Mistake Description & advice
/f/ When in final position: replace by /v/ Assimilation. ‘f’ or ‘ff’ is always /f/ exception: ‘of’
/v/ Replace by /f/ in all positions, preceding vowel ‘v’ is always /v/, gently little power, hum throat,
sound too short. lengthen preceding vowel to vibrate vocal cords
Sound doesn’t exist in Dutch. Replace by /s/ & Tip of tongue against back top teeth, force air
/t/, sometimes /v/ between to hiss, no complete obstruction
Beg. replace by /d/ in initial & medial, /z/ in final. Little power, light flow of air pass between tip of
Adv.: in final position tongue and back teeth. Vibrating vocal cords.
/s/ Not sharp & hissing enough. Replace by /z/ when Too little friction, lenis instead of fortis. Important:
between two fully voiced sounds not how but when to pronounce.
/z/ Replace by /s/ in all positions especially in final Fortis instead of lenis. Too much force, hissing sound
position. too strong, should be partially voiced
Replace by /sj/ or by /s/. /sj/ & /s/ need more lip rounding, push lips
forward, front of tongue brought further back
Similar sound: (e.g. jury) BUT often replaced Fortis instead of lenis. Too much power to push air
by /sj/. out of lungs too much friction, partially voiced.
/h/ When a /j/ should follow (e.g. humour). Dutch Produce more friction than for /h/, much like sighing.
leave out /h/ completely. ONLY drop /h/ in weak forms.
/p/ Fail to produce aspiration when needed in initial Pronounce with strong puff of air when initially in
positions in stressed syllables. stressed syllable. Strong enough to dim flame.
/b/ When in final position often replaced by /p/ Produce gently, lengthen preceding vowel. /p/ is
preceding vowel too short. voiceless /b/ is at least partially voiced.
/t/ No aspiration when needed. Between two Lack of aspiration, intervocalic voicing. Produce
vowels often replaced by ‘d’ strongly with puff of air. Never pronounce ‘t’ as /d/
/d/ When final often pronounced /t/ preceding Fortis instead of lenis. Glottal substitution. Produce
vowel too short. /d/ followed by vowel, often gently, little release of air. Lengthen preceding vowel.
replaced by glottal stop. Vibrate vocal cords, sounds must flow together.
/k/ No aspiration in stressed syllables. Replaced intervocalic voicing.
by /g/ if followed by /b, d, g/
/g/ In medial & final: replaced by /k/ preceding Glottal replacement. Fortis instead of lenis. Too much
vowel too short. Replace /g/ with glottal stop if a power, pressure of air and plosion. Vocal cords
consonant sound follows. should vibrate. Don’t obstruct completely.
Replace by /tj/ when initial, /ts/ when final. Both have no liprounding. Pronounce strongly as
single sound, produce hissing sound, air pass over
tongue.
Replace by /dj/ when initial, /ts/ in medial and Both have no liprounding. Raised front tongue must
final. be further back. Lengthen preceding vowel --> good
voicing.
/j/ Knowing when to pronounce it. /j/ is different in Br Eng.: /j/ pronounced when followed by /u:/ or
Br. Am. English. Am. Eng.: Normally dropped in stressed syllables
/w/ Use Dutch ‘w’. Lips aren’t rounded. Back of the Round lips in advance when preceded by /t, k, s/. Use
tongue too low. Surinam /w/. Pronounce with accompanying /u/.
/r/ Pronounce /r/ when not necessary. Northerners: Pronounce /r/ when followed by vowel. Linking /r/
rolling /r/, southerners: throat /r/. prevents Dutch form chopping words with glottal
stops. Don’t vibrate tongue.
/l/ Pronounce schwa between /l/ and following Syllabic /l/: constitutes a syllable, no vowel needed
consonant (/t/ & /d/). (e.g. millek milk, bottle) Clear /l/: Before vowels, clear /I/ quality
Lengthen /r/ in long context, duration incorrect Dark /l/: Before silence or consonant, clear quality
Nasa Too short in long contexts, incorrect addition of Syllabic /n/: constitutes a syllable, no vowel needed
l schwa between /n/ and /t/ or /d/
/f/ When in final position: replace by /v/ Assimilation. ‘f’ or ‘ff’ is always /f/ exception: ‘of’
/v/ Replace by /f/ in all positions, preceding vowel ‘v’ is always /v/, gently little power, hum throat,
sound too short. lengthen preceding vowel to vibrate vocal cords
Sound doesn’t exist in Dutch. Replace by /s/ & Tip of tongue against back top teeth, force air
/t/, sometimes /v/ between to hiss, no complete obstruction
Beg. replace by /d/ in initial & medial, /z/ in final. Little power, light flow of air pass between tip of
Adv.: in final position tongue and back teeth. Vibrating vocal cords.
/s/ Not sharp & hissing enough. Replace by /z/ when Too little friction, lenis instead of fortis. Important:
between two fully voiced sounds not how but when to pronounce.
/z/ Replace by /s/ in all positions especially in final Fortis instead of lenis. Too much force, hissing sound
position. too strong, should be partially voiced
Replace by /sj/ or by /s/. /sj/ & /s/ need more lip rounding, push lips
forward, front of tongue brought further back
Similar sound: (e.g. jury) BUT often replaced Fortis instead of lenis. Too much power to push air
by /sj/. out of lungs too much friction, partially voiced.
/h/ When a /j/ should follow (e.g. humour). Dutch Produce more friction than for /h/, much like sighing.
leave out /h/ completely. ONLY drop /h/ in weak forms.
/p/ Fail to produce aspiration when needed in initial Pronounce with strong puff of air when initially in
positions in stressed syllables. stressed syllable. Strong enough to dim flame.
/b/ When in final position often replaced by /p/ Produce gently, lengthen preceding vowel. /p/ is
preceding vowel too short. voiceless /b/ is at least partially voiced.
/t/ No aspiration when needed. Between two Lack of aspiration, intervocalic voicing. Produce
vowels often replaced by ‘d’ strongly with puff of air. Never pronounce ‘t’ as /d/
/d/ When final often pronounced /t/ preceding Fortis instead of lenis. Glottal substitution. Produce
vowel too short. /d/ followed by vowel, often gently, little release of air. Lengthen preceding vowel.
replaced by glottal stop. Vibrate vocal cords, sounds must flow together.
/k/ No aspiration in stressed syllables. Replaced intervocalic voicing.
by /g/ if followed by /b, d, g/
/g/ In medial & final: replaced by /k/ preceding Glottal replacement. Fortis instead of lenis. Too much
vowel too short. Replace /g/ with glottal stop if a power, pressure of air and plosion. Vocal cords
consonant sound follows. should vibrate. Don’t obstruct completely.
Replace by /tj/ when initial, /ts/ when final. Both have no liprounding. Pronounce strongly as
single sound, produce hissing sound, air pass over
tongue.
Replace by /dj/ when initial, /ts/ in medial and Both have no liprounding. Raised front tongue must
final. be further back. Lengthen preceding vowel --> good
voicing.
/j/ Knowing when to pronounce it. /j/ is different in Br Eng.: /j/ pronounced when followed by /u:/ or
Br. Am. English. Am. Eng.: Normally dropped in stressed syllables
/w/ Use Dutch ‘w’. Lips aren’t rounded. Back of the Round lips in advance when preceded by /t, k, s/. Use
tongue too low. Surinam /w/. Pronounce with accompanying /u/.
/r/ Pronounce /r/ when not necessary. Northerners: Pronounce /r/ when followed by vowel. Linking /r/
rolling /r/, southerners: throat /r/. prevents Dutch form chopping words with glottal
stops. Don’t vibrate tongue.
/l/ Pronounce schwa between /l/ and following Syllabic /l/: constitutes a syllable, no vowel needed
consonant (/t/ & /d/). (e.g. millek milk, bottle) Clear /l/: Before vowels, clear /I/ quality
Lengthen /r/ in long context, duration incorrect Dark /l/: Before silence or consonant, clear quality
Nasa Too short in long contexts, incorrect addition of Syllabic /n/: constitutes a syllable, no vowel needed
l schwa between /n/ and /t/ or /d/
