In a recent discussion on the "schwa" -- the vowel sound of "the" -- the most common spoken vowel in English, I had mentioned that in France the hesitation pause is uttered with "lip rounding" as the lips are seen in the vowel in English "moon". I wondered the extent of variations on the hesitation pause across the spectrum of languages.

Regarding the hesitation pause in English, I've experimented with teaching certain vowel sounds --  the pitch, or the musical high/low aspect of a person's hesitation pause, is the place the learner best begin to practice difficult vowels.

Replying to [Professor Carl]: Good post Prof Carl, regarding the hesitation pause, we need you Mods guideline in the English Corner, where are the gemx, mac2005, moolan? I hope every English learner here could support our Mods' job.



For the Mods.

see reply below

Replying to [Cooleyes]:

Sorry, but Germex is not a mod.

Replying to [Professor Carl]:


Professor, is this mentioned for the linguist only or all of the members also??

if this for all (and basic English learner)..i couldn't catch up your words.

Can you use English, please..

see below

Quoting from [BUMshells]:

Replying to [Professor Carl]:

Professor, is this mentioned for the linguist only or all of the members also??

if this for all (and basic English learner)..i couldn't catch up your words.

Can you use English, please..

This uh, is for everyone

Replying to [Professor Carl]:

Okay, thanks. As it still about vowels, i have this input for you.
Most of Indonesian (i don't know for other countries) can't say the different forming sound with past tensed words such "verb+ed" or last word with "nt" like to say "can't" but still sounds like "can".
What do you call this?? a "dead end"?
For me, to be more easily saying these words i just using the British accent

Quoting from [BUMshells]:


Replying to [Professor Carl]:


Okay, thanks. As it still about vowels, i have this input for you.

Most of Indonesian (i don't know for other countries) can't say the different forming sound with past tensed words such "verb+ed" or last word with "nt" like to say "can't" but still sounds like "can".

What do you call this?? a "dead end"?

For me, to be more easily saying these words i just using the British accent

The example of  "can't" is about at tricky as you can get.. Even in (American) English, the distinction between "can" and "can't" in everyday speech is determined from context. The difference between "you CAN go" and "you CAN'T go" is usually not clear to the ear. Like all speech, the situation of context gives the clue. If they are shaking their head no when they are saying it, you know what they mean. If, however, you say the words "can/can't" in isolation, or at the end of a phrase, on "can't" there should be a little puff of air that is the release of the "t", and let's you know it is not "can". With the "-ed", in pronunciation, it can sound in several ways, depending on the word. They way it is heard in cause/caused, want/wanted, drop/dropped -- are different. Can you get what the variation is among these three? Which one gives Indonesian speakers trouble?

They way it is heard in cause/caused, want/wanted, drop/dropped -- are different. Can you get what the variation is among these three? Which one gives Indonesian speakers trouble?

Dear professor, I can get the variation among these three you mentioned above.

Quoting from [Mickey Mouse]:

They way it is heard in cause/caused, want/wanted, drop/dropped -- are different. Can you get what the variation is among these three? Which one gives Indonesian speakers trouble?

I'm not 100 percent sure what you are wondering about -- they are usually called present tense and past tense.


The wild pack of dogs outside the door cause a problem. They were outside the door yesterday too, and also, then too, caused a problem. I want now what I wanted last week. Look at the frogs drop from the sky. Yesterday they dropped, but were pink not green.
WHAT in Indonesian makes these difficult?

The wild pack of dogs outside the door cause a problem. They were outside the door yesterday too, and also, then too, caused a problem. I want now what I wanted last week. Look at the frogs drop from the sky. Yesterday they dropped, but were pink not green.
WHAT in Indonesian makes these difficult?

Dear Professor, maybe this just an individual phenomenon

Replying to [Professor Carl]: How about we simplify things and use the British English 'um' ;) er, if that's ok.