New Health Trends, New Pronunciation Challenges
In recent news, US doctors have been discussing two major health trends: mouth taping and cortisol control. While these topics are popular on social media, their pronunciation can be tricky for English learners.
1. Mouth Taping
This trend involves taping your mouth shut at night to encourage nose breathing. For Spanish speakers, the biggest challenge here is the 'th' sound in mouth and the 'a' sound in taping.
The Rule: Remember to place your tongue between your teeth for the /θ/ sound. It's a soft breath of air, not a 't' or 's'.
Watch out: The 'a' in taping is a long 'a' (/eɪ/), like in cake. Don't confuse it with tapping (/ˈtæpɪŋ/), which has a short 'a'.
2. Cortisol
Cortisol is the body's main stress hormone. Doctors are currently debating whether "cortisol control" supplements are actually necessary. The trick here is the word stress (accent).
The Rule: In American English, the stress is on the first syllable: COR-ti-sol. The 'o' in the first syllable sounds like 'or'.
Quick Practice
Try saying this sentence: "Does mouth taping really help reduce cortisol?"