(单词翻译:单击)
In the English language, spelling and pronunciation have a funny relationship.
在英语中，拼写和发音有着非常有趣的关系。
How we write a word and how we say it often do not agree.
我们写单词的方式和我们说单词的方式常常不一致。
There always seem to be exceptions to the rule.
但凡事总有例外。
Today our question is related to pronunciation.
今天我们的问题是关于发音的。
It comes from our reader Mastaneh:
问题来自我们的读者Mastaneh：
How can we recognize the syllables in a word?
我们该如何识别一个单词的音节呢?
Would you mind explaining the rules? Thank you. – Mastaneh
你可以解释一下规则吗？谢谢！
Hi, Mastaneh!
Mastaneh你好！
Firstly, other readers may be wondering why they should learn about syllables.
首先其他读者可能想知道为什么要学习音节。
Understanding syllables helps a lot with pronunciation.
理解音节对发音有很大的帮助。
As we speak, if we miss or add a syllable to a word, people may not be able to understand us.
我们在说话的时候，如果漏掉或者加了一个词，可能别人就不知道我们说的是什么了。
When we say a word, the sounds we create naturally divide the word into parts.
我们说一个单词的时候，我们发出的声音自然地把单词分成几个部分。
We call these parts "syllables."
这几部分我们叫它“音节”。
For example, the word "machine" has two parts: ma-chine.
例如，“machine机器”这个单词分为两部分：ma-chine。
The word "important" has three parts: im-por-tant.
“important重要的”分为三部分：im-por-tant。
The number of syllables in a word is decided by its number of vowel sounds.
一个单词中音节的数量是由元音的数量决定的。
For example, in the word "machine," there are two vowel sounds: "a" and "i".
例如，“machine机器”这个单词中有两个元音“a”和“i”。
The English language has up to 20 vowel sounds, so we will not talk about all of them today.
英语中有多达20个元音，所以我们今天不会全部讲。
But an easy way to identify vowels is that we make them with the letters a, e, i, o, u and sometimes y.
但是有一个区分元音的简单方法就是：元音都是由a、e、i、o、u组成的，有时也有y。
It is important to know that one syllable can have more than one vowel letter.
重要的是要知道一个音节可以有多个元音字母。
For example, the word "room" has two vowel letters: o and o.
例如，“room房间”这个单词有两个元音o和o。
But together, they make only one vowel sound: /u:/ .
但是连在一起，它们的发音为/u:/。
This explains why "room" has only one syllable.
这就解释了为什么“room”只有一个音节。
We decide syllables by sound, not spelling.
我们决定一个单词有几个音节是通过发音而不是拼写。
Ok, here are two easy methods for counting syllables.
下面是两个数音节的简单方法。
One that I like is the chin method.
第一个方法就是“下巴法”。
Here is how to do it: Rest your hand under your chin and say a word slowly.
下面是操作方法：把你的手放在下巴上，慢慢地说一个字。
How many times does your chin drop onto your hand?
你的下巴碰到你的手几次？
That is the number of syllables.
这就是音节个数。
Another is the clap method.
另一个是拍手法。
To use it, say the word and clap your hands together each time you hear a vowel sound.
要使用它，就要说一个单词，并在每次听到元音时鼓掌。
For example, take the word "autumn": au-tumn.
例如，单词“autumn”：au-tumn。
That's two vowel sounds, so it's two syllables even though autumn has three vowel letters: a, u and u.
有两个元音，所以它是两个音节，尽管autumn有三个元音字母：a、u和u。
Now, let's do something fun.
下面我们做一些有趣的。
Close your eyes and listen for the number of syllables in the following words.
闭上眼睛，听下列单词的音节数。
You can use the chin method, the clap method or just listen carefully:
你可以用下巴法、拍手法或者只是仔细听：
flower
花
thought
想法
teacher
老师
broadcast
广播
dreamed
梦想
vehicle
车辆
How many syllables did you get for each word?
每个单词有多少个音节呢？
You can tell us in the comments area.
在评论区告诉我们吧。
And that's Ask a Teacher.
以上就是名师答疑的全部内容。
I'm Alice Bryant.
我是我是艾莉丝·布莱恩特。
