Anduy  +  458779 Mon, 31 Dec 07 01:28 PM Do we link these sounds together? For instance: - need this - hit them - lead through - eight thousands I usually omit the sounds /t/ and /d/ in these cases. I don't know if that is correct. Please help. Anduy Joined on Tue, Nov 6 2007 Junior Member 60

	Verade  +  458869 Mon, 31 Dec 07 04:43 PM re: need this--yes, linked somewhat, but just a bit of the 'd' is voiced if you speak slowly. re: hit them--no, there is a bit of a pause between the 't' and 'th', but the tongue should remain in the 'th' position behind the upper front teeth during the slight pause. re:lead through--no, pronounce them separately. re: eight thousands--same as in 'hit them' above. I speak USA English--Good luck! Verade Joined on Mon, Dec 31 2007 Virginia USA Full Member 180 Vera-- "Life is either a daring adventure or nothing." --Helen Keller

	CalifJim  +  458900 Mon, 31 Dec 07 06:20 PM You shouldn't omit the /t/'s and /d/'s. need this, for example, without the /d/ is nee this, which is the same as knee this (strike this with your knee).  Omitting final letters can change the word completely. You should, however, make those /t/'s and /d/'s "unreleased".  They should sound like they are abruptly cut off before proceeding to the first sound of the next word.  This quick cutting-off can even create a very tiny moment of silence between the words, especially with the final /t/'s. CJ CalifJim Joined on Mon, Aug 2 2004 California Veteran Member 22,385 "There are no facts, only interpretations" - Nietzsche

	Kooyeen  +  459313 Wed, 02 Jan 08 12:40 AM Hi, I don't really know how I do that, but I think I lower the tongue a little while pronouncing the final part of the first word, so it becomes kind of "dental", and then let my tongue slip to pronounce the TH sound. Most importantly, I noticed that the less I think of what my tongue has to do or what I want it to do, the better everything comes out. Or so it seems to me at least, LOL. Kooyeen Joined on Thu, Dec 22 2005 Italy Senior Member 4,969 Parental Advisory / Explicit Posts

	Learner100  +  496136 Thu, 03 Apr 08 10:07 AM Shouldn't the /n/ also be included in the topic since it's the same sound only nasalized? So in a sequence where /t/, /d/ or /n/ is followed by /th/ or /TH/ is the tongue in one of the former group in the same position as one of the latter one begins with? For example how would you say in the house or at the house? Learner100 Joined on Thu, Feb 7 2008 New Member 08

	Zerox  +  496203 Thu, 03 Apr 08 03:00 PM This is the case of alveolar instability, or in your case, dentalisation. That is, the alveolars /t/, /d/ and /n/ anticipate the following dentail sound /TH/ in order to save energy and time. Therefore, the alveolars in 'in the, at the, on the, when the etc' are anticipated and pronounced as dentals insted of the usual alveolars. This also helps you to avoid making the mistake by making the nasal sound rather than the alveolar one.  Zerox Joined on Wed, May 10 2006 Full Member 295 -It is rational that the irrational contradicts with the rational-