PRONUNCIATION PRACTICE SHEET?
PRONUNCIATION PRACTICE SHEET?
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Readers Representing the Pastor
October 16 – 22, 2023
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In the Bible portion of this week’s Christian Science Bible Lesson titled, “Probation After Death,” there are some names of people and places that many Readers have trouble pronouncing.? I’d like to share a process that Readers and I have found very helpful in mastering the correct pronunciation.?
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HERE’S THE PROCESS:
1.??? Get a blank sheet of paper.
2.??? Look up the word in a good pronunciation guide.? My favorite is “Harper Collins Bible Pronunciation Guide” because it offers phonetic pronunciations—which are so much easier to understand than the strange pronunciation markings found in most dictionaries and other pronunciation guides.? Furthermore, its pronunciations are backed by excellent scholarship.? This little guide should be available through Christian Science Reading Rooms—or online.
3.??? On the first line of your piece of paper, write the phonetic spelling of the word.
4.??? Immediately below it, write the word exactly as it is spelled in the Bible.
5.??? Skip a few lines, then do this for each word with which you’re having difficulty—whether from the Bible or “Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures” by Mary Baker Eddy.
6.??? Read aloud the phonetically-spelled word on the first line very carefully and very slowly at first.? Do this several times a day because repetition is very important.
7.??? As the week progresses, gradually increase your pace until it flows naturally.? Don’t be in too much of a hurry.? Be patient with your mouth.? Give it time to get accustomed to the strange pronunciations.
8.??? When you find that you’re comfortable with your pronunciation, read aloud the complete verses or sentences in which the words appear.? This is an important step.
9.??? It isn’t uncommon to find that the challenging words still don’t come out quite clearly when you use them in the verse or sentences in which they appear.? That’s okay.? The solution is to slow down and concentrate.? ??
10. Again, practice several times a day.? Repetition is very, very important.?
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WHY DOES THIS PROCESS WORK?
Repetition is one major factor in making this process work.
I believe another reason that it works is that, as you’re reading aloud the phonetically-spelled word, your peripheral vision will automatically see the actual spelling of the word as it appears in the Bible, thereby allowing you to associate the phonetic spelling with the actual spelling.?
When you are reading these words on Sunday or Wednesday, your eyes will see the actual spelling, but your mind will associate it with the phonetic spelling and mentally “hear” the correct pronunciation you’ve been practicing all week.? This, in turn, will inform your voice, enabling you to pronounce the word correctly.?
Remember, the more you practice the correct pronunciation, the more correct your reading will be.??
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CHALLENGING NAMES
The challenging names in this week’s Bible Lesson are found in II Samuel 15:12, 31 ??&?? II Samuel 17:1,2,5,7,14,23
领英推荐
The following practice sheet will help anyone master the correct pronunciation.? The phonetic spellings come from “Harper Collins Bible Pronunciation Guide,” but I’ve changed them a bit, using familiar words like “fell” and “night” instead of the ones actually found in the Pronunciation Guide.
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When reading, give extra emphasis to the letters in ALL-CAPS.? Connect the hyphenated syllables.
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AB su-lum
Absalom
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uh HITH uh-fell
Ahithofel
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GUY lu-night
Gilonite
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GUY-low
Giloh
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HOO-shy
Hushai
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ARE-kite
Archite
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This process works, so give it a good try.
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Don Feldheim