Today I'm doing a big video, a lot of content.I hope it doesn't get too confusing.
今天我要做一个很长的视频，里面包括了很多内容。我希望这个视频不会太难理解。
But this whole big video is going to be on one little letter: T.How do you pronounce this letter?
但是这整个视频都将围绕这一个字母：T。你怎样发这个字母的音呢？
Luckily, there are some rules that I'm going to lay out that will help you figure out how to pronounce this letter.
幸运的是，我将会在这个视频里给你们讲解一些规则，这些规则将会帮助你们理解怎样发这个字母的音。
At the beginning, let's go ahead and throw out TH and TION.
首先，让我们来看一看TH和TION。
Th can be either the voiced or unvoiced TH sound: "thanks", unvoiced, or "this", voiced.
Th既可以发音，也可以不发音："thanks"，不发音，或者是"this"，发音。

And the TION can either be sh as in "motion", or ch as in "mention".
TION既可以是单词"motion"里的sh音，也可以是单词"mention"里的ch音。
Ok, we're done with that. Now let's move on to the T sound.The T can be silent, but we'll talk about that later.
好的，那个我们已经讲完了。现在我们开始讲T音。T可以不发音，但是我们稍后再讲那个。
In all other cases, there is one symbol used in IPA, and that is tt.
在其他的所有情况下，国际音标里会使用一个符号，那就是tt。
However in practice, in real life conversation, you will hear native speakers use three different sounds.
然而在实践中，在实际生活对话中，你会听到英语母语者使用三种不同的发音。
First, tt, the official T sound, as in the word "tap".
首先，tt，正式的T音，比如在单词"tap"中的T音。
Second, what is called a tap T or flap T sound, it is identical to the D sound, as in the word "auto".
其次就是所谓的接触音T或闪音T，它和D音是一模一样的，比如在单词"auto"里的T音。
Now in my videos, and on my website in IPA, I actually do use the D symbol here, because that's how it's pronounced in conversation. "Auto."
在我的视频里和关于国际音标的网站中，我其实在这里用的是D的符号，因为它在对话中就是这样发音的。"Auto."
Both of these sounds are described in detail, how to make them, in my Understanding the T and D Sounds video.
在我的“理解T音和D音”视频中，这两个音以及发这两个音的方法都有详细的描述。
If you haven't watched that already, I do recommend it.And the third sound is the T as a stop.
如果你还没看过那个视频的话，我推荐你去看一下。第三种音就是作为顿音的T。
This is also explained in detail in another video, Stop Consonants, if you're wondering how to make this sound.An example for this is the word "wait".
如果你想知道怎样发这个音的话，这个音也在另外一个视频“顿音辅音”中详细地讲解过。这种音的一个例子就是单词"wait"。
"Wait", where the tongue moves up into position for the T, but then does not release. This is a stop. "Wait".
"Wait"，在这里，舌头向上移动到发T音的位置，但是并不发出这个音。这就是一个顿音。"Wait."
In my videos and on my website, when I want to symbolize this sound in IPA, I put a line after the T to signify a stop.
在我的视频里和网站上，当我想要在国际音标中表示这个音时，我就会在T后面画一条横线来表示停顿。
So when do you make which of these three sounds?There are rules, and of course exceptions to rules, to help you figure that out.
那么这三种音都应该在什么时候用呢？有一些规则，当然也有规则的例外，它们将会帮助你来理解这三种音的用法。
First, rule one. When to make the tt real, actual, official T sound.
首先，规则一。什么时候将tt发成真正的、正式的T音。
Two parts, part one. You will make this sound when it begins the word or a stressed syllable within a word.
这个规则分为两部分，第一部分。当T在一个单词的开头或是一个单词中的重读音节的开头时，你要把它读成正式的T音。
For example, "telephone" or "attend".TEND is the stressed syllable in the word. "Attend". Therefore, tt, you do make that real T sound.
比如，"telephone"或"attend"。TEND是单词中的重读音节。"Attend"。因此，你要把tt读成真正的T音。
Second part, if it is part of a consonant cluster.
第二部分，如果这个T是一个辅音集群的一部分的话，要把它读成真正的T音。
Consonant clusters that happen at the beginning of words or syllables are "st-, str-, or tr-."
在单词或音节开头的辅音集群有"st-, str-, 或tr-."
For example "stop, strain, tram". "Tt, tt, tt", in all of those cases you do tt, make the actual T sound.
比如"stop, strain, tram"。"Tt, tt, tt"，在所有的这些例子中，你都要把tt读成真正的T音。
Consonant clusters can also occur at the end of a word or syllable.
辅音集群也可能出现在一个单词或音节的结尾。
There are five that will cause the tt T to be pronounced as a real T.They are CT, "connect". FT, "soft". LT, "lilt". ST, "first". And PT, "slept".
在五种情况下，ttT音会被读成真正的T音。它们是CT，"connect"。FT，"soft"。LT，"lilt"。ST，"first"。还有PT，"slept"。
There is one ending consonant cluster I left off that list, that's because it's an exception. And it is NT.
在列举的上述情况中，有一个结尾的辅音集群没有被我包括在内，那是因为它是一个例外。它就是NT。
When this consonant cluster comes at the end of a word or syllable, the T is pronounced not, tt, as a real T, but actually as a stop.
当这个辅音集群出现在一个单词或音节的结尾时，这个T就不被当做真正的T来读成tt，而是被读成顿音。
For example, "environment, environment".Tt. You don't generally release that in conversation.
比如，"environment, environment"。Tt。在对话中，你一般不用发出这个音。
There is one other possible exception I thought of. And that is when someone is speaking really fast and reduces something.
我还想到了另一个可能的例外。那就是当某人说话非常快，略读某些单词时的情况。
For example, the word "to". It can be reduced to the word "tt", with the schwa sound, as many reduced words and syllables take on the schwa sound.
比如，单词"to"。它可以被略读为"tt"和弱读元音，很多被略读的单词和音节都会带弱读元音。
But, I think it can in fact be reduced to the flap T or D sound with the schwa, even though it begins the word.
但是，即使它是在单词开头，我认为其实它可以被略读为闪音T或D和弱读音。
For example, if I'm speaking really fast, I might say uh, "Quarter to three, quarter to three. To, to, to."
比如，如果我说话非常快，我可能会说"Quarter to three, quarter to three. To, to, to."
The word "to" is actually getting a voiced sound under it. "To, to, to, to." So it would then be the D sound.
单词"to"后面其实是有一个音的。"To, to, to, to."所以它就会成为D音。
That is in very quick speech and it's the only exception to the T at the beginning of the word being the tt real T sound that I can think of. But I wanted to mention it.
这是在非常快的讲话当中，并且是我能想到的T作为tt真正的T音位于单词开头的唯一一个特例。但是我想提一下它。
Rule 2: when to use the flap or tap T, in other words, D sound.
规则二：什么时候用闪音或接触音T，也就是说D音。
This happens when the T, either written with 1 or 2 Ts, comes between two vowel or diphthong sounds.
这种情况发生在一个或者是两个T出现在两个元音或复合元音之间的时候。
For example, "mutter". "Mutter, tter, tter, tter, tter": the flap/tap T, or D, sound.
比如，"mutter". "Mutter, tter, tter, tter, tter": 闪音或接触音T，也就是D音。
This doesn't have to just be a T sound within a word.
这并不一定意味着只能是一个单词内出现一个T音。
It can be a T at the end of a word when the next word is linked and begins with a vowel.
它可以是T位于一个单词的结尾，而后面的单词以元音开头。
For example, "What about me? What about me?"
比如，我怎么样？我怎么样？
The T in that sentence comes between two vowel sounds, so it is also pronounced this way.
在那个句子里的T出现在两个元音中间，所以它也是这样发音的。
One exception: the schwa is a vowel sound. But when the T is followed by the schwa and the N sound,
一个例外：弱读元音是一个元音。但是当T后面跟着弱读元音和N音时，即使前面有一个元音，
the T is not pronounced as a flap even if there was a vowel before. Rather, it is pronounced as a stop.
这个T也不能被读成闪音，而是被读成顿音。
For example, the word "tighten".Here the T is between the "ai" as in "buy" diphthong and the schwa-N combination.
比如，单词"tighten"。在这里，这个T出现在单词"buy"里的"ai"复合元音和弱读元音N之间。
It's between two vowel sounds, but it is not pronounced as a flap. It is the stop. "Tighten."
它出现在两个元音之间，但是却不被读成闪音，它是一个顿音。"Tighten."
If you can see, the tongue does not change position between the T and the N sound.
如果你能看到的话，舌头在T音和N音之间并没有改变位置。
"Tighten. Tight - stop - N." That's why you don't bother with flapping the T there. "Tighten, tighten."
"Tighten. Tight——停顿——N." 这就是为什么在这里你不用去发闪音了。"Tighten, tighten."
Before we keep going, let's compare the words "auto" and "atone".
在我们继续下面的内容之前，我们先来比较一下单词"auto"和"atone"。
In both cases, the T is surrounded by vowel sounds.But do you hear a difference? "Auto, atone."
在这两种情况中，T都出现在元音之间。但是你听到不同之处了吗？"Auto, atone."
In the first word it is pronounced as a D, and in the second word as a T. Why is that? "Auto, atone."
在第一个单词里，T被发成了D音，在第二个单词里则是T音。这是为什么呢？"Auto, atone."
The reason is: think back to rule 1.
原因就是：回想一下规则一。
Because the T in "atone" is beginning the stressed syllable. So rule 1 is more powerful than rule 2.
因为在单词"atone"里的T是重读音节的开头，所以规则一要比规则二更有力。
Even though in "atone", it comes between two vowel sounds, the first rule overrides it.
即使在单词"atone"中，它是在两个元音中间，第一个规则要比第二个规则优先适用。
Because it is beginning the stressed syllable, it is pronounced tt, as a real T. "Auto, atone."
因为它位于重读音节的开头，所以它被作为真正的T读为tt。"Auto, atone."
Rule 3: when to pronounce it as a stop.We've already gone over two cases in our exceptions to previous rules.
规则三：什么时候将它读成顿音。我们在先前规则的例外中已经讲了两个例子。
The exception to rule 1 was the ending consonant cluster NT, where it is pronounced as a stop as in "environment, sent".
规则一的例外就是结尾辅音集群NT，在这里它要被读成顿音，比如单词"environment, sent"。
The exception to rule 2, when it is followed by the schwa and the N sound, as in "tighten". There we'll just also pronounce it as a stop.
规则二的例外就是T后面跟着弱读元音和N音，比如单词"tighten"。在那里，我们就会把它读成顿音。
It also happens any time a word or a syllable ends in a T except for those rule 1 ending consonant clusters,
这种情况也会在一个单词或音节以T结尾的时候发生，除了规则一中的结尾辅音集群，
and except for the rule 2, when the next word it is being linked to begins with a vowel.
以及除了规则二中，后面的单词是以元音开头的情况。
Examples: "about, fitness."There are some words that are just written with a silent T.
比如："about, fitness."有一些单词的拼写当中有一个不发音的T。
For example, "Christmas, whistle, mortgage." These, unfortunately, just need to be learned.
比如，"Christmas, whistle, mortgage." 很不幸，这些是需要学习的。
There is one case, I've noticed, where sometimes native speakers will altogether leave out a T sound that does actually exist in IPA.
我注意到，有一种情况，那就是有时候英语母语者会省略一个真实存在于国际音标中的T音。
This would be when a T begins an unstressed syllable and the syllable before ended with an N, I've noticed this.
这种情况就是当一个T出现在一个非重读音节的开头，而它前面的音节是以N结尾的，我注意到了这个。
For example, "interview. Interview." There's no stop, there's no T, there's no D.Also, "wanted. I wanted to know. Wanted." Again, no stop, no T, and no D.
比如，"interview. Interview." 这里没有停顿，没有T，也没有D。还有，"wanted. I wanted to know. Wanted." 同样，没有停顿，没有T，也没有D。
These could possibly be considered lazy pronunciations, but I guarantee you will hear them.Ok, that was a lot of information that I just gave you.
这些可能会被看做是懒人发音，但是我保证你会听出来的。好了，我刚刚给你了很多信息。
The best way to figure out if you've gotten it all is to simply go over words and figure out how the T would be pronounced and why.
弄清楚你有没有全部掌握的最好办法很简单，那就是复习一遍这些单词，理解T是怎样发音的，以及这样发音的原因是什么。
So we're going to go through another video that does just that, look for it.That's it, and thanks so much for using Rachel's English!
我们也将会在另一个视频中做这件事，去搜索一下吧。这次的学习就到这里，非常感谢使用Rachel's English！