Pharyngitis because of Dutch

Hello everyone, I'm someone who loves the gutteral languages, and after some investigation I narrowed it down to 2 languages, Hebrew and Dutch, which both have a reputation. I chose Dutch because it was easier to get courses for and because I'll have more chance in using the language.

But now I have a problem, I never expected it to happen but I actually have pharyngitis (sore throat) after practicing the gutteral vowels.

I don't really know what I'm doing wrong. My teacher says the pronunciation is near native, but that I might be forcing my vocal cords/air flow too much, but how can that be if I'm sounding near native? Surely there aren't 2 ways to create the exact same sound?

Maybe it's like being sore after exercise. Eventually your muscles recover and get stronger.

Perhaps your throat will get tougher as you progress. Someday, maybe you'll be able to give 3-hour stentorian orations in Dutch without straining your throat in the slightest.

Look on the bright side -- when it becomes time to move on to Hebrew, it should be a snap (throatwise, anyway).

Dutch is one of the hardest languages to pronounce, not just the gutteral sounds. My best guess is that you're forcing yourself to sound native. The Dutch do not have pharyngitis en masse, so the language isn't to blame (when pronounced by a native).

Do you have sore throats very often? Maybe you're just more suseptible.

I could easily get a sore throat if I speak my native language for too long.

That has <<<more>>> to do with how you use your ??vocal cords?? properly. Well.. any advice on this actually? I wish I could really speak even my native language comfortably...

Are people of rough spoken languages more resistant to sore throats, hoarseness? I think it's truth.

Franco: do you think Chinese languages are rough, then? One main problem I usually have is the environment around me is so noisy that I can't be understood without having to speak really aloud - and that hurts very much.

In my reading room, however, I'm very comfortable with German (similar to Dutch) even if I use the uvular R a lot.

By the same token, many people I know easily get a sore throat after singing too much in a noisy environment...

<<Are people of rough spoken languages more resistant to sore throats, hoarseness? I think it's truth. >>

I suppose their throats get used to making the rough, throaty sounds. If not, I imaging the language would quickly evolve, so speakers wouldn't get sore throats (has anyone ever done a study on this?)

On the other hand, I doubt speaking Dutch would confer any immunity from infections that cause sore throats.

"...now I have a problem, I never expected it to happen but I actually have pharyngitis (sore throat) after practicing the gutteral vowels."

Not to be unnecessarily picky, but I don't believe there are any gutteral "vowel" sounds in Dutch. I speak the language with basic proficiency--nothing to brag about--but it's clearly consonental sounds that are the rough ones, and I agree with the previous post that these are all produced exclusively with the tongue if spoken correctly.

Just my $.02 worth!

Dutch learner,
I don't think you should worry too much, you're probably not doing anything wrong. Assuming that you are trying the most guttural form of g in dutch (not the g spoken in Flanders en the south of Holland) everyone would have a sore throat. I myself would get a dry and sore throat too if I'd pronounce the g for an hour.
I had a girl from the U.S who had emigrated from the Netherlands at young age in my class a few years ago. So she was able to speak Dutch pretty good. But I remember she had a sore throat from speaking the g the first few days (weeks?).
So in my opinion it's normal what you're experiencing. Just don't exercise for too long, drink some water and eat some sweet 'drop' (liquorice seems to be the english word for 'drop'). It'll do your throat good :P