Pronunciation question
 

I've been using Rosetta Stone for a little while now, but I still have one major problem that's haunted me since the beginning.

I can't pronounce otokonohito (おとこのひと) properly, nor can I get onnanohito (おんなのひと) down. It sounds silly, but the "hito" always ****s with me. I always pronounce it 'he-tow'. Which according to Rosetta stone is wrong... idk... any help will be much appreciated.
Ty

Re: Pronunciation question
 

The vocals i and u (eg.: masu) are often devoiced. The i you encounter is a voiceless palatal fricative like you have in the english word hue.

PS: Rosetta stone...:...:

Re: Pronunciation question
 

are you pronouncing it as a short 'e' or a long 'e'? the correct pronunciation is a long e... the one that sounds like the 'e' in hero.

am i wrong in that kets? that's always been the way i've been taught and heard it pronounced.

Re: Pronunciation question
 

I do pronounce it as a long e. Hmm, maybe it's not how I pronounce it then, maybe it's the transition from no to hito. I do find myself wanting to say otokonoko when I'm supposed to say otokonohito.... otokonoko just flows off the tongue easier lol. I guess I'll just have to practice more.

Ketsuron, I use Rosetta Stone because it's the only way I can actually learn the language. There are no formal lessons where I live (small town).

Re: Pronunciation question
 

The WikiPedia article he took that from has an audio sample and links how the sound is formed in your mouth.

Considering the price of Rosetta I'd expect it to contain those as well.

Depends on your English, but I doubt it. Japanese ひ does not contain what we think of as H, and most English speakers have their tongue much lower for a long E than is needed for ひ.

I guess the H is what's giving you problems with 男の人, because you're trying to close your glottis between syllables (simplified), which doesn't occur in Japanese (I think).

Re: Pronunciation question
 

人 isn't a long "e". In fact I don't think it helps to consider it an e at all. hito isn't he toe, it is literally hi to - not high toe, but cut short as the simple sounds. In English the sound he by default is pronounced hee, right? hi is a short syllable that isn't really related to standard English use. Sorry, this is probably more confusing than helpful.

Re: Pronunciation question
 

The only example I can immediately think of is the timing on the first syllable of happy (pronounced ha-ppy rather than hap-py). That ha is the same kind of short, sharp sound you want to give all Japanese characters.

Re: Pronunciation question
 

welll Roseta is the best product according to me to learn alot of language but you are right Mystic, they are not just perfect in every word to pronounce, as I also feel difficulty to speak in German too.... but you have to accept that we are learning a 2nd language and no one can b master of the 2nd language..... thanks