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How to pronounce:
tongue
Definition:
(nou) a mobile mass of muscular tissue covered with mucous membrane and located in the oral cavity (nou) a human written or spoken language used by a community; opposed to e.g. a computer language (nou) any long thin projection that is transient (nou) a manner of speaking (nou) a narrow strip of land that juts out into the sea (nou) the tongue of certain animals used as meat (nou) the flap of material under the laces of a shoe or boot (nou) metal striker that hangs inside a bell and makes a sound by hitting the side
Phonetic Transcription:
tʌŋ
Examples:
The strongest muscle in the body is the tongue.
The body of the tongue is raised towards the palate.
The strongest muscle in the human body is the tongue.
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How to perfect your pronunciation of: tongue
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Common mistakes of tongue pronunciation
- Misplacing the "t": Many learners pronounce "tongue" with a clear "t" sound at the beginning, resulting in /tʌŋ/. The correct pronunciation starts with a softer "t" sound, pronounced as /ˈtʌŋ/ in both US and UK English. Tip: Focus on softening the initial "t" to blend it smoothly with the vowel.
- Ignoring the nasal sound: Some speakers neglect the nasal sound represented by "ng," leading to a mispronunciation like /ˈtʌg/. In "tongue," the "ng" is pronounced as /ŋ/, creating a nasal quality. Tip: Practice saying "sing" and then transition to "tongue" to emphasize the nasal sound.
- Overemphasizing the vowel: Learners might stress the vowel sound too much, saying /ˈtɔŋ/ instead of /ˈtʌŋ/. The "o" in "tongue" is a schwa sound in some accents, not a clear "o." Tip: Keep the vowel sound short and subtle, similar to the "u" in "fun."
- Mispronouncing the ending: Some may end with a hard "g" sound, pronouncing it as /ˈtʌŋg/. The correct ending is a soft "ng," pronounced as /ŋ/. Tip: Practice with words like "ring" and "song" to master the soft ending.
- Confusing with similar words: Learners often mix up "tongue" with "tung" or "tonk," leading to incorrect pronunciations. "Tongue" specifically has the /tʌŋ/ sound. Tip: Listen to native speakers and repeat to distinguish "tongue" from similar-sounding words.