About Speaking American

English is often named the most influential language, and one of the most widely spoken languages in the world. Estimates indicate that there are 115 countries where English is spoken - either as the primary language, as an official minority language, or as an unofficial language of business and trade. And English is the language most frequently spoken as a second language. In fact, there are more than a billion people worldwide who are currently in the process of learning English. It's no wonder, then, that English is spoken in so many different ways and with so many different accents!

 

American English sounds different than British English or Australian or Jamaican English. It has characteristic stress patterns, rhythms, and speech sounds, and unique idioms, jargon and slang. Questions and statements are differentiated in American English by changes in pitch, and there are some word pairs that have the same spelling but different pronunciations and meanings - like contract, the noun, and contract, the verb: I signed the contract; When water is frozen, it contracts.

 

Learning to speak American English well is especially difficult when it's been learned from a textbook or from another non-native speaker who hasn't acquired the fluency and accent of a native speaker. Since that's frequently the case, it's not surprising that many speakers of English find that -- although they have a good knowledge of vocabulary and understanding of English grammar -- they're not as well understood by listeners as they would like to be. We all speak with the intent of communicating a message, and when someone's unintelligible, it can leave both the speaker and the listener frustrated - at not being understood, or at not being able to understand!

 

In my work as a Business Communication and Speech specialist, I work to help non-native speakers improve their English speaking skills. Some speakers are more easily understood when they slow their speech rate, while others work hard to improve their speech 'music' -- their intonation and rhythm patterns. We work diligently using drill to train the lips, tongue, and jaw to easily produce the vowels and consonants -- not an easy task, but well worth the outcome! The most satisfying part of my day is when someone

tells me how much more confident they feel as a result of their dedicated efforts to improve their communication skills!

Speaking American English Well Makes Cents! 

Salaries increase when non-native speakers speak English well!

If you're a non-native speaker of English, you may be aware of the challenges that result from speaking English with an accent. Maybe you're annoyed by the number of times you're asked to repeat what you've said. Maybe you notice that some people understand you while others don't. Or maybe you're feeling that your accent has been a professional liability - costing you jobs and career advancement. All of these are great reasons for wanting to improve the way you speak English! But if these aren't enough to convince you that you want to invest some of yourself in improving your speech patterns, examining some of the recent statistics and research may convince you.

The 2006 ACS Census Data indicates that about 17% of working-age adults in the United States are foreign-born. Though the number varies from state to state.-- from 36% in California, to 2% in West Virginia, demographics show that immigrants account for the greatest increase both in the US population and in the workplace since WW1! But challenges come with these ever-increasing numbers of foreign born adults competing for jobs in an ever-tightening job market! And disheartening are the numerous reports describing notable salary inequities between immigrants and their American counterparts.

The reasons for these inequities remain to be determined. But a 2005 study by MassINC, a non-partisan research and educational institute in Massachusetts, may be significant. In that study, there were notable salary differences between Massachusetts' immigrants and native-born Americans similarly employed. When the researches delved into the causes for those differences, they found that English proficiency was the "dividing line, separating those who succeed from those who struggle in the labor market." And in addition, the study revealed that "on average, an immigrant college graduate who speaks English well earns about $20,000 more than an immigrant college graduate who only speaks English."

Although we can't conclusively generalize the results from this discrete study in Massachusetts to the situation in other states, we can at the least consider it plausible that the results hold true. And it's not only salaries that improve with better speech skills. Career advancement is another benefit of having great communication skills. Having worked with many foreign-born, mid-level corporate professionals, it's not once that I've heard remarks like, "If I spoke better English I'd have been made manager."

Wondering how well you speak? Take this self-assessment! 

Sounding American

1. I'm asked to repeat myself atleast once a day.

2. People often have difficulty understanding me over the phone.

3. I don't know why some people understand me and others don't.

4. I speak my native language very quickly.

5. I feel self-conscious about the way I pronounce certain words.

6. I have difficulty hearing the difference between similar sounding words - like can and can't or wine and vine.

7. I have trouble expressing my thoughts in English.

8. I prefer to show someone how to do things rather than to have to tell them.

9. I feel uncomfortable in social situations because of the way I speak.

10. If it weren't for the way I speak English, I'd have been promoted at work long ago!

Want to improve how you speak? Try these tips! 

Listening and Learning to Speak American English

If you do realize that the way you speak English is getting in the way either of your professional success or of your ease in social interactions, you may want to consider a program that can help you reduce your accent. Be aware that, contrary to what is sometimes advertised, changing the way you speak isn't a quick fix! Since many of us speak throughout our days every day of our lives, reinforcing the same patterns that we're used to, it takes conscientious and committed hard work to change those patterns. But, with your dedicated efforts, and with experienced guidance from a professional who understands speech production, the results are well worth the efforts, both in terms of improving the way you speak and in terms of the great boost in self-confidence you'll get!

Since all of our mouths - our tongue, lips, jaw, teeth and even the velum at the back of our throats -- work slightly differently, and people with different accents tend to have different error patterns, there's no 'one size fits all' for training the American accent. But the following tips can be used at least to get you started on your way to speaking American English like an American!

1. Slow down when you speak.

This may sound easy, but those of us who speak quickly know that it's not as easy as some may think! To get started, use the following short sentences to practice, being sure to put a pause between each word.

Go home.I got it.He said no.Try it.I don't like it.She was happy today.I hope you can stay.We were going outside.

Another 'trick' --and this really works well! -- for slowing your speech rate is by prolonging the vowel sounds. So when you practice these words, slowly stretch out the vowel sounds (a, e, i, o, u):

Hi!Hello!

TonitePajamasEveryone

2. Listen attentively to the sounds of American English! Since this is an exercise to help you 'hear' American English better, you'll need to ignore the meaning and intent of the message. Turn on the radio or listen to a speaker on the TV or on your computer (be sure that the speaker is a native American!) and focus only on the different speech sounds, the pauses, word stress patterns and phrasing. After listening for atleast 10 minutes, you might want to try to play with imitating a word or a phrase the way you just heard it said. Have fun exploring the sounds of American English.

3. Choose one speech sound that is hard for you to pronounce. Write a list of words that have that sound, and read that list, slowly and carefully, so that your articulators -- the parts of your mouth that need to learn where to go to make the sound--become used to this new pattern. Once you're able to say these words easily, put them into short sentences, and then longer sentences. Keep practicing these, atleast twice a day!, and you'll start to find your awareness of the sound increasing and that you're even starting to use the sound when you talk.

4. When you hear a native American say a simple phrase that you're not familiar with or that you're aware of saying differently, see if you can immediately imitate what they said -- using the same vocal inflection/tone of voice, and the exact words. Repeat it several times to yourself (and aloud if possible!) and become more comfortable with the phrase. Can you find a place in your own conversation to use the phrase yourself?

5. Turn on the news and listen to the news commentator's voice. Be sure to focus only on their voice, and ignore the news report -- for this exercise, you'll want to stay entirely focused on the rate and rhythm of American speech. Try humming along with their voice, inflecting your voice up and down, varying your loudness as they do, and pausing along with them. Do this with other newscasters too, so that you develop a sense of the musicality of American speech. Once you're feeling comfortable with the variations in pitch, rate, and rhythm of the voices, try using afew simple words rather than a hum while you do the same exercise. You might just say "see you" or 'hello hello' over and over, but with variation in intonation patterns. After a while, do you notice that you've developed more of a feel for American speech patterns than you had before?

6. Remember...learning to speak English well takes commitment and practice. Be patient, and you'll find that your efforts pay off!

Bridging the Cultural Divide 

The American style of communication!

All cultures have unique customs around communication, and these customs, when not recognized as such, can lead to misunderstandings, communication breakdown and

relationship snafus. Given the multicultural society that we are today, it behooves us all to recognize how our own communicative style is influenced by the culture we grew up in, and that others' styles will similarly reflect their cultures. With that awareness, we'll be able to bridge cultural differences and have an opportunity to develop personal relationships with people whose communication style are quite unlike ours. Like attracts like, right? True, but that's limiting. With each of us reaching to be bigger than ourselves, we can use insight to cross the great cultural divide!

Now if I was saying this to you while you and I were standing together in conversation, you might respond to me quickly, with, 'What d'ya mean? I don't think I know what yer talkin' about!' Well, atleast that might be what you'd say to me if you were an American, and comfortable with the characteristically open, casual and direct style that is associated with our culture. On the other hand, if you were Japanese, you might be standing near me, nodding your head to show that you were attending to what I was saying -- not that you were necessarily agreeing with my comments -- and thinking to yourself, 'I'll listen to learn more.' Your lack of questioning or comments to what I had said might lead me to think that you're a bit stiff, maybe even dull, and not really into the topic. On the other hand, if I recognized that your nod and quiet reflected the formality and reticence that is characteristically Japanese, I would be understanding of your response, rather than questioning or turned off by it. Awareness enables understanding.

Cultural differences are determined across a number of variables. Among these are: a focus on forming fast friends vs. cultivating relationships, the direct/indirectness of a culture, comfort with confrontation vs. need for saving face, short- vs. long-term focus, degree of formality, use of symbolic gestures, concept of time, individualist or collectivist orientation, and egalitarian or hierarchical bias. There are many more variables, and all of these play out in ways not always -- and more likely, not often -- apparent.

In America it's considered rude if you don't look at the person you're speaking with. In Trinidad it's considered rude if you look at someone older than you who you are speaking with. In America we stand up to show respect; in Korea, people sit to show respect. In America, we respect punctuality; in Spain, time is open-ended, and a meeting that doesn't happen today will happen -- sometime!

All of these differences can make for sticky situations if cultural awareness is lacking. By setting aside judgment and recognizing the huge influence that our cultures exert-- for the most part below our radar screens -- we'll be better able to bring appreciation for our differences and foster unity through diversity.

How to Roll Your "R"s

originated by:Jonquille, Jack Herrick, Tom Viren, Krystle C. (see all)

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Learning to speak Spanish? Going on vacation to Spain or Mexico and need to brush up on your pronunciation? Trying to speak Russian, Bavarian or Italian? Living in Canada during "Roll up the Rim" season? One of the major skills you'll have to perfect is the ability to roll your "r"s, known to linguists as the alveolar trill. It's one example of many trill consonants apparent in a variety of world languages. Sound like a challenge? It can be. Many people have trouble creating the rolling R sound if they have not learned to do so as a child. Also, certain people tend to have trouble rolling their r's. Romanian people tend to have a hard time accomplishing this task, but difficulty has also been found in the Swahili speaking tribes of Congo and the Aboriginal people of Australia. The great thing about it is that you can begin anytime and practice anytime, so why not get rolling today? In a couple of weeks, you'll be on a roll!

edit Steps

1. 1

Listen to a foreign language radio or an Internet radio station, and take note of the pronunciation. It's easier to pick up the proper technique if you're exposed to it.

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2. 2

Warm up your tongue so it can get used to some of the positions required for rolling "r"s. Try to fold your tongue in half, turn it upside down, flutter it, curl it up and down, and so on.

3. 3

Relax your mouth and tongue, and slightly open your lips. Keep your mouth relaxed. If you purse your lips, your rolled R will come out too forceful.

4. 4

Bend the tip of your tongue up very slightly just behind your top gums. Specifically the tip of your tongue should be loose and just below the roof of the mouth between the upper teeth and the hard palate: the alveolar ridge. The part of your mouth that contains the tooth sockets is the right place to be.

o Depending on the specific language, your tongue may be slightly touching your alveolar ridge, or not touching.

5. 5

Tense your tongue, but leave the tip loose to vibrate. This sound is known as a trill because it is created with multiple vibrations.

6. 6

Breathe out, allowing your tongue to vibrate with the passing air. This should produce somewhat of a "purring" sound.

o The rolling "R" sound is just the flutter of a tongue with the passing air, not a special curl or a fold.

o Some people find it easier to allow their tongue to vibrate against their mouth, while others prefer not to. Make sure that if you touch your teeth, do so lightly.

7. 7

Try replacing the "r" with a "d" sound if your "r"s still aren't rolling. (For instance, the word "practice" would become "pdactice".) However, it won't sound right if you say the word slowly, or if the word begins with an "r".

8. 8

Put your mouth in different positions and pronounce: [ri] (english sound: ree), [re] (es: ray), [ra] (es: rah), [ro] (es: row), [ru] (es: rew). Try to go through musical scales or a simple song singing "rrrrr."

9. 9

Use a foreign language dictionary to practice words containing a rolled letter R.

10. 10

Stick with it. If you're having a hard time, don't think it's because your mouth just wasn't built for it, unless you have any of the physical conditions described in the Warnings below. There is no genetic reason why a given person cannot roll their "r"s, rather it is a question of practice and developing tongue strength. So keep at it and eventually your "r"s will be perrrrrfect!

"Butter/Ladder" Method

The English words butter and ladder, when pronounced with a normal US accent, produce the same tongue motion that is used to produce the rolled "R" in Spanish. The following drill was taught to me in high school, but I quickly dismissed it, thinking that I just couldn't do it. A few years later, while on an extended study abroad trip in Mexico, I decided to give it another try. For two weeks I worked on this drill and eventually could roll my Rs. I've taught this method to students with some success. I've seen students with spacers, brackets, dividers, braces, and missing front teeth roll their "Rs" using this method. The key is not to let students use the excuse that they "can't do it." They should be taught to say, "I can't do it yet." They should know that with practice they can do this, despite circumstances that might make it more difficult.

1. 1

Say the word "butter," then say the word "ladder".

2. 2

Feel the tongue on the inside of your mouth "flip up" during the second syllable, barely touching the gum above and behind the top row of teeth, almost touching the roof your mouth.

3. 3

Now say each word faster, "Butter, butter, butter, ladder, ladder, ladder".

4. 4

Continue saying the words faster and faster. If you prefer one of the words, you may use it exclusively. Eventually you'll produce a sound like: Bu""""" (the """ representing the trilling motion), or La"""". Then try the "RR" in Spanish (ER"""RE).

5. 5

Try saying, "Los barriles y borregos van a Monterrey en ferrocarril."

6. 6

Spanish tongue twister: "Erre con erre cigarro. Erre con erre barril. Rápido corren los carros sobre los rieles del ferrocarril"

dR Method

1. 1

Try the dR method which is supposedly the only way Lenin was able to "fake" the trill sound. It is similar to the pD Method.

2. 2

Try saying "Dracula" and see if it helps you roll the R by putting a D in front of it. Touch the tip of your tongue to the bottom of your two top front teeth. Then when say "Dracula" and notice the tongue moves loosely but quickly from the tips of your teeth to the roof of your mouth.

3. 3

Practice using the R in word-initial combinations as "dr-", "tr-", "br-", "pr-" - it is much easier to pronounce in those positions. Once you can do that, work on dropping the initial consonant.

Tiger Method

The key to rolling Rs is creating the proper vibration. The vibration starts at the back of the tongue and moves toward the tip of the tongue (like a wave). If you can produce the German "acht" or Arabic and Yiddish pharyngeals and basically clear your throat, then you can roll R's. This seems counter-intuitive because rolled R's are pleasing to the ear - whereas pharyngeals are harsh. The vibration is the key and the same technique is needed to roll R's. Remember: The air passing through your larynx and mouth makes the sound.

1. 1

Start by practicing that clear-your-throat "ckh" sound. Try to turn it into a "grr". Don't be afraid of sounding ridiculous. Do whatever it takes to make the roof of your mouth vibrate. (This skill also comes in handy when speaking Chewbacca and making a variety of animal noises.) Practice getting the feel for that vibration. Your throat might get a little sore at first. You're working out "new" muscles and they'll get stronger with use.

2. 2

Press the tip of your tongue against the alveolar ridge behind your teeth. Your tongue touches the right spot when you finish saying the letter L and the letter N. Say L or N and at the end of the sound keep your tongue firmly in place. Try to say "girl" and "hurl" without removing the tip of your tongue from your alveolar ridge. Use the clear-your-throat vibration to start the word and try to form the vibration into a rolled R. Initially, use the "G" sound to kickstart a rolled R. At first, you will sound like a strangled tiger (grr, grr, grr), but you'lI start rolling Rs. Eventually you will be able to purrr using purrrfectly rrrrrolled Rrrrrrrrrrrrrr's.

3. 3

Practice and refine. Once you can get your R rolling, experiment with the position of the tip of your tongue. To move the sound toward the front of your mouth, add the "Z" sound in front of your R. Practice adding vowel sounds (ah, ee, uh, o, oo) before and after the rolled Rs.

"Vision dream" Method

This method will help you achieve your first rolled "R". It was developed by, and worked successfully on, a native speaker of English who had not successfully rolled a "R" in over 20 years of trying. This method uses the English phrase "vision dream".

1. 1

Take a very deep breath.

2. 2

Say "vision" so that the central "zh" sound is very drawn out, lasting 3 to 4 seconds, like this: vizhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhion.

3. 3

Make a huge crescendo (increase in volume) while you're on the zh sound. It may also help to raise the pitch gradually.

4. 4

Make the final syllable of "vision" very short, but continue to get louder. By the time you say the final "n" of "vision" you should be making the loudest sound you possibly can.

5. 5

Coordinate the rest of the phrase. The "ion" of "vision" should only last a fraction of a second, before you launch into the "dr" of "dream". The "dr" of

dream should be the climax of the phrase. You should be putting so much energy into your sound at this point that you may well feel somewhat faint.

6. 6

Switch to the "dr" of dream and try to relax your tongue, especially the tip, making it as floppy as possible. At the same time blow air out of your mouth as hard and fast as you possibly can.

7. 7

Allow the tip of your tongue to be thrown forward by the intensity of your breath into the back of your front teeth.

8. 8

Allow your tongue to "bounce" back and forth between the front teeth and the gum ridge.

9. 9

Know that you have successfully rolled your "R"s if the tongue bounces back and forth with a sound that feels a little like "dagadagadagadaga". This may not happen the first time you try it -- if so don't be discouraged!

10. 10

Continue trying if it doesn't happen the first time.

o If it doesn't happen the first time, try putting your tongue in different places for the final "n" of vision. You could try putting the tongue right against the teeth, against the ridge in the roof of your mouth, or anywhere in between.

o If you are still having difficulty, try some of the techniques below for reducing the volume required to trill your "R"s--these may also help you to trill it the first time.

Once you have done the roll once, the second step is to achieve the same effect at lower volume levels. Most people who don't learn how to roll their "R" during childhood build up tension in the tongue over their lifetime (in the same way that people who have desk jobs and don't stretch regularly tend to build up stiffness in the hips and hamstrings). The high volume and energy of this method helps to overcome that stiffness. Once you have identified the parts of the tongue that need to be flexible you can release the tension so that less energy is required.

1. 1

Know that the first time you achieve a rolled "R" it may be accompanied by sounds in the back of your mouth, such as a French (uvular) "R" or a velar fricative as in German "ach". Don't worry about this: the unwanted activity will go away naturally as you get more comfortable with the roll. Two ways to help are to yawn just before you start the "R", and to smile broadly during it.

2. 2

Another exercise that is useful is to alternate between uvular (French/German) R and alveolar (Spanish/Italian) R. Start with the uvular R and then "blow" it to the front of your tongue with a sudden gust of breath. Then repeat.

3. 3

Consider the bilabial trill. This is the "Brrrrrr" sound that people make to indicate that it is cold: it's made by closing the lips lightly and blowing between them so they flap against each other. Alternate the bilabial trill with the alveolar trill, trying to imagine your tongue flapping against your gum ridge with as much ease and flexibility as your lips have when they flap against each other.

4. 4

Try mentally focusing all the energy from your breath on and just in front of the alveolar ridge (right in your upper mouth just behind the front teeth). Simultaneously imagine that the front of your tongue has a natural trilling ability, and that simply dropping it in the breath stream will cause the trilling to be activated without any effort.

5. 5

Try to roll it in other situations. In roughly ascending order of difficulty:

o tr -- say the word "trip" like a Scotsman. It may be easier to start with "drip" and gradually reduce the voicing just enough until you say "trip" instead.

o gr -- say "that's GReat" with a Scottish accent. If this is difficult, try producing the "G" sound further forward than usual, against the hard palate rather than the soft palate. It may also help to imagine that the "G" sound is just a relatively unimportant prelude to the "R" sound.

o kr -- "If it's not Scottish, it's KRaaap". As with "Gr", it may help to make the "K" sound more forward than usual.

o bro pr -- say "prego" as in Italian for "you're welcome"o after a short vowel, as in burritoo at the beginning of a word (this is the hardest of all)

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edit Tips

Relax, relax, relax!!! If you have problems with trilling your R it is likely that you are failing to relax your tongue sufficiently. The tongue should be as relaxed as possible, with just enough tension localized in the tip of the tongue to keep the tip touching the alveolar ridge while the air is flowing through.

o For example, many native speakers of English tend to tense the root of the tongue when speaking (the root is the part of your tongue that you can feel if you put your fingers as far back in your mouth as possible until you are about to gag). You _cannot_ roll an R if the root of your tongue is too tense, because it will make contact with the back of your throat and obstruct the airflow.

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o A good exercise is to do a nice, looong yawn, trying to relax the tongue as much as possible while keeping the tip of the tongue gently touching the alveolar ridge.

o Another good exercise is to roll on a large exercise ball so that your head is dropping down from your neck. This will tend to create more space in the back of your mouth and to relax the root of your tongue.

o A good "visualization" exercise is to imagine that you are a puff of air coming up from the lungs, going over the root of the tongue and headed for the tiny gap between the tongue tip and the alveolar ridge.

Another method of preparing your tongue for the rolling of Rs is surprisingly simple: practice repeating the following sounds in rapid succession: tee-dee-va. Do this in your spare time, such as while you are driving. In as little as a month, you'll be rolling Rs with ease.

The alveolar trill is difficult for native English speakers because, with the single exception of some Scottish dialects there is no use of the alveolar trill, or many trills at all, in English. Many trills, the alveolar trill being no exception, use muscles in the tongue and mouth we, as native English speakers, simply do not use often for speech. It is the flexibility in your tongue and your ability to shape your inner mouth that make the trill possible.

The trill is not easy for any language speakers! It is most often the last consonant sound learned by children in trill languages, and most languages that contain trills also contain words describing people who cannot do them.

o A famous example is Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov (Lenin), father of the October Revolution, founder and leader of the Soviet Union from 1917 to 1923. Lenin was unable to create the alveolar trill, which is rather unfortunate when you are the leader of the Rossiyskaya Sotsial-Demokraticheskaya Rabochaya Partiya (the Russian Social Democratic Workers' Party). So, don't feel so bad if you cannot get this easily.

The sound is made because of the Bernoulli's principle, an aspect of physics which defines the movement of fluids and gas over different shapes, and one of the principles of flight. In other words, the shape of your tongue will partially resemble an airplane wing, with the exhaled air passing over the top of the stiff, shaped lower tongue and vibrating the tip against the ridge like the flaps on an airplane wing.

The specific trill consonant you need to master depends on the language you are learning. Trills are common in many world languages from those widely spoken to obscure dialects. Trills are present in Dutch, German, Spanish, Thai, Russian, Italian, Armenian, French, Croatian, Slovenian, Faroese, Estonian, Finnish, Norwegian, Polish, Tagalog and Arabic, to name just a few. In each language different kinds of trills are made with different parts of the mouth. For example, in German the rolled R sounds is actually a Uvular trill, produced at the back of the mouth rather than the front.

Use a mirror! Often, it is difficult to tell by feel alone whether your tongue is in the right place.

edit Warnings

Certain physical conditions inside the mouth can prevent you from vocalizing the alveolar trill. These include:

o The tongue tied (ankyloglossia inferior, or tight frenulum) condition refers to individuals where the piece of skin inside the mouth located below the tongue — where the tongue joins the lower palate — is too short and the tongue physically cannot reach the top palate for any dental fricatives.

o A cleft palate will also prevent an individual from being able to produce trills. The palate refers to the roof of the mouth. Humans have a hard palate which covers a soft palate. During fetal development some individuals do not fuse the two sides of their hidden soft palate together correctly, causing a cleft in the roof of the mouth that can prevent the vocalization of trills.

o Other physical deformities as a result of injury can also make this difficult. For example, if your vocal cords are damaged you may have a harder time with trills than some others.

Some people (especially those from countries where everyone can roll their "R"s with ease) may tell you that you could be genetically or physiologically unable to produce an alveolar trill. Unless you have one of the conditions listed above, this is absolutely not true. Rolling your "R"s is a little like touching your toes: both require flexibility and coordination in certain parts of the body which can be lost if not practiced regularly. The vast majority of people who can't touch their toes do not suffer from an innate disability: they simply need to regain the suppleness in their hips, hamstrings, etc. Similarly, those who can't roll their "R"s can gain the ability to do so by increasing the flexibility of their tongues.

Some musicians who have trained their embouchure to single-double-triple tongue can find difficulty in attaining the alveolar trill. The tongue, as a muscle, can be trained just as any other muscle. If you have flutter-tongued a piece of music - you can think of practicing the alveolar trill in the same way. Mind over muscle!