Speaking Finnish

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seb_lau
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Speaking Finnish

Post by seb_lau » Fri Sep 03, 2004 1:59 pm

Anyone got any insight into Rolling R's? Can't do it to save my life!
Also, does anyone know where I can get information on short courses [max a month] on learning Finnish around Helsinki?
cheers



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strawberry
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Post by strawberry » Fri Sep 03, 2004 2:24 pm

Something just occurred to me: many Finnish kids have difficulty learning the rrrrolling r's, too, as did two of my older kids. The eldest was a really tough cookie and ended up in speech therapy for it. Did not have to go many a time, as the exercises were really good. Now, do the following in a cupoard somewhere, or in the shower, so as people don't think you've gone barmy... :lol: The one that seemed to help the most was the D-exercise, i.e. where you form the sound "d" in the roof of your mouth is exactly where the R's roll down, too. :D So, he was supposed to replace the R's with D's in words - as we can all normally say D, funnily enough. That's important so as to find the actual spot where the sound is made. Or, if you can do the "engine sound" the way kids do whilst playing with toy cars - keep practising that! :wink:

Do you get the idea? I don't know how good your Finnish is, so this may prove quite tough as it partly depends on the rest of the pronunciation, but I suppose it's worth a try?

Good luck!
"Sitaatti on älyn säihkyvä korvike" (Jukka Virtanen)

PeterF
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Post by PeterF » Fri Sep 03, 2004 2:43 pm

Strawberry right with D thing..practice saying words with a "dr" combination.. and the rrr while come..roll it around your teeth..
drove.. address..andre...undress..and dromedary.whch .= dromedaari ..suomeksi
I am told that the number of "r" one put into Perkele when pronouncing it grade the severity of the curse--"perkele = dam the devil!" but add two or three r's and it gets you kicked out of the pub! :roll:

seb_lau
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Post by seb_lau » Fri Sep 03, 2004 5:05 pm

thanks for the quick replies, i am practicing the d exercises and do look quite mad, although I have a better idea f what I'm meant to do so cheers. My g/f is perfect at it but she 'dunno' how she does it! My pronunciation has been said to be very London-ish so this'll probably take a while, but I'm not moving until I know the lingo...

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deeplymauritius
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Post by deeplymauritius » Fri Sep 03, 2004 5:21 pm

I asked my sister about this, as she is a speech therapist and I have troubles rolling r on both sides of my tongue (it comes out a bit squewed) She suggested 2 things, one a physical tongue exercise and another a spoken one.

first, practice rolling your tongue back and pressing against the centre of your upper pallette.

second, say a b-r-p (sounds like burrrup) designed to keep your tongue central and your lips pressed then open
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Rosamunda
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Post by Rosamunda » Fri Sep 03, 2004 5:23 pm

I can't do it either :cry:

But my kids can :evil: without therapy even.

Can't teach old dogs new tricks I guess.... :wink:

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Post by Rosamunda » Fri Sep 03, 2004 5:27 pm

seb_lau wrote:.... but I'm not moving until I know the lingo...
:shock:

AND... just when you think you have sussed the lingo someone will tell you that.....er.... well..... nobody actually talks like that in Finland (unless they are reading the news on TV or making a party political broadcast).

Which version of Finnish are you learning?

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Pursuivant
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Post by Pursuivant » Fri Sep 03, 2004 5:36 pm

seb_lau wrote: but I'm not moving until I know the lingo...
See you in 2014
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Something wicked this way comes."

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eric71
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Post by eric71 » Fri Sep 03, 2004 6:59 pm

I took four years of Spanish in high school and never could roll my R's. Been married to a Finn for 9 years now and still can't do it. I find after a few beers the R's start rolling much better. Some words are easier than others. When you find one that sounds OK, keep practicing it until it is second nature and then move on to a harder one.

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strawberry
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Post by strawberry » Fri Sep 03, 2004 10:58 pm

deeplymauritius wrote:I asked my sister about this, as she is a speech therapist and I have troubles rolling r on both sides of my tongue (it comes out a bit squewed) She suggested 2 things, one a physical tongue exercise and another a spoken one.

first, practice rolling your tongue back and pressing against the centre of your upper pallette.
Yup, like I said, there were a variety of things introduced by the speech therapist and actual exercises were the ones that kinda surprised me, you know. Never thought of exercising one's tongue! But, it may be partly a muscle thingy, too, I guess?

It's funny, I don't know if an adult can "find" the R in the same way as a kid but my second son (to be 6 on Mon) had hardly been rolling his R's at all (the very occasional one) up until one afternoon in May: we were chatting whilst walking home from the shops and all of a sudden it just came out in a word! I confess to coming up to halt and asking "WHAT did you just say?!" :lol: And the rest of the walk we were both trying to come up with all manners of words with a rrrolling R! So, best of luck with the exercises! :D

PS: I also suggest you try out the famous Eric-method: a regular session at your local will get the R's rolling nicely! :lol: (Funnily enough, has exactly the opposite effect on my R's... :wink: )
"Sitaatti on älyn säihkyvä korvike" (Jukka Virtanen)

Malla
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Post by Malla » Sat Sep 04, 2004 3:56 pm

I once said to someone learning Finnish is hard. They answered ' nope it isn't heaps of children everyday speak it, so it can't be that difficult'
:D

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andy mac
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Post by andy mac » Mon Sep 06, 2004 12:53 pm

All the Finnish kids I've encountered seem to relish the 'r' sound and way overcompensate by making it louder and longer.
The plane journey over here found me sat next to a couple of 5-7 year old Finnish kids. It may as well of been a couple of purring lawn mowers.
I wish I could have the same technique.
The stage I'm at is not too bad but, I do have miss fires, and the sound comes out like a limp hiss (or camp snake).
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kalmisto
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Post by kalmisto » Mon Sep 06, 2004 7:14 pm

seb_lau

It might help if you contacted a speech therapist ( puheterapeutti ).
I live in Sweden and some foreigners here go to a "talpedagog" to improve their pronunciation of Swedish sounds. If you can do that in Sweden, why not in Finland also. It might be expensive though.

ari
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Post by ari » Sun Sep 12, 2004 8:30 pm

Essentially practice,

The ability to roll R's is about developing muscles within your mouth. Muscles an english speaking person wouldn't use. Native Finn's develop these as children and if they can't they go to speech therapy.

I am not a native Finn, however I have been taught Finnish since a child (Learning again now) and don't have a problem with my R's.

All languages usually have some vowel, diphtong or consonant that is difficult for non natives, Finnish is no special in this way, French is another example.
Ari

ari
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Post by ari » Sun Sep 12, 2004 8:39 pm

Oh and regarding not moving out till you can speak finnish.

Finnish is not the easest language to learning, esspecially when your learning in another country, although there is plenty of resources no in the UK and in London. It is a long old road to basic conversion. Finnish is must for alot of jobs, but not all...it does depend on your field of work.

I would recommend you start to look for jobs now, you might be surprised, plus the market is not so developed as it is in the UK.

Once you in Finland, the language will come on leaps and bounds.
Ari


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