/aʊ/ too narrow – German Speakers
German speakers often pronounce English /aʊ/ too narrow.
It becomes closer to German au or even o.
The English sound must be wider and longer.
/aʊ/ wide — now, house, down
/əʊ/ narrow — no, home, don’t
1. Basic contrast
now /naʊ/
no /nəʊ/
how /haʊ/
hoe /həʊ/
cow /kaʊ/
co /kəʊ/
down /daʊn/
don’t /dəʊnt/
town /taʊn/
tone /təʊn/
2. Minimal pairs
now /naʊ/
no /nəʊ/
how /haʊ/
hoe /həʊ/
cow /kaʊ/
co /kəʊ/
loud /laʊd/
load /ləʊd/
town /taʊn/
tone /təʊn/
down /daʊn/
don’t /dəʊnt/
brown /braʊn/
bone /bəʊn/
round /raʊnd/
road /rəʊd/
found /faʊnd/
phone /fəʊn/
sound /saʊnd/
sewn /səʊn/
3. Longer words (important)
around /əraʊnd/
about /əbaʊt/
outside /aʊtsaɪd/
download /daʊnloʊd/
outcome /aʊtkʌm/
outlook /aʊtlʊk/
outgoing /aʊtɡoʊɪŋ/
background /bækɡraʊnd/
downstairs /daʊnsteəz/
downtown /daʊntaʊn/
4. German comparison
German au is usually too narrow:
Haus
Maus
Baum
English must be wider:
now now now
no no no
how how how
hoe hoe hoe
cow cow cow
co co co
5. Mouth movement
/aʊ/ wide diphthong
open mouth first
move to "oo"
now — how — cow
/əʊ/ narrow diphthong
small movement
rounded lips
no — go — so
Most important pairs
now
no
how
hoe
cow
co
town
tone
down
don’t
loud
load
found
phone
round
road
sound
sewn
brown
bone