Meet the Buzzy Sound in 'Measure'

Bengali doesn't have the soft, buzzy sound found in the middle of English words like 'measure', 'pleasure', 'television', and 'casual', a sound similar to 'sh' but with your voice turned on, creating a gentle vibration instead of pure air. Many Bengali speakers substitute a regular 'sh' or 'j' sound instead, which is close but noticeably different to American ears. To make this sound, shape your mouth as if saying 'sh', then turn your voice on while keeping the same tongue position, you should feel a light buzz instead of just air hissing through. Try saying 'measure' slowly, holding that middle sound for a full second: mea-zh-ure. Compare it with the plain, voiceless 'sh' you'd use elsewhere. Practice the pairs 'Confucian / confusion' and 'glacier / pleasure', listening for the buzz difference in the middle. For today's two-minute practice, hum 'zh-zh-zh' for a few seconds, feeling the vibration, then drop it into full words like 'measure', 'usual', and 'vision'. This small sound shows up more often in English than you'd expect.