Learn The American Accent From The Christmas Song – Jingle Bells

Hi, it’s Ellen here from Speak More Clearly.

One of the most common Christmas songs played all over the world is Jingle Bells. In this training video, we’ll see how this Christmas song can help you speak with a clear American accent. Of course, in our online American accent course, you’ll find detailed descriptions and lots of practice material on exactly how to make your mouth move to speak clearly in English.

Here are a few lines from the Christmas song – Jingle Bells:

The first line is:

Jingle bells, jingle bells

Make sure you are making the ‘i’ and ‘e’ vowels the American accent way.

Make sure you are saying a proper ‘j’ sound as in ‘jump’, and not a soft ‘zh’ as in Asia.

The /s/ at the end of bells is saying the /z/ sound. 

The NGL together are said ‘ng – gl’  /ŋ.ɡəl/   ‘ng – gl’     

The same as when you say ‘single’

Make sure you copy the rhythm and stress of the words as well.

The second line is:

Jingle all the way

Again watch your ‘j’ sound.

Make sure you copy the  /ɑ:/ in all /ɑːl/,  and /eɪ/ – 2 vowel diphthong –  in way /weɪ/ properly.

The ‘e’ in the word ‘the’ becomes a de-stressed schwa sound /ə/ – so that the song continues with the 4×4 rhythm.

‘Jingle’ and ‘all’ are linked and said: ‘jinglall’ as if it’s one word.  

The third line is:

Oh, what fun it is to ride

The 2 vowel diphthong ‘oe’  in ‘oh’ /oʊ/

The long ‘a’  /ɑ:/ in ‘what’

The short  ‘u’ /ʌ/ in fun

The ‘i’ /ɪ/  in ‘it’ and ‘is’ 

The O in ‘to’  changes from ‘oo’ and becomes a schwa /tə/ – we use the weak/de-stressed vowel as it’s a de-stressed word here  /tə /.

The 2 vowel diphthong  ‘ie’ /aɪ/ in ride.

Don’t forget to link ‘fun’ and ‘it’ and ‘is’ so it becomes:  ‘funidiz’

The last line coming up:

In a one – horse open sleigh, Hey

‘i’ /ɪ/  in ‘in’

The A becomes a schwa /ə/. There’s an ‘u’ /ʌ/ in ‘one’ ‘or’ /ɔːr/ in horse

Another ‘oe’ diphthong in ‘open’- note the E becomes a schwa  /ə/   ‘pən’  –  open  /ˈoʊ.pən/.

There’s the diphthong ‘ai’ /eɪ/ in ‘sleigh’ and ‘hey’. Don’t just say the first part of the diphthong.

We link the ‘in’ and ‘a’ to become ‘ina’  /ɪnə/. We can also link the ‘horse’ and ‘open’ to become ‘horsopen’ (said ‘hor sopen’).

The dash between ‘one’ and ‘horse’ means both words are stressed, and the stress is the same or even for both words. 

Notice how you are saying your vowels. 

Pay attention to making your mouth link the words where needed. 

Jingle bells, jingle bells

Jingle all the way

Oh, what fun it is to ride

In a one – horse open sleigh, Hey

Jingle bells, jingle bells

Jingle all the way

Oh, what fun it is to ride

In a one-horse open sleigh, Hey.

We want to wish you Season’s Greetings from us at Speak More Clearly!