5.6. Basic Japanese pronunciation rules: Stress

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Correct pronunciation is a crucial aspect of learning any language, and Japanese is no exception. However, unlike many other languages, Japanese has a rather restricted set of sounds, which can make learning pronunciation simpler for beginners. In this chapter, we'll focus on the basic rules of Japanese pronunciation, especially with regard to accentuation.

First, it is important to understand that Japanese is a syllabic language. This means that each Japanese character corresponds to a complete syllable. There are five vowels in Japanese: a (あ), i (い), u (う), e (え), o (お). Each of these vowels can be pronounced alone or combined with a consonant to form a new syllable.

In Japanese, accents are not used to differentiate words, as in English or Portuguese. Instead, Japanese uses accentuation to create a specific rhythm in speech. This rhythm is called "mora rhythm", where each syllable or "mora" has the same duration. For example, the word "sakura" (さくら), which means cherry tree, has three moras (sa-ku-ra) and each one must be pronounced with the same duration.

An important rule in Japanese pronunciation is that short and long vowels are phonemically distinct. This means that vowel length can change the meaning of a word. For example, the word "obasan" (おばさん) means "aunt", while "obaasan" (おばあさん) means "grandmother". The only difference between these two words is the length of the vowel "a" in the middle of the word.

Another important rule is that some consonants are pronounced differently depending on where they appear in the word. For example, the consonant "g" is pronounced like "g" at the beginning of words, but is pronounced more like "ng" in the middle or at the end of words.

Also, Japanese has the "r" sound which is a little different from the "r" in English. In Japanese, the "r" sound is pronounced with the tip of the tongue touching the roof of the mouth, similar to the "r" in Spanish.

Finally, Japanese also has a sound called "sokuon" (促音), which is a short stop sound before a consonant. It is represented by the small "tsu" (っ) in hiragana. For example, in the word "matte" (まって), which means "wait", the small "tsu" before the "te" indicates a short pause before pronouncing the syllable "te".

In summary, Japanese pronunciation may seem challenging at first, but with practice and attention to the basic rules, you can master the correct pronunciation and significantly improve your Japanese speaking skill. Remember that the key to correct Japanese pronunciation is constant practice and attention to rhythm, vowel duration, and consonant position. Over time, you'll get used to the unique sounds of Japanese and be able to pronounce the words correctly with ease.

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455.7. Basic Japanese Pronunciation Rules: Intonation