6.2. Muscle Memory Practice: BLACK

In English, there is a sound between /e/ (as in RED) and /ɑ/ (as in OLIVE). We call it BLACK sound with the symbol /æ/. These are the examples:

EXAMPLE

We don’t have the BLACK /æ/ sound in bahasa Indonesia. Therefore, we usually pronounce it the same as the RED /e/ (as in kereta, sore, bebek in bahasa Indonesia). Actually, those are two completely different sounds!

Now, let’s compare the actual BLACK /æ/ sound vs. how we usually pronounce it using the “Indonesian accent”:

How to Pronounce: The BLACK Sound
  • Make sure that you have practiced the /e/ (as in RED), /æ/ (as in BLACK), and /É‘/ (as in OLIVE) sounds on the previous section to have better understanding of the location of the sounds.
  • Then, open your mouth wider than when you pronounce the /e/ sound to produce the /æ/ sound.
  • This sound is neither /e/ nor /É‘/; it’s in between. It is a new sound for Indonesian speakers so we have to practice it often!
Muscle Memory Building Practice

Listen to the examples and practice them out loud as many times as you need! Practice it daily to make you sound better & more clear.

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