turn it on
/ˈtɝnɪˈɾɑn/
RP: /ˈtɜːnɪˈtɒn/
Meaning: turn it on
two links; GA flap
Mistake: Pronouncing each word fully as "TAAN ITTO ON" with three separated words.
Why: Katakana English preserves each syllable; the flap-t + n-linking chain is unfamiliar.
Fix: The n of "turn" links to "it", the t of "it" flaps between vowels, and "it on" continues linking: [ˈtɜːrnɪɾɒn]. Say "turnidon" as one prosodic unit.
Mistake: Producing clear boundaries between all three words with aspirated [tʰ].
Why: Korean prosody keeps word boundaries clean.
Fix: 3-word phrasal verbs like this compress into a single stress group: [ˈtɜːrnɪɾɒn]. The t flaps; the r/n link naturally. In RP, the r may soften: [ˈtɜːnɪɾɒn].
Mistake: Producing tapped/trilled Spanish r, and preserving each word separately.
Why: Spanish r is different, and Spanish rarely fuses across word boundaries this heavily.
Fix: English r is [ɹ] (approximant). The whole 3-word phrase compresses: [ˈtɜːrnɪɾɒn]. Same rhythm as "pick it up" [ˈpɪkɪɾʌp].
"Turn it on" is a paradigm 3-word phrasal verb with an object pronoun sandwiched between the verb and preposition. Phonologically it compresses via multiple linkings: n-linking from "turn" to "it", flap-t on the t of "it", and vowel-linking from "it" to "on". The result is [ˈtɜːrnɪɾɒn] — a single stress group. The pattern extends across a huge family of household/device commands: "turn it off", "put it on", "pick it up", "take it off", "get it back", "let it go". All follow the same [Verb-ɪ-ɾ-Prep] rhythm. Learners who master this rhythm unlock dozens of everyday phrasal verbs at once. In American English, this is the standard casual pronunciation; British RP may preserve the t as [t] more often but still links continuously.