Pronunciation ChallengeHow did traffic operate before the car horn? We had the flag man!

DAY 18

VoiceTube Studio presents your favorite daily pronunciation show. Join us now and improve your Listening and Speaking skills. My name is Hubert and you’re listening to VoiceTube’s Pronunciation Challenge.

Hey everyone! My name is Hubert and this would be my very first episode of Pronunciation Challenge lesson at Voicetube! I am really excited to be a part of the team. A little bit about myself, I was born and raised in Toronto, Canada. I am an actor with over 15 years of experience in North America and some parts of Asia. Speaking clearly so that the audience can hear what I am saying on screen is very important in the acting industry. These skills I’ve accumulated over the years will prove useful for the Voicetube community. I’m delighted to have everyone join me on this Voicetube journey so let’s get started on today’s video!
What we’re about to watch is a history lesson on an invention that has changed the very fabric of our everyday lives. The horn. I’m sure that many, if not all of us, have been on the receiving end of an unpleasant car horn. The horn startles us for a reason; to capture your attention, thus preventing accidents from occurring. I’m really excited for you guys to watch this video. Stay tuned until the end so I can share a story of how the inventor of the horn affected my life on a very personal level. Now let’s get to today’s featured sentence!

The invention delighted the people of the UK so much a car race called the Emancipation Run was created to celebrate getting rid of that flag guy and replacing him with a horn. I'll say that one more time. The invention delighted the people of the UK so much a car race called the Emancipation Run was created to celebrate getting rid of that flag guy and replacing him with a horn.

Today’s featured sentence gives us an insight as to how impactful the horn really was back in the days. Before the horn, traffic sounds were a combined mixture of whistles and bells which can be quite confusing when driving an automobile. The sound of the horn was so unique and distinct that it caught the attention of anyone who heard it within its vicinity. Thus, the Emancipation Run. Emancipation means the process of freeing from restraint/authority. In this case, the horn freed people from the restraints of the flag guy.

Ok, let's move onto the pronunciation tips. The first word being:
"Invention". "Invention". Break it down into each syllable. In-ven-tion. "tion" is pronounced as "Shun". Stress the syllable right before the "tion" as well, ok? So it becomes "inVENtion". "Invention". "Invention".

Moving on.

"Emancipation". "Emancipation". Emancipation uses a short "e" sound, the word "man", a short "i", and just like the word earlier. Stress the syllable right before the "tion". So in this case, that would be the "pei" sound. "EmanciPAtion". "Emancipation".

And lastly, we have "delighted". "Delighted".
"Delighted" uses a short "e" sound, the word "lie", and with American English, when a "t" appears in the middle of a word, the "t" sounds take on a "d" sound instead. So it becomes "delighted". "Delighted".

Now that we've covered pronunciation, let's move onto Vocabulary.

"Get rid of". Did you hear that? "Rid-of". Kind of sounds like two words blended into one, right? "Get rid of", and that means:

"to remove or throw away something unwanted"
"to send away someone annoying or to persuade them to leave"

So if you were to use that in a sentence, you can possibly say:

"You can usually get rid of hiccups by drinking water very quickly.”

Next word:
"Invention". "Invention".
"something that has never been made before, or the process of creating something that has never been made before"

So, an example would be:

"The invention of the railroad was a milestone in the history of transportation.”

Ok, the next word:

"Horn". "Horn".
"a device on a vehicle that is used to make a loud noise as a warning or signal to other people"
So, an example would be:
"The driver sounded his horn when an old lady stood in front of his car.”

Also, did you guys know that the "horn" also has another meaning? It can also mean:
"a curved metal musical instrument that is narrow at the end you blow into and much wider at the other end"

So, in this case we can use:
"French horn"
"The French horn is the hardest wind instrument to learn.”

And that’s it for today’s pronunciation challenge! As for my story, it actually involves the inventor of the horn himself, Miller Reese Hutchison! If I could go back in time, I would personally thank him, not for inventing the horn but for the first practical version of the hearing aid. You see, my mom is actually deaf in one ear and she was living with it her entire life until she immigrated to Canada. At the time, she was a participant in a new experimental hearing aid and was even featured in the local newspaper as a result! Miller Reese Hutchison’s invention set the foundation for what essentially became the device that changed my mom’s life for the better. Hopefully you guys learned something other than the horn today. Remember to record your recording, be sure to watch the video, and I’ll see you next time!

Thanks, Hubert.