It's a case for...Palatography Man!  
 

Last Friday I was introduced to the world of palatography.  That’s the technical name for studying someone’s tongue and palate in speech.  Pretend you’re working with your language helper, trying really hard to understand the language.  There’s this one sound that you can’t get right.  Every time you try to say it, your language helper looks at you kind of funny.  Sounds like a case for Palatography Man!

So being the prepared linguist that you are, you pull out your palatography kit, which includes a mirror, a flashlight, powdered charcoal, and some kind of contraption to spray the powder into one’s mouth.  You kind of need to be on really good terms with your language helper for this one.  You’ll spray the charcoal powder on the roof of his mouth.  Don’t forget to check it with a mirror to make sure it’s evenly coated!  Then ask the language helper to say that “funny sound” that you can’t quite get.  Ask him to repeat it 3 or 4 times.  This should be enough times for the tongue to make contact with the roof of his mouth.  Wherever the tongue touches will wipe off traces of charcoal, and the roof of his mouth will have a clear spot where the tongue rubbed it clean.  So then you get out your flashlight and check out where the charcoal marks are located on the tongue, as well as the location of the clean spot on the roof of the mouth.

Once you know what part of the tongue is moving and making contact with the roof of the mouth (and what part it is touching), theoretically you should now be able to make the sound, too! 

Don’t forget to give your language helper a real special treat for doing this.  And by the way, charcoal can be swallowed.  And we learned that there is an oil solution that some linguists are using now instead of the charcoal powder.

Trying to get the sounds right really is a big deal.  In my Korean classes this last week, my Korean teacher would shake her head “no” when I pronounced my “n’s.”  However, I noticed that I could see her tongue when she said an “n,” so I tried sticking my tongue out, too.  Then she shook her head “yes.”  I finally got it right!  To my English ears, I couldn’t hear the difference.  But to her Korean ears, it didn’t sound right until I pronounced it with my tongue out.  That’s why it’s important to not only listen to the speaker, but also watch the speaker’s mouth.  I would never have noticed this difference if I wasn’t watching.  You try it: 

First, say the English word “on” as you normally would.  Now try it again, only this time put the tip of your tongue in between your teeth when you get to the “n.”  Good job! 

September 6, 2004