Wk 4 Soft And Hard Sounds

CC2040 English for Academic Skills (Health Care)

Soft and Hard Sounds (Medical & Health Care Terminology) A “c” can be pronounced with a soft “s” sound, as in “cease”, or a hard “k” sound, as in “car”. A “g’ can be pronounced with a soft “j” sound, as in “gentle”, or a hard “g” sound, as in “grab”. A “ch” can be pronounced with a soft “ch” sound, as in “chance”, or a hard “k”, as in “chorus”.

Example cell

Pronunciation* sel

Sound soft “s”

Brief Explanation smallest unit of living structure capable of independent existence

cardiogram

karcdT-b-gram

hard “k”

graphic tracing made by the cardiograph

gene

jTn

soft “j”

functional unit of heredity

gastritis

gas-trUctis

hard “g”

inflammation of the stomach

chamber

chQmcber

soft “ch”

compartment or enclosed space

cholera

kolcer-^

hard ‘k”

acute epidemic infectious disease

* Pronunciation quoted from: Dirckx, John H., editor, Stedman's Concise Medical Dictionary for the Health Professions, Baltimore, MD: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 4th Edition, 2001

In case of the slightest doubt, consult a medical dictionary!

William Tsang 2009