Maybe marbles are what I need to put inside my mouth. I cannot roll my “r”s. Sometimes it is an effort to say words that begin with or contain “w” and “v”; but “r” is especially difficult, if not impossible. It is because these articulations are not present in Cantonese, which is my mother tongue.
When I don’t pronounce words correctly people misunderstand me and my poetry (poultry). I used to live in Danville (Denver), and people wonder how I commuted to work in San Francisco every day. Wall/war, food/fool, etc. The toughest yet, are “coin” and “corn”.
Jack Foley listens to my reading and points out the subtle differences in pronunciation. Movement and placement of the tongue are crucial in delivering the right sound. Today I practice my “r”s with my tongue rolled up but each time it unfurls it goes flat without a ring.
