Pronunciation Challenge

みなさん、こんにちは！

I’m happy to announce now it’s time for the 3rd challenge!

Please join this challenge and improve your pronunciation!

How to Participate:

1. Choose either the beginner, intermediate, advanced, or proficient level, record it, and upload it on the Forum as a reply to this announcement(The same announcement has been posted on the forum as well).

2. The deadline is Friday, August 16th, at 11:00 p.m. JST.

3. If you are shy about using your name, feel free to post as “とくめいきぼう（匿名希望）,” which means "anonymous."

4. If you are uncomfortable uploading your recording here or can’t do it systematically, please send it via email:fumi@niconico.biz 

Feedback: I will provide feedback via video on Tuesday, August 20th, in Feedback for Pronunciation Challenge in the Forum and “Upgrade Speaking” on my website.

Sentences to Read: Here are the sentences you’ll read. Please choose one, record, and upload it. I added points for you to be careful with, but if there are any other points you want me to check, please write them down.

This time, it’s the length of small つ that I’d like you to be careful with. Please watch “Mastering Phonetics” Part The Rhythm of Small つ.

Also, long vowels are focused in Intermediate and Advanced. 

Here are PDF for pitch accent and my recording.

【Beginner】

日本に行ったら、やきとりが食べたいです。

（にほんにいったら、やきとりがたべたいです。I want to eat yakitori when I go to Japan.）

Points:

1. The pitch accent of にほん. It's Nakadaka (ほ is high, and に and ん are low).

2. The pitch accent of 行ったら and the length of the small つ. Please take enough time for the small つ.

3. The pitch accent of 食べたいです. べた is high, and the other parts are low.

• You can replace やきとり with any food you want to try.

【Intermediate】

去年、日本に旅行に行きました。皇居や浅草寺が印象に残っています。

（きょねん、にほんにりょこうにいきました。こうきょやせんそうじがいんしょうにのこっています。Last year, I went on a trip to Japan. The Imperial Palace and Sensoji Temple left a strong impression on me.）

Points:

1. The pitch accent of 旅行. It’s Heiban. So, the particle に is said high too.

2. The pronunciation and the pitch accent of 皇居. Please watch this video for more hints: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/xg1pfNcTb0A

3. The length of small つ in のこって. Please take enough time for the small つ.

・You can replace to any place you visited or want to visit. But please don’t replace 皇居. It's a difficult word to pronounce.

【Advanced】

日本の行政のトップは「首相」ですが、アメリカのトップは「大統領」で、中国のトップは「主席」です。呼び方がちがうので、ややこしいです。

(The head of the Japanese government is the 'Prime Minister,' while America's top leader is the 'President,' and China's top leader is called the 'President' (though in Chinese characters, it's written as 'chairman'). The different titles can be confusing.)

 Points:

1. The length of long vowels: 行政、大統領、首相. Please take enough time for the each long vowels.

2. The length of the small つ in トップ. Please take enough time for the small つ.

3. The pitch accent of の. It's the same height as the end of the noun.

But as for にほんの, の changes the accent of Japan, and together, they become Heiban. にほんの (Nakadaka) is okay though; I hear the Heiban version more. Please look at the PDF.

【Proficient】

Please read any sentences you like. Three or four sentences would be preferable.

If you have any questions, please let me know!

I’m looking forward to your joining!

Fumi