Consonants: /θ/ & /ð/

Post Reply
admin
Site Admin
Posts: 3121
Joined: Wed Dec 11, 2019 8:31 am
Has thanked: 4 times

Consonants: /θ/ & /ð/

Post by admin »

The difference between /θ/ and /ð/ is that /ð/ is voiced and /θ/ is not. They share a single, common spelling th. These sounds are paired together often because they take the same mouth position. Th is unvoiced, meaning, only air passes through the mouth, and th is voiced, meaning you make a sound with the vocal cords.
How to pronounce th? The tongue is flattened and tense, and its tip is between the upper and lower teeth, forming a narrow flat gap between the cutting edge of the upper teeth and the surface of the front edge of the tongue. The tip of the tongue comes through the teeth, the best, thanks, th, th, this, this is... Try to mimic when you watch the next video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I7M6aKv6BdA
Since both /θ/ and /ð/ are spelled as th, it’s difficult to say for sure when to use one or the other.

How to pronounce /θ/? Put your tongue behind your upper teeth, slightly protruding between them. Then let the air pass and you’ll hear the hissing noise that constitutes the /θ/. This sound is voiceless and you don't produce it using your throat.
thumb /θʌm/
thought /θɔːt/
thank /θæŋk/
think /θɪŋk/
month /mʌnθ/
health /helθ/
thick /θɪk/
three /θriː/
thrust /θrʌst/
through /θruː/
thong /θɒŋ/
thing /θɪŋ/
third /θɜːd/
wealth /welθ/
strength /streŋθ/
mirth /mɜːθ/
death /deθ/
thrum /θrʌm/
eighth /eɪtθ/
thane /θeɪn/
thug /θʌɡ/
thud /θʌd/
thrall /θrɔːl/
thread /θred/
tooth /tuːθ/
faith /feɪθ/
fourth /fɔːθ/
tenth /tenθ/
math /mæθ/
kith /kɪθ/
Thirty-three thousand and thirty thinkers thought thirty-three thousand and thirty thoughts.
Three therapists threw three thermometers in three thick thickets of thorny thistle.

How to pronounce /ð/? To produce this sound, place your tongue between your top and bottom teeth and push the air out. This sound is voiced and you produce it with your throat.
that /ðæt/
teethe /tiːð/
this /ðɪs/
lithe /laɪð/
loathe /ləʊð/
bathe /beɪð/
breathe /briːð/
scythe /saɪð/
the /ðiː/
seethe /siːð/
they /ðeɪ/
with /wɪð/
thee /ðiː/
lathe /leɪð/
thy /ðaɪ/
other /ˈʌð.ər/
them /ðem/
soothe /suːð/
there /ðeər/
whether /ˈweð.ər/
those /ðəʊz/
mother /ˈmʌð.ər/
father /ˈfɑː.ðər/
brother /ˈbrʌð.ər/
neither /ˈniː.ðər/
worthy /ˈwɜː.ði/
leather /ˈleð.ər/
then /ðen/
together /təˈɡeð.ər/
another /əˈnʌð.ər/
These brothers bathe with those brothers, those brothers bathe with these brothers.
These clothes are rather for the southern weather, those clothes are rather for the northern weather.
admin
Site Admin
Posts: 3121
Joined: Wed Dec 11, 2019 8:31 am
Has thanked: 4 times

Re: Consonants: /θ/ & /ð/

Post by admin »

Post Reply