Watch this video, and try to read along. The narrator speaks very fast! You may have to watch a few times before you can follow it. Don't worry about understanding anything, just listen to the sounds of the language:
Did you notice the rolling [r] sound? In Giriama, r is trilled, as in Spanish, Italian and Greek and many other languages. If you have never learnt to trill your r's, read on.
How to trill your r's
There is a wealth of advice out there on how to trill your r's, with video and audio and diagrams, so I shan't replicate it all here. But here are a couple of tips, anyway.
What is a trill?
Basically, you blow air out through your loose lips, with your tongue positioned just behind your teeth (curled up next to or touching the alveolar ridge - the hard bit of your gums - with the underside towards your teeth). As the air streams out, it causes your tongue to flap in the breeze, making the trilling sound.
You are not trying to move your tongue - you are trying to keep your tongue loose enough that it flaps on its own.
Try blowing a raspberry
Start by curling your tongue into position behind your teeth. Don't hold it rigidly in position, just rest it against lightly against your alveolar ridge. Now blow a raspberry.
I find it impossible to get my lips properly vibrating without also setting my tongue flapping. That flapping? That's a trill. Gradually part your lips until they stop making the raspberry noise, but keep doing the same thing with your tongue.
Now - if you hadn't already - start voicing at the same time. (Hum whilst blowing the raspberry.)
If instead of flapping, you ended up making a thhhhhhhh sound, then your tongue is not curled enough. The tip should be touching your alveolar ridge, not your teeth.
If instead of flapping, you ended up making a thhhhhhhh sound, then your tongue is not curled enough. The tip should be touching your alveolar ridge, not your teeth.
Don't give up!
Sometimes it can take weeks or longer to get the hang of this (especially if you are only practising every now and then). Just because you can't do it yet, doesn't mean you will never get the hang of it.(Apparently, some people genetically cannot curve their tongue enough to do this, but that's quite rare. Ask the internet if you think this may be you.)
And even native speakers have trouble with this sound - an Italian friend was reminiscing about the period in primary school during which all the children begin to be able to do it, coming in excitedly showing off their new skill. So it's not something you have to learn as a baby!
