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Accent

Posted: Fri Sep 15, 2006 12:25 am
by MissLT
I believe most of us here speak English with an accent. Well, how bad do you want to get rid of your accent, so you would sound like a native English speaker?

Posted: Fri Sep 15, 2006 4:01 am
by Hardi
What accent? I have no accent.

Posted: Fri Sep 15, 2006 4:03 am
by MissLT
Hardi wrote:What accent? I have no accent.
You don't speak; that's why. :twisted:

Posted: Fri Sep 15, 2006 4:43 am
by Lalee
I don't like my accent at all.
I wish I could sound like a native speaker but I think someone would be able to accomplish that when that person lived in an English speaking country for some years so I'm thinking about going to Canada or the States to get rid of it once and for all!

I've been mistaken for an asian when people have heard my accent over the phone. :shock:
If I'm not asian then how could I possibly be mistaken for one?? :roll:

Posted: Fri Sep 15, 2006 4:49 am
by MissLT
This is my answer at another forum in a thread, which someone is asking for help to get rid of the accent.

I know it's okay to have an accent because the other language you speak is not your mother tongue; therefore, an expectation that a non-native should have the accent of a native is unfair and unjust. We all should be proud of the accent we have; it's a part of who we are. Nevertheless, the curiosity, observation, endless questions, discrimination, stereotype, and so on could get on our nerves. Thus, we end up wishing to get rid of something we should be proud of.

Well, if you can't get away of this vicious life that people would judge you based on your accent, I suggest you to watch televison to imitate the way the native speakers speak. Record yourself and then ask a native to help you to point out what words you pronounced them wrong. Ask them for the correct pronunciation. Practice yourself until you've got it right. It could be a long process depending on how heavy your accent is. The word patience will definitely work here. Be patient and give yourself some credits. 8)

Posted: Fri Sep 15, 2006 4:52 am
by Shazzam
My mother is Irish and she lives in Australia. Her accent is as clear as the day she arrived here. I love it. So many people comment on how lovely it is. 8)

Posted: Fri Sep 15, 2006 4:53 am
by MissLT
Lalee wrote:I don't like my accent at all.
I wish I could sound like a native speaker but I think someone would be able to accomplish that when that person lived in an English speaking country for some years so I'm thinking about going to Canada or the States to get rid of it once and for all!

I've been mistaken for an asian when people have heard my accent over the phone. :shock:
If I'm not asian then how could I possibly be mistaken for one?? :roll:
There was a Chinese girl from Beijing that I knew in college had a really light accent. At first I thought she was a native born until I found some words she pronounced sound really Chinese. I asked her about it, and I was quite shocked to find out she'd been in the States only for three months. She said she'd been studying English in China.

Posted: Fri Sep 15, 2006 5:18 am
by Lalee
LennyeTran wrote: There was a Chinese girl from Beijing that I knew in college had a really light accent. At first I thought she was a native born until I found some words she pronounced sound really Chinese. I asked her about it, and I was quite shocked to find out she'd been in the States only for three months. She said she'd been studying English in China.
She was probably very smart to catch the accent so fast? I've always thought that there are some people who are better in something than others so guess that girl was good at languages.

Posted: Fri Sep 15, 2006 5:29 am
by MissLT
She said she's started to learn English since she was six. Her dad is a professor in some Beijing university. She told me his goal is to see her to get an American degree. Quite strange, huh, why American's? That's why she said she was trained hard to study English. But I didn't think her accent could turn out that well even she had studied for years in China. (No offense to Chinese people. My view of this was limited) Therefore, if you trained hard enough, you might get your accent lighter. I don't think you can sound exactly like the natives. If you sound about 80% like them, then it is already good enough, I believe.

Posted: Fri Sep 15, 2006 7:57 am
by Dixie
Having an accent is totally normal since English is not our native language. However, it bothers me a lot, I wish I spoke better English. But that's not possible unless we move to an English-speaking country (although after reading Shazzam's post now I'm starting to have doubts :D).

Posted: Fri Sep 15, 2006 10:07 am
by Rui
who cares about accent.. i would be happy if everybody understand me :wink:, but well... yeah, i have accent of those that dont know how to speak a language :lol: :lol: :lol:

Posted: Fri Sep 15, 2006 11:40 am
by Admiral
I don't know which accent I have. I even felt strange when I heared myself on videotapes... Is it really my voice???

Posted: Fri Sep 15, 2006 1:41 pm
by Seafarer
I was obsessed with the accent.Now, i just aim to be understood by other people. I mostly speak in the way Americans do. But sometimes i pronounce the words like a British speaker.But the goal is to be understood..i don't care the rest :twisted:

Posted: Fri Sep 15, 2006 3:59 pm
by jeffcox
I'm a native English speaker - from England - and I really, really love people who speak English with an accent.

It's so cute!

Girls with a French accent are just irresistable! :twisted: Spanish, too :twisted: and Japanese :twisted: ... oh, I'm getting carried away again!!!

Seriously, an accent is just great. Of course, the accent must not get in the way of communication. We have to be able to understand you, but beyond that, the English love accents. All the English I've met and talked to about it think this.

I speak Portuguese with what must be the worst possible accent. I try to reduce it to help communication with some words and sounds, but beyond that, I don't mind that I speak with an accent.

Posted: Tue Sep 19, 2006 7:04 am
by MissLT
Rui wrote:who cares about accent.. i would be happy if everybody understand me :wink:, but well... yeah, i have accent of those that dont know how to speak a language :lol: :lol: :lol:
I just remember I haven't heard you on Skype yet, Rui. The other times you were either busy or just typing. When are you gonna let us hear your voice? :wink:

Posted: Tue Sep 19, 2006 7:06 am
by Dixie
LennyeTran wrote: I just remember I haven't heard you on Skype yet, Rui. The other times you were either busy or just typing. When are you gonna let us hear your voice? :wink:
I talked to him last week, I think he was drunk or something :lol:

Posted: Tue Sep 19, 2006 7:06 am
by MissLT
Dixie wrote:Having an accent is totally normal since English is not our native language. However, it bothers me a lot, I wish I spoke better English. But that's not possible unless we move to an English-speaking country (although after reading Shazzam's post now I'm starting to have doubts :D).
:shock: What are you chirping about? Your accent is cute, understandable and light. There's no need for you to change it.

Posted: Tue Sep 19, 2006 7:07 am
by Dixie
LennyeTran wrote: :shock: What are you chirping about? Your accent is cute, understandable and light. There's no need for you to change it.
Wow you just made my day!!! :lol: Thank you.

Posted: Tue Sep 19, 2006 7:07 am
by MissLT
Dixie wrote:
LennyeTran wrote: I just remember I haven't heard you on Skype yet, Rui. The other times you were either busy or just typing. When are you gonna let us hear your voice? :wink:
I talked to him last week, I think he was drunk or something :lol:
I should have said we, excluded Dixie, since you've heard everyone's voice. *pouting* How was his voice, by the way? Deep, high, up, low, squeaky like a girl,...???? :twisted:

Posted: Tue Sep 19, 2006 7:24 am
by TearHere
sometimes when i speak in English, my accent is that of my native language.. :oops: still understandable though..

i have this classmate, she comes from a barrio and she often interchanges the p/f (as in fig-pig,fan-pan) sound and so many other sounds.. her enunciation and pronunciation are very poor..i feel bad for her as some of my classmates would laugh at her whenever she recites :( .. she said she's taking back subjects because of this..have you ever encountered such person?

Posted: Tue Sep 19, 2006 7:33 am
by MissLT
When I was little, there was a new kid came from the North in my class. Whenever he read the lesson out loud, he would mispronounce the L's and N's. We always giggled when he said those words wrong. My teacher told us not to because it was cruel to make fun of him like that. It would hurt his self-esteem. And he would think his problem couldn't be fixed.

I think your classmates should no make fun of her. Instead, you all should help her out. Speech therapy should help her also.

Posted: Tue Sep 19, 2006 7:33 am
by Dixie
LennyeTran wrote: I should have said we, excluded Dixie, since you've heard everyone's voice. *pouting* How was his voice, by the way? Deep, high, up, low, squeaky like a girl,...???? :twisted:
It was the second time I talked to him (the first time was like centuries ago!) and I've got to say Rui is sooooo funny! :D His voice? Oh, so sexy 8) Especially when he sang... Yeah he sings too!! 8)

Posted: Tue Sep 19, 2006 7:35 am
by MissLT
Whose is better, essie's, butler's, or his? PM me for the answer, yeah? :twisted:

Posted: Tue Sep 19, 2006 7:36 am
by Dixie
LennyeTran wrote:Whose is better, essie's, butler's, or his? PM me for the answer, yeah? :twisted:
Essie and Butler have never sung to me, so 1 point for Rui!! :P 8)

Posted: Tue Sep 19, 2006 8:07 am
by TearHere
LennyeTran wrote:I think your classmates should no make fun of her. Instead, you all should help her out. Speech therapy should help her also.
I can see how eager she is to learn though. One time, she asked me how "the" is pronounced. I demonstrated it, but she did it this way : "dĭ".. I'm no teacher so i don't know how to teach her.. :oops:

Posted: Tue Sep 19, 2006 3:47 pm
by Oriani
I love my English accent and I can do it easily!! no problem with it!!

Posted: Tue Sep 19, 2006 5:11 pm
by Lalee
Dixie wrote: Essie and Butler have never sung to me, so 1 point for Rui!! :P 8)
Awww I want to hear Essie's and Rui's voice too. :cry:
Let me know next time you guys skype, ok?

Posted: Tue Sep 19, 2006 6:30 pm
by fadi
me too oriani

Posted: Tue Sep 19, 2006 7:20 pm
by Oriani
fadi wrote:me too oriani

That's great!!! :P

Posted: Wed Sep 20, 2006 4:34 pm
by illusion
When I was a little sweet girl (ha ha ha) I would watch everything that was on BBC or SkyNews even though I didn't understand much of it but later on I noticed that I spoke with a British accent and now a lot of people asks me how do I speak like that and I guess I must've learned it unconsciously watching everything in British tv channels.

Posted: Wed Sep 20, 2006 9:59 pm
by MissLT
illusion wrote:When I was a little sweet girl (ha ha ha) I would watch everything that was on BBC or SkyNews even though I didn't understand much of it but later on I noticed that I spoke with a British accent and now a lot of people asks me how do I speak like that and I guess I must've learned it unconsciously watching everything in British tv channels.
:shock: I wanna hear it... I wanna hear it... I wanna hear it.

Posted: Thu Sep 21, 2006 12:03 pm
by illusion
LennyeTran wrote:
illusion wrote:When I was a little sweet girl (ha ha ha) I would watch everything that was on BBC or SkyNews even though I didn't understand much of it but later on I noticed that I spoke with a British accent and now a lot of people asks me how do I speak like that and I guess I must've learned it unconsciously watching everything in British tv channels.
:shock: I wanna hear it... I wanna hear it... I wanna hear it.
when I get a mike and skype I'm sure you will :)

Posted: Fri Sep 22, 2006 12:24 am
by MissLT
When would that be? :wink:

Posted: Fri Sep 22, 2006 8:26 am
by illusion
LennyeTran wrote:When would that be? :wink:
I'm not sure because soon I will be moving to my dorm and I won't have my computer there so unfortunately I won't even be able to visit the forum :(

Posted: Fri Sep 22, 2006 2:49 pm
by vince90
I have horrible accent. I have tried many years to fix it but it’s still heavy. I’ll give up. I think girls pick up the English accent much better than boys.

Posted: Fri Sep 22, 2006 2:52 pm
by Tora
vince90 wrote:I have horrible accent. I have tried many years to fix it but it’s still heavy. I’ll give up. I think girls pick up the English accent much better than boys.
:shock: I thought you're a native-speaker - I have my own system of recognizing it - it's simple - I don't get some of your posts :lol:
what's your native then? :wink:

Posted: Fri Sep 22, 2006 5:58 pm
by vince90
Tora wrote:
vince90 wrote:I have horrible accent. I have tried many years to fix it but it’s still heavy. I’ll give up. I think girls pick up the English accent much better than boys.
:shock: I thought you're a native-speaker - I have my own system of recognizing it - it's simple - I don't get some of your posts :lol:
what's your native then? :wink:
Your recognizing system did not work this time Tora. :lol: :lol:

I’m a Vietnamese who now live in the States. It doesn’t mean that I can speak English just like the native born. Yeah! I wish….. :(

Posted: Fri Sep 22, 2006 6:23 pm
by Tora
vince90 wrote:
Tora wrote:
vince90 wrote:I have horrible accent. I have tried many years to fix it but it’s still heavy. I’ll give up. I think girls pick up the English accent much better than boys.
:shock: I thought you're a native-speaker - I have my own system of recognizing it - it's simple - I don't get some of your posts :lol:
what's your native then? :wink:
Your recognizing system did not work this time Tora. :lol: :lol:

I’m a Vietnamese who now live in the States. It doesn’t mean that I can speak English just like the native born. Yeah! I wish….. :(
wow! great! thanks for the answer! 8)
I'll fix my system :D
how many years have you spent there?

Posted: Fri Sep 22, 2006 7:16 pm
by Dixie
vince90 wrote: I’m a Vietnamese who now live in the States. It doesn’t mean that I can speak English just like the native born. Yeah! I wish….. :(
OMG Vince I thought you were American! :D

Posted: Fri Sep 22, 2006 7:25 pm
by Tora
Dixie wrote:
vince90 wrote: I’m a Vietnamese who now live in the States. It doesn’t mean that I can speak English just like the native born. Yeah! I wish….. :(
OMG Vince I thought you were American! :D
uf! great! so not only my system need a repair :P

Posted: Fri Sep 22, 2006 7:39 pm
by Dixie
illusion wrote: I'm not sure because soon I will be moving to my dorm and I won't have my computer there so unfortunately I won't even be able to visit the forum :(
You know what, I can't believe how fast things develop. When I was in college, if you needed a computer you had to go to the university and use the computers' room. Now, I see that all students have a laptop and have internet access in their dorms or apartments. I wish I had that, too.

Posted: Fri Sep 22, 2006 8:25 pm
by vince90
Tora wrote:
vince90 wrote:
Tora wrote: :shock: I thought you're a native-speaker - I have my own system of recognizing it - it's simple - I don't get some of your posts :lol:
what's your native then? :wink:
Your recognizing system did not work this time Tora. :lol: :lol:

I’m a Vietnamese who now live in the States. It doesn’t mean that I can speak English just like the native born. Yeah! I wish….. :(
wow! great! thanks for the answer! 8)
I'll fix my system :D
how many years have you spent there?
I’ve been here too long, but I won’t tell you how long it is. :oops:

Posted: Fri Sep 22, 2006 8:26 pm
by vince90
Dixie wrote:
vince90 wrote: I’m a Vietnamese who now live in the States. It doesn’t mean that I can speak English just like the native born. Yeah! I wish….. :(
OMG Vince I thought you were American! :D
Your system does not work either Dixie. :D

Posted: Fri Sep 22, 2006 10:55 pm
by illusion
Dixie wrote:
illusion wrote: I'm not sure because soon I will be moving to my dorm and I won't have my computer there so unfortunately I won't even be able to visit the forum :(
You know what, I can't believe how fast things develop. When I was in college, if you needed a computer you had to go to the university and use the computers' room. Now, I see that all students have a laptop and have internet access in their dorms or apartments. I wish I had that, too.
I have a laptop too and there is a Net connection in dorms but I won't be taking it with myself in the beginning. I will try to post in here during the weekends at first and later on we shall see ;pp

Posted: Sun Sep 24, 2006 10:59 am
by Miss. Ladybird
I don't have any problems with my English accent 'casue I'm used to speak English since I was a child.
The problem now is my Arabic accent, I used to have friends from Lebenon, Egypt, The Gulf and Palistane. My Arabic now is so mixed that people don't now exactly where I am from :roll: .

Re: Accent

Posted: Sat Dec 23, 2006 12:16 pm
by hninsi
LennyeTran wrote:I believe most of us here speak English with an accent. Well, how bad do you want to get rid of your accent, so you would sound like a native English speaker?
So far I'm quite OK with my accent. Although my English is not very good, I can pronounce and copy the accent of the native speaker. I prefer American accent to British accent. I even try to read out loud to improve my reading skill and pronouncing skill. I think it helps.

Posted: Sat Dec 23, 2006 10:26 pm
by sweets
I really wish to have good accent but i do not know how may accent now is not accent at all :shock: it is a mixture of American and Britsh one :| and i have not any good source to have good acceent

GIVE ME A GOOD ADVICE :oops:

Posted: Mon Dec 25, 2006 10:49 am
by babara
sweets wrote:I really wish to have good accent but i do not know how may accent now is not accent at all :shock: it is a mixture of American and Britsh one :| and i have not any good source to have good acceent

GIVE ME A GOOD ADVICE :oops:
OH..Sweets, the same problem!!

Re: Accent

Posted: Thu Jun 26, 2008 8:25 pm
by Annaa
Oh my poor accent :cry: