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Different accents | ||
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 Language Learning Forum : Learning Techniques, Methods & Strategies |  | |
| Linguaphile94 Newbie ItalyRegistered users can see my Skype Name Joined 4666 days ago 11 posts - 12 votes Speaks: English | Message 1 of 8 17 March 2012 at 7:27pm | IP Logged | ||
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I hope this is the right place to post. Basically I'm trying to build up my vocabulary
and improve my listening skills by watching films in English but I've a doubt I hope you can resolve. I went to London about 4 months ago (I stayed there for almost a month) so I'm rather "used" to the British accent. Therefore, so far, I've looked for British stuff to watch, now here comes my question: since the films I've got produced in England are running out, I'm wondering whether it is a good idea to watch American films as well. Is it a good idea or I'd better focus on only one kind of accent (the British one)?. Thank you in advance. 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| iguanamon Pentaglot Senior Member Virgin Islands Speaks: Ladino Joined 5290 days ago 2241 posts - 6731 votes  Speaks: English*, Spanish, Portuguese, Haitian Creole, Creole (French) | Message 2 of 8 17 March 2012 at 8:16pm | IP Logged | ||
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Welcome to the forum, @Linguaphile94!
The English-speaking world is diverse. Exposure to many different accents is essential if you want to be able to understand native English wherever you go in the Anglophone world. Australians, Kiwis, Scots, Irish, Caribbean Islanders, South Africans, and Canadians all have distinct accents. The variation in accents in the US is not as great as the UK but is still quite diverse. In England, the accent seems to change every few miles! In short, yes, by all means try to expose yourself to as many different major English-speaking accents as possible if you want to be able to understand the diversity of the English-speaking world. The UK has about 60 million people and the US has about 350 million people and dominates English language media- films, music and television- regardless of personal likes or dislikes, that is a fact. You should become familiar with it. If you want to sound like an Englishman in your accent in English, go for it, cultivate it, but you should try to be at least familiar with other accents in English in order to fully take advantage of what's on offer in the most widely dispersed major language on the planet. Americans who concentrate on the Mexican accent in Spanish are sometimes quite surprised when confronted with Iberian, Caribbean or Rioplatense (Argentine/Uruguayan) Spanish. All that is necessary is exposure to different accents to become familiar with them. I speak Spanish with a Caribbean English accent, English with an American Upper South accent and Portuguese with a Paulista accent- but I am familiar with most English-speaking accents, most Spanish-speaking accents and am getting familiar with Lusophone accents. Edited by iguanamon on 17 March 2012 at 9:42pm 2 persons have voted this message useful | |||
| Javi Senior Member Spain Joined 6009 days ago 419 posts - 548 votes Speaks: Spanish* | Message 3 of 8 17 March 2012 at 10:12pm | IP Logged | ||
British TV never runs out, and I actually prefer TV series to films when it comes to language learning: You hear more dialogues, you get used to the characters voices and accents, plots, etc. For example: BBC Channel4 If you are not in the UK at the moment you will need to set up a VPN connection in order to get a British IP. There are a lot of good-quality and affordable VPN providers these days. About being exposed to a wide variety of accents, I think that's a matter of opinion. I suppose it depends on how British you want to sound, something you didn't mention. Unlike native speakers, as a language learner, the accents you hear the most have a great influence in the way you speak. 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| Linguaphile94 Newbie ItalyRegistered users can see my Skype Name Joined 4666 days ago 11 posts - 12 votes Speaks: English | Message 4 of 8 18 March 2012 at 9:25am | IP Logged | ||
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Ok, I think I'll mainly concentrate on British stuff in order to "develop" my British
accent, the one I like the most, and I'll watch other countries' films so that I can enhance my knowledge and be able to understand English speaking people who aren't from England. Thank you, you were hugely helpful! 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| dampingwire Bilingual Triglot Senior Member United Kingdom Joined 4693 days ago 1185 posts - 1513 votes Speaks: English*, Italian*, French Studies: Japanese | Message 5 of 8 18 March 2012 at 2:20pm | IP Logged | ||
Unless you mean RP, there's no real "British" accent. There are quite pronounced regional variations in the UK. The speech patterns in London and Manchester are quite different for example (compare "Eastenders" and "Coronation Street"). Scouse (Liverpool), Geordie (Newcastle) and Glaswegian will probably seem quite impenetrable at first. British films don't seem to "tone down" the accents much so there should be plenty of scope for hearing a wide variety ("Lock, Stock ..." even has subtitles at one point I think:-)) 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| fiziwig Senior Member United States Joined 4893 days ago 297 posts - 618 votes Speaks: English* Studies: Spanish | Message 6 of 8 18 March 2012 at 6:45pm | IP Logged | ||
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I go with variety of input. I'm learning Spanish and I watch films from all over the Spanish-speaking world. I think it's important for me to be able to understand all varieties of Spanish, just like it's important (IMHO) to understand all varieties of English.
As for what accent you speak with, I believe that's less important. Pick the most "neutral" accent and stick with that ad you will be understood. In other words, don't go for Cockney or Texas or Bengali-flavored English. You are not likely to fool anyone into thinking you are a native, so just accept the fact that you will speak with the accent of your native language. That's perfectly OK. You can be fluent without sounding native. And in English, there is really no such thing as speaking without an accent. (Unless you're American, of course. We Americans are the only ones who speak English with no accent. ;-) 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| napoleon Tetraglot Senior Member India Joined 5044 days ago 543 posts - 874 votes Speaks: Bengali*, English, Hindi, Urdu Studies: French, Arabic (Written) | Message 7 of 8 18 March 2012 at 10:59pm | IP Logged | ||
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If you really want to acquire an RP accent, you may be interested in a series of books published by the Cambridge University Press. I believe that its called 'English Pronunciation in Use.'
There are three titles in the series: Basic, Intermediate, and Advanced. The books start at the very basics, and go on to the advanced stuff like rhythm and intonation. They also give you a basic exposure to the various accents of English from around the world that you are most likely to encounter:both native and non-native. It even teaches the International Phonetic Alphabet. There is also an excellent 'English Pronouncing Dictionary' by Daniel Jones. The current edition lists both the RP and the General American pronunciation of a given word in IPA. An accompanying CD contains the corresponding recorded audio for each entry. 'Acting with an Accent:Standard British' by David Allan Stern is also a pretty good resource. Mr. Stern is an accent specialist. (He coaches movie stars LOL.) Its an audio-only course, for the most-part, but its pretty good. That being said, a neutral accent is probably the best and (IMHO) the safest option for non-native students of English. IMHO, grammar, vocabulary and comprehension are far more important than a 'fancy' accent. :D But thats just me. If you want RP, then go for it. Best of luck. May you sound like Brian Sewel!!! LOL :D 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| napoleon Tetraglot Senior Member India Joined 5044 days ago 543 posts - 874 votes Speaks: Bengali*, English, Hindi, Urdu Studies: French, Arabic (Written) | Message 8 of 8 18 March 2012 at 11:20pm | IP Logged | ||
Texan and Cockney I can understand but when did Bengalis, in general, become as proficient as native speakers of English??? :p On a more serious note though, I cannot agree enough. The most important thing is communication. If an (exotic) accent hinders communication, it is a handicap. For a non-native, adding an unnecessary handicap to ones existing list of handicaps isn't probably the wisest course of action. :) Edited by napoleon on 19 March 2012 at 7:42am 1 person has voted this message useful |
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