Tuesday, July 24, 2012

How to Pronounce the Voiceless or Soft "Th"


As the title suggests, the "th" sound can be voiced or voiceless. This means that the "th" sound can be made by an exhalation of air or with a vibration in the throat area.

The voiceless or soft "th" sound is made with an exhalation of air. You should not feel a vibration in your throat area. You should feel your tongue lightly touching your lower lips and 
in-between your teeth. So, it is as if you are lightly biting your tongue while at the same time touching your lower lip. With this formation, you make the voiceless or soft "th" by exhaling or blowing air through.

Things to remember:

1) Feel your tongue touching your lower lip.
2) Lightly bite your tongue with just enough pressure to allow air to pass through.
3) Blow air through your lip, tongue, and teeth formation to make the soft "th" sound.
3) The soft "th" is a voiceless sound so you should just use air to make the sound.
4) You should not vibrate your throat area to make the voiceless or soft "th" sound.

Here are some words you can practice with.


think thought fourth fifth southeast
thing growth athlete depth enthusiasm
through authority thin wealth thumb
three truth breath worth health-care
something theory theme thirty theology
month throughout thanks athletic bath
both method earth math therapist
nothing mouth thick wealthy seventh
anything threat ethnic strengthen northeast
health through Catholic myth thoroughly
everything strength forth Catholic thigh
death faith tooth ethics mathematics
thank path length hypothesis earthquake
north worth beneath northwest sympathy
third threaten therapy ethical aesthetic
south youth bathroom monthly booth
thousand healthy smooth sixth eighth
throw birth birthday cloth Thanksgiving
author theater throat southwest thread

You might also want to read my post of  Best way to practice the voiceless "th" sound.

Let me know your thoughts. Thanks.

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