to say it. You've probably noticed that you cannot rely on hearing -- tt -- a good T sound

你也許已經注意到了，沒辦法靠尾音的-tt-去分辨

because most Americans when they're speaking everyday speech --tt -- don't release final

因為大部份的美國人每天在說的時候，尾音的-tt-都沒有被發音出來

T's. First of all, if you haven't seen the video N'T contractions, watch that first.

首先，如果你還沒看過「N’T 縮寫」的教學影片，先去看一下

In that video, you learned that the N'T is pronounced nt. A nasal N sound here in the

在那個影片裡面，你可以學到「N’T」 是被發音成「nt」的。鼻音「N」在這裡聽起來

nose cut very short byt a stop T. So let's compare the two words. Can. Can't. Can, can't.

像是在鼻腔裡被阻斷成一個很短促的音。所以讓我們來比較這兩個字：「Can.」、「Can't.」、「Can.」、「Can't.」

What do you hear being different? Let's not even limit ourselves to just the sounds, but

要怎麼聽出其中的差異？我們不要只侷限在這兩個字的聲音上。

anything. Can, can't. Can you tell that the first word is longer? The stop T of can't

「Can」、「Can’t」。你可以聽出來「Can」的音拉得比較長嗎？「can’t」的「T」

chops it, makes it a little more abrupt. Can, can't. This may be something that is difficult

阻絕了發音，聽起來有點像是聲音突然斷掉了。「can」、「can’t」，也許對你來說

for you to distinguish right now. But if you know to listen for can: a little bit longer,

現在要分辨其中差異很難。但如果你知道要聽出「can」的音是拉得比較長，

a little smoother, versus can't, can't: a little shorter, a little bit more abrupt,

稍微滑順的，相比起來，「can’t」的發音比較短促，也有些嘎然而止的感覺

it may help you develop an ear for this. A note on the pronunciation of the word can.

有一個可以幫你訓練出能夠辨別其中差異的方法。注意「can」這個字發音的音符

You've probably noticed that this word often reduces. The 'aa' as in 'bat' vowel is changed

你大概已經注意到了，「can」這個字經常簡化，跟「bat」一樣的母音-aa-改變了，

to the schwa. Kn, kn, kn, I can do it, kn. The word can't does not reduce. That vowel

變成懶人音/Ə/。「kn」( /kən/ )、「kn」、「kn」。「I can do it.」發音成「kn」。當我們說「can't」的時候卻不會簡化，它的母音

sound never changes into the schwa sound. So that's another way to help you distinguish

聽起來永遠都不會變成懶人音/Ə/的聲音。所以，這是幫助你辨別

between these two words. Let's look at some sentences. I can understand. I can't understand.

這兩個字差異的另一種方法。讓我們研究一下其他句子。「I can understand.」和「I can't understand.」

Could you hear the difference? I can understand. I can't understand. Can, can't, can, can't.

你可以聽出來有什麼不一樣嗎？「I can understand.」「I can't understand.」，「can」、「can’t」、「can」、「can’t」，

The vowel sound is different because in the first sentence it's being reduced to the schwa.

母音聽起來是不一樣的，因為第一句的母音已經被簡化成懶人音/Ə/了

And here. Can you help later? I can't. I can. I can't. I can. Do you sense that the first

還有這裡，「Can you help later?」「I can't.」、「I can.」、「I can't.」、「I can.」你有沒有感覺到第一個回答

response is a little bit more abrupt? I can't, I can't. And the second one a little bit more

結束得比較急促？「I can't.」、「I can't.」，而第二個回答，相對起來就比較輕鬆自然

relaxed. Can, can, can, a little smoother. That one might have been a little harder because

「can」、「can」、「can」 比較柔滑一點。這個方法也許有點難，因為

the vowel didn't change. I told her I can't. I told her I can. Again, the vowel is the

母音沒有變。「I told her I can't.」和「I told her I can.」兩句話「can’t」和「can」的母音

same in both of them. I told her I can't. I told her I can. But do you notice that the

都是一樣的。「I told her I can't.」和「I told her I can.」但是你有注意到嗎？

last can, can: a little smoother and a little bit longer. I told her I can't.

最後面的「can」聽起來比較柔滑，也比較長。「I told her I can't.」

More abrupt in that first sentence. You can come. You can't come. You can come. You can't

第一個句子聽起來段的比較急促。「You can come.」和「You can't come.」，「You can come.」和「You can't come.」

come. In the first sentence the word can is reduced so much -- kn, kn, kn, kn -- You can

第一句的「can」的母音簡化成子音「 kn」( /kən/ )、「 kn」、「 kn」、「 kn」，「You can come.」

come. It's almost not even there. You can come. You can't come. So the two tricks here

的母音-aa-幾乎聽不出來，「You can come.」、「You can't come.」。所以，這裡提供了兩個分辨的訣竅：

are: 1) If the sound is abrupt and chopped, can't, can't, then it's the word can't. And

1) 如果聲音結束得很急促，像是突然斷掉，「can’t」、「can't」，那就是「can't」

2) if the vowel sound changes to the schwa, then it's the word can. Kn, kn, I can do it.

2) 如果母音聽起來變成懶人音/Ə/了，那就是「can」。「kn」( /kən/ )、「kn」。「I can do it.」

That's it, and thanks so much for using Rachel's English.

就是這樣了，非常感謝大家收看「Rachel's English」的教學視頻