, or you’ll sound German or non-rhotic English.
Also, in my opinion, Yosi Azulai’s R is a good example. You can hear it in Ana Bekoakh:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0NCJzA39qbA
January 8, 2018
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Darkslide820
Language Skills
Chinese (Mandarin), English, Hebrew, Russian, Spanish
Learning Language
Chinese (Mandarin), Hebrew, Russian, Spanish
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