Placeholder Image

字幕表 動画を再生する

  • How do Americans do it?

  • How do they speak so quickly but still sound natural and are still easily understood by other native speakers?

  • Well, it's because of something called reductions.

  • American English is full of them, and today, we've invited standout Rachel's English teacher, Tom Kelly,

  • to teach you and show you some reductions,

  • and not just a single reduction, but several reductions in a row.

  • For example, how does the phrase 'because it was a' become: because it was a--?

  • How does it become that?

  • How does that sound natural? How does that work in American English?

  • That's what we're going to study today.

  • Now first, I want to make sure you know this is not lazy English,

  • this is not only conversational English,

  • this is even English that you might use in a more formal setting.

  • All of the examples that Tom is going to use today are from either a TED Talk or an interview.

  • So a more formal situation, then just a conversation with a friend.

  • We're going to have Tom take it over in just a second,

  • but before we do, please subscribe with notifications if you haven't already.

  • We make new videos on the English language every Tuesday and we love to see you back here again.

  • Okay, Tom. Take it away.

  • Hi! I'm Tom Kelly, a Rachel's English teacher with Rachel's English Academy.

  • Here at Rachel's English, we talk about the rhythm and intonation of English all the time.

  • We hope non-native speakers hear the music of English

  • so they can speak the language with more accuracy and consistency,

  • helping them sound more like native speakers of the language.

  • If you're someone who wants to know how to speak faster English but still be understood

  • and sound natural, this is a video for you.

  • One aspect of creating the music of American English

  • is making sure you have unstressed and stressed syllables in your speech

  • and that there is a clear contrast between the two.

  • The unstressed syllables will be short and quick and produced with less vocal energy,

  • and the stressed syllables will be longer.

  • They'll use the shape of stress and are produced with more vocal energy.

  • One of the things that helps create better contrast

  • between your stressed and unstressed syllables

  • is using reductions.

  • Now, Rachel has lots of videos on reduction.

  • reduction is when we reduce the sounds of a function word, words like:

  • the, of, for, your, and others, and don't say them fully.

  • for example, 'the' is often pronounced as: the, the, as in: she's the best.

  • the, the. she's the best.

  • 'Of' is pronounced: of-- or even just: uh, uh-- with a dropped V.

  • here's a sentence with both of those reductions of the word 'of'.

  • I'll take one of all of them.

  • I'll take one of all of them.

  • 'For' and 'your', both reduced down to just an unstressed R vowel.

  • For, your. This is for your birthday.

  • This is for your birthday.

  • For your, for your.

  • What's amazing about reduction is that native speakers use it all the time.

  • But if you ask them about it, they probably don't even know they're doing it.

  • It is such a natural part of their speech they don't even recognize it.

  • In fact, Rachel has received comments from native speakers on some of her reduction videos

  • saying that she's teaching incorrect English, that reductions are only used in casual, lazy English.

  • But we guarantee that any native speaker of English who does not use reductions

  • will actually sound overly formal and may even be harder to understand.

  • Today, I'm going to demonstrate how reductions are used in a variety of American English speech.

  • Even in formal environments.

  • We're going to take a look at a few common phrases and see how we reduce the function words

  • in order to sound more natural and create the music of American English.

  • So let's get started.

  • First up, the phrase: for the, or: for the, for the.

  • This two-word phrase, two function words, is very often pronounced as 'for the--'

  • in both casual and more formal situations.

  • Pronounced fully, these two words would sound like: for the-- for the-- but reduced, they become:

  • for the-- F consonant, unstressed R vowel, voiced TH consonant and schwa.

  • For the-- for the--

  • Here are some examples from TED talks and speeches where the speakers use this reduction.

  • We've got to keep fighting for the dignity of every veteran.

  • Did you hear the reduction?

  • For the-- fighting for the dignity of every veteran.

  • Let's listen again.

  • We've got to keep fighting for the dignity of every veteran.

  • For the-- for the dignity of every veteran.

  • We've got to keep fighting for the dignity of every veteran.

  • And that's the President of the United States.

  • Now, here's another one.

  • Or do you want me to hire the best person for the job?

  • Best person for the job.

  • For the-- for the--

  • Or do you want me to hire the best person for the job?

  • For the-- for the job?

  • Or do you want me to hire the best person for the job?

  • Okay, here are three more.

  • Teach them to yearn for the vast and endless sea.

  • For the-- for the vast and endless sea.

  • Teach them to yearn for the vast and endless sea.

  • But a hundred and fifty, you can read over and over for the rest of your life.

  • For the-- for the rest of your life.

  • But a hundred and fifty, you can read over and over for the rest of your life.

  • They do fill certain gaps in skills and knowledge that are good for the overall economy.

  • For the-- for the overall economy.

  • They do fill certain gaps in skills and knowledge that are good for the overall economy.

  • So obviously, for the-- is used very commonly in formal speech as well as casual English.

  • Now, let's take a look at the three-word phrase 'and in the'.

  • Pronounced fully, it would sound like this: and in the-- and in the--

  • but it's almost never spoken like this in any circumstance.

  • Usually, all of these words are spoken quickly,

  • and, reduces to a schwa sound followed by an N consonant, and, and.

  • The D is usually dropped.

  • The in, IN, becomes just a quick N consonant.

  • And in, and in, and in.

  • Or unstressed IH as in sit vowel followed by an N consonant.

  • And in, and in, and in.

  • And 'the' reduces the same way, it reduces in 'for the'. The, the, and in the-- and in the-- and in the--

  • Let's hear some examples of this reduction in more formal environments.

  • Of what we have to do to meet this challenge.

  • And in the years ahead we will need an all-out global commitment to clean air.

  • And in the years ahead--

  • and in the--

  • Do you hear those three quick unstressed syllables?

  • And in the-- and in the--

  • And in the--

  • and in the years ahead of what we have to do to meet this challenge.

  • And in the years ahead we will need an all-out global commitment to clean air.

  • Here's another one.

  • You have to find the younger rocks of the Mesozoic. And in the case of dinosaurs, between 235

  • and 66 million years ago.

  • This one is very fast.

  • And in the-- and in the--

  • And in the--

  • and in the case of dinosaurs between 235--

  • You have to find the younger rocks of the Mesozoic.

  • And in the case of dinosaurs, between 235 and 66 million years ago.

  • Okay, here are a few more examples of 'and in the' reduction in formal speech.

  • And in the fight against poverty, we're treating governments--

  • And in the--- And in the fight against poverty--

  • And in the fight against poverty, we're treating governments--

  • So I was always gone a lot and in the book, I actually say that my youngest son drew me as a laptop.

  • And in the--

  • and in the book, I actually say that my youngest son drew me as a laptop.

  • So I was always gone a lot and in the book, I actually say that my youngest son drew me as a laptop.

  • And that is a really useful practice in small and in the big.

  • And in the-- and in the big.

  • And that is a really useful practice in small and in the big.

  • Let's take a listen to a few commonly reduced and combined words.

  • Very often, 'going to' reduces to: gonna, gonna.

  • 'Want to' reduces to: wanna, wanna.

  • And 'got to' reduces to: gotta, gotta.

  • This doesn't just happen in casual speech.

  • Let's take a look at some examples from formal situations.

  • Here is 'going to' pronounced as: gonna, gonna.

  • Then they're probably not going to want to listen to me doing breathe.

  • Notice in that one we actually have 'gonna' and 'wanna'.

  • Then they're probably not going to want to listen to me doing breathe.

  • Gonna--

  • Wanna--

  • Going to want to listen to me--

  • Then they're probably not going to want to listen to me doing breathe.

  • Now here's a few more.

  • We're going to see more cancer.

  • Gonna--

  • we're going to see more cancer.

  • That all of those people who had adored eat, pray, love,

  • were going to be incredibly disappointed in whatever i wrote next.

  • Gonna--

  • were going to be incredibly disappointed in whatever i wrote next.

  • That all of those people who had adored eat, pray, love,

  • were going to be incredibly disappointed in whatever i wrote next.

  • Now let's listen to examples of the reduction of 'want to', wanna.

  • There are some in Washington who want to shut them down.

  • Wanna-- wanna shut them down.

  • There are some in Washington who want to shut them down.

  • Connected to all the different places they want to be.

  • Wanna-- want to be.

  • Connected to all the different places they want to be.

  • In order to live the lives that we say we want to live.

  • Wanna-- wanna live.

  • In order to live the lives that we say we want to live.

  • And now 'got to' as 'gotta'.

  • In this environment today, we've got to think of it all as one piece.

  • Gotta-- gotta think of it all as one piece.

  • In this environment today, we've got to think of it all as one piece.

  • If you want exponential growth, then you've got to be able to experience exponential productivity.

  • Gotta--got to be able to experience exponential productivity.

  • If you want exponential growth, then you've got to be able to experience exponential productivity.

  • And what can be accomplished in business, but we've got to have leadership.

  • Gotta--

  • And what can be accomplished in business, but we've got to have leadership.

  • And what can be accomplished in business, but we've got to have leadership.

  • Okay so hopefully by now it's clear that reductions are not just used in casual conversations.

  • They're a part of the music of American English in all situations.

  • From the boardroom, to interviews, to speeches, to offices, and on and on.

  • They're a part of American English.

  • Just for fun, here are a few more examples.

  • Here's the phrase: because it was a. Or reduced: because it was a-- because it was a--

  • And when I was in business school I'd asked my

  • instructors because it was a big business school and there was, it was always about big business.

  • Notice she reduces each of these function words and links them all together,

  • saying them very quickly.

  • Because it was a-- because it was a--

  • Because it was a--

  • because it was a big business school.

  • And when I was in business school I'd asked my instructors because it was a big business school

  • and there was, it was always about big business.

  • Here's another example of: because it was a-- being reduced.

  • Remember the TV show that was shot down by NBC because it was a show about nothing?

  • Because it was a--

  • because it was a a show about nothing?

  • Remember the TV show that was shot down by NBC because it was a show about nothing?

  • Here's one more and see if you can hear how this one reduces even further.

  • But the reason she was unavailable to speak with me is that she was out for a hike

  • because it was a beautiful spring morning.

  • In this one, the word 'because' reduces all the way down to just: cuz, cuz-- The first syllable is completely dropped.

  • And this is on stage, in front of an audience, and everyone still understands her.

  • Because it was a-- because it was a--

  • But the reason she was unavailable to speak with me is that she was out for a hike

  • because it was a beautiful spring morning.

  • Because it was a--

  • because it was a beautiful spring morning.

  • But the reason she was unavailable to speak with me is that she was out for a hike

  • because it was a beautiful spring morning.

  • Okay, this is actually very fun for me.

  • I love reductions. Let's do a couple more.

  • Here are examples of the phrase: that it was a--

  • reduced down to: that it was a-- that it was a--

  • And concluded that it was a match.

  • That it was a-- that it was a match.

  • And concluded that it was a match.

  • Well, they explained to me that it was a new Department

  • that had just been formed at Harvard where you could get a phd in the history of science.

  • That it was a-- that it was a new Department--

  • Well, they explained to me that it was a new Department

  • that had just been formed at Harvard where you could get a phd in the history of science.

  • You know the historians tell us that it was a uniquely American idea.

  • That it was a-- that it was a uniquely American idea.

  • You know the historians tell us that it was a uniquely American idea.

  • This is incredible.

  • We just heard so many examples of reductions and all of them were in more formal environments.

  • It really does happen all the time in American English.

  • Start listening for this in the English you hear around you.

  • Listen for it in TV shows and movies and office meetings.

  • The more you start hearing it,

  • the more you'll be able to start using it

  • in your own speech to enhance the musicality of your American English.

  • I used Youglish.com to pull these clips that I used in this video.

  • It's a great resource to use when practicing your pronunciation.

  • Rachel actually made a video a while ago on how to use Youglish.com

  • and I'm going to link to that video at the end of this video.

  • That's it for now. Happy reducing!

  • And thank you for using Rachel's English.

  • Tom, thank you so much. Here's that video he mentioned on how to use Youglish

  • Please subscribe if you haven't already.

  • We make new videos on the English language every Tuesday, and we'd love to have you back.

  • That's it and thanks so much for using Rachel's English.

How do Americans do it?

字幕と単語

ワンタップで英和辞典検索 単語をクリックすると、意味が表示されます

A2 初級

FAST ENGLISH: 第一の秘訣はREDUCTIONSです。 (FAST ENGLISH: the #1 secret is REDUCTIONS)

  • 4 0
    林宜悉 に公開 2021 年 01 月 14 日
動画の中の単語