Current Events > The mixing of "L" and "R" sounds by Japanese speakers

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The mixing of "L" and "R" sounds by Japanese speakers is due to differences between Japanese and English phonology (the sound systems of the languages). Japanese doesnt have distinct "L" and "R" sounds like English does. Instead, Japanese uses a single sound, known as the "tap" or "flap," which falls between the English "L" and "R" sounds. This sound is represented by the Japanese kana ", , , , " (romanized as "ra, ri, ru, re, ro").

This tap sound, called the alveolar tap ([] in phonetic notation), is made by quickly tapping the tongue against the roof of the mouth, which can sound like a mix between an English "L" and "R" to English speakers. When Japanese speakers learn English, they may use this tap sound in place of English "L" or "R" sounds, since their phonetic system doesnt differentiate between the two. This sometimes results in what sounds like a mix or swap of "L" and "R" sounds in English words.

Learning to distinguish and produce "L" and "R" as separate sounds can be challenging because Japanese speakers must train their ears and speech muscles to make the difference.

That being said:

Happy Election day!

I never liked the description as "a mix between L and R" because it fails to emphasize the role the tongue tap on the palate/teeth plays in the sound. I usually describe it as a mix between the Da and Ra sounds (Or U/I/E/O) because you're going to sound much more strange if you don't tap the tongue compared to doing too much R instead of L. Obviously Native Japanese speakers struggle with L/R differentiation, but I don't think that describes the syllable well in itself.

Also I don't describe it as tapping against the "roof" of the mouth. It's tapping the tip of your tongue against the front of your palate near your teeth or even on the back of the top teeth themselves.

I'd post a Drawn Together clip, but considering it's a white woman doing pseudo-asian gibberish, I'd probably get in too much trouble than it's worth.

Pogo_Marimo posted...

I never liked the description as "a mix between L and R" because it fails to emphasize the role the tongue tap on the palate/teeth plays in the sound.

The description is simply based on how it sounds, rather than how it's physically produced.

Well played TC