Japanese Speakers Learning R and L - Phonetic Differences

Phonetic Differences

The Japanese liquid is most often realized as an alveolar tap, though there is some variation depending on phonetic context. /r/ of American English (the dialect Japanese speakers are typically exposed to) is most commonly a postalveolar central approximant with simultaneous secondary pharyngeal constriction and lip rounding:, though it may also be a labialized retroflex approximant . /l/ involves contact with the alveolar ridge as well as some raising of the tongue dorsum (velarization), especially when syllable-final.