Why S and SH Can Blur Together

Research on Bengali-accented English has found a real connection between how certain Bengali consonants are formed and mix-ups with English fricative sounds like S and SH. In English, these two sounds need to stay clearly apart: S is made with your tongue tip near your front teeth, tight and hissy, like 'see.' SH pulls your tongue back a bit further and rounds your lips slightly, giving it a softer, wider sound, like 'she.' Confusing them can turn 'sip' into 'ship' or 'sea' into 'she.' Try this: say 'see,' noticing your tongue tip is forward and your lips are relaxed and spread. Now say 'she,' feeling your tongue pull back slightly and your lips round just a little. Go back and forth, 'see/she' and 'sip/ship,' for two minutes, paying attention to that tongue and lip shift each time. It's a small movement, but getting it right clears up a lot of confusion — keep at it patiently.