Pronounce English Accurately

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/tʃ/ and /dʒ/ are each written with two symbols - /tʃ/ is a combination of /t/ and /ʃ/ spoken in very quick succession.

In fact, the /t/ in /tʃ/ is not quite the same as a normal /t/. Normal /t/ is alveolar, whereas the whole of /tʃ/ is made entirely in the position for /ʃ/ - in post-alveolar position.

There is no movement from /t/ to /ʃ/, no sliding of the tongue back to /ʃ/ - it's already there in the position for /ʃ/.

And the same applies to the voiced equivalent, /dʒ/.

/tʃ - dʒ - tʃ - dʒ - tʃ - dʒ/

/tʃ/ and /dʒ/ are stops followed by fricatives. This type of sound is termed an 'affricate'.

/tʃ/ is voiceless, so it is a voiceless, post-alveolar affricate, and /dʒ/ is a voiceled, post-alveolar affricate.

/tʃ/ first.

The archetypal spelling of /tʃ/ is 'ch', as in 'church' an 'charm' and 'champion' and 'tch' as in 'match' and 'kitchen'.

Examples of /tʃ/ in initial position:

'chimney'

'chair'

'choose'

'churlish'

'champion'

'challenge'

Also 'Czech' is homophonous with 'check' and 'cheque': /tʃek/.

In medial position:

'achieve'

'inches'

'ketchup'

'temperature' - with assimilation of /tj/ to /tʃ/

'righteous' -again with assimilation, this time of /tiːəs/ to /tʃəs/.

And in final position:

'touch'

'lunch'

'speech'

'reach'

'hatch'

'watch'

Now voiced /dʒ/.

The archetypal spellings of /dʒ/ is 'j', as in 'jam', and 'jar', so-called 'soft g' before 'e' and 'i': 'gem' and 'germ and 'giant', and '-dge' when it's not at the beginning of a word.

/dʒ/ in initial position:

'joke'

'joy'

'George'

'general'

'jelly'

'jail'.

'Jail' is also spelt 'gaol', which breaks the rule that the letter 'g' is 'soft' /dʒ/ before 'e' and 'i' and 'hard' /g/ before 'a', 'o' and 'u'.

/dʒ/ in medial position:

'badger'

'oxygen'

'manager'

'pigeon'

'magic'

'Margarine' is another errant spelling/pronunciation combination, like 'gaol'. By all logic it should be pronounced with a /g/, but it isn't; it's /dʒ/.

/dʒ/ in final position:

'edge'

'lodge'

'age'

'damage'

'image'

Practice sentences with /tʃ/ and /dʒ/:

Chattering cheekily, the cheerful chimpanzee chased Charlie round the church.

Judge Fudge, largely a drudge, sentenced gorgeous George for perjury!

And together:

The cheerful judge's cheeky jokes cheered up the jaded jury.

After jamming joylessly all day they joined up at the edge of the jungle.