Question:
I’m 18, male, and in the last couple of years I’ve had a problem in pronouncing my ‘r’. They come as ‘wrh’ if you know what I mean. This has made me self-conscious of the way I speak and I often mumble or speak in a low voice. Is there any natural thing I can do to fix this?
Answer:
How is your posture? Do you exercise? You are at an age where you have grown a lot and you need to strengthen your muscles to support yourself. This will help you to have a more energized voice. You need to be as tall as possible and keep your lower ribs expanded while you speak. (Your ribs need to engage as though you are grunting, although you do not want to lock the vocal cords.) It will also help if you smile and make crisp consonants. As for the ‘r’ make sure that you don’t involve your lips at all (don’t let them round as in an ‘oh’ or ‘ooh’) — use only your tongue. (Read other pages about “R.”) Also make sure that you are not exhaling an extra puff of air when you make the ‘r.’ If these things don’t help, seek out the guidance of a speech pathologist, voice coach or teacher. Good luck!