My English Accent and Pronunciation (Spanish)

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Luka Nieto

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Hi everyone,

I'm new around here, but I came hoping to get some feedback about my pronunciation in English. And I'm greatly interested in my accent, too.

This might be unorthodox, but I actually recorded myself babling in English, so that you can hear me and help me with this matter. First I thought about uploading an audio file, but it was much easier to do it on Youtube, so there you go:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yl-CcKn20sc

Thank you for listening. So, what do you think? As I explain in the video and in its description, I watch a lot of TV series in English (for example, Lost) and I translate in my free time and for other stuff, but my pronunciation is not so good, and my accent is not very clear. So I'd greatly appreciate some help.

How is my pronunciation? Is my accent more British, American or otherwise? The rest, I explain it on the video itself.

Thank you for your attention. Please, please, give me some feedback, either on the video or right here ;-)
 

Over the top

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Your accent is very comprehensible I am not a native speaker by the way. Your accent is very good I only noticed something wrong with your S's but generally it's really good and I can understand you. If only I can speak like you :) and about American or British I don't know actually you do not have a recognisable accent but maybe more American. Have you ever been in an English-speaking country?
 

Luka Nieto

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I've been both to New York and London, but it doesn't really matter. I was just a tourist for a week, so I didn't get to practise. A pity.

Anyway, I may upload another video, trying to pronounce better.
 

MASM

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Here is the video response, talking about the feedback I got. I think I improve a little in this one:

YouTube - My English Accent an Pronunciation (Spanish) II - Feedback


I think you had a great idea recording those videos and that you were very brave!. I could understand you fairly well so I'd encourage you to carry on!. Try to vocalize a bit more and don't look so sad, you're doing a great job!

As you can see I'm also Spanish, and I don't think there's anything wrong with sound Spaniard as you say, as you long as you can be understood. Effective communication is the final goal, do not forget that!
 

bds51

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Hello Luca,
Based on both videos: your accent is neither British nor American nor is it closer to one than the other. You have a typical Spanish accent and as long as you speak clearly, your accent is not important. Re pronunciation from a North American perspective: you use a light L, your final 's' are all sss, have = half, improve = improof, just = yust, and notice = nawtice. englishniche.com
 

Raymott

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Here is the video response, talking about the feedback I got. I think I improve a little in this one:

YouTube - My English Accent an Pronunciation (Spanish) II - Feedback
Yes, you do improve in the second one. In the first, you didn't open your mouth enough - you tended to mumble. Good articulation will make you even more understandable (some people who are a bit deaf rely on lipreading for some cues, and this can help even people with good hearing). I think this is what MASM means when she says to vocalise a bit more.
 

MASM

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Yes, you do improve in the second one. In the first, you didn't open your mouth enough - you tended to mumble. Good articulation will make you even more understandable (some people who are a bit deaf rely on lipreading for some cues, and this can help even people with good hearing). I think this is what MASM means when she says to vocalise a bit more.

I think I might hire you as my interpreter (if you are available) since I don't seem to be able to make myself understood :-D. Thank you again Raymott:up:
 

Raymott

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I think I might hire you as my interpreter (if you are available) since I don't seem to be able to make myself understood :-D. Thank you again Raymott:up:
I was more agreeing with you, rather than interpreting you. :)
 

Luka Nieto

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Thank you all, you're very helpful and polite. I expected more bashing and less helping, but I was terribly wrong: your advices are all great, specially the ones to "chin up" and try to improve.

I may do another one of these, after all, following the things you people said :)
 

ishana

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Hi everyone,

I'm new around here, but I came hoping to get some feedback about my pronunciation in English. And I'm greatly interested in my accent, too.

This might be unorthodox, but I actually recorded myself babling in English, so that you can hear me and help me with this matter. First I thought about uploading an audio file, but it was much easier to do it on Youtube, so there you go:

YouTube - My English Accent and Pronunciation (Spanish)

Thank you for listening. So, what do you think? As I explain in the video and in its description, I watch a lot of TV series in English (for example, Lost) and I translate in my free time and for other stuff, but my pronunciation is not so good, and my accent is not very clear. So I'd greatly appreciate some help.

How is my pronunciation? Is my accent more British, American or otherwise? The rest, I explain it on the video itself.

Thank you for your attention. Please, please, give me some feedback, either on the video or right here ;-)
Hello luka,
I have the same problem. I'm using Oxford talking dictionary to improve word pronunciation. there are many English talking dictionary.I think you may try.All the best.
 

BobK

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Here is the video response, talking about the feedback I got. I think I improve a little in this one:

YouTube - My English Accent an Pronunciation (Spanish) II - Feedback

I'm afraid my PC is 'having one of its turns' (=behaving oddly), so I can't hear your video. I can see it though.

OTT said there was 'something wrong with your S's'. I imagine a more useful way to put this is that there's something Spanish about them. The Spanish s is typically (in Castilian) pronounced with the tip of the tongue; the technical word is 'apical' - but don't go around saying you've got an apical s because only students of linguistics will understand you. ;-)

If you want to change this, slide your tongue very slightly forward. But be careful: a lot of Spanish speakers do this, and take it to far, producing a /θ/. Just rock the tongue, so that instead of a | it makes a \; that is, the angle between the tip of the tongue and the back of the gum is less acute.

But, as others have said, accent is something that doesn't matter unless it interferes with communication.

b
 

tejjyid

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Apr 13, 2010
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Just one point on pronunciation in general - up to a point it's true that it doesn't matter so long as people can understand you, but that's an oversimplification.

Firstly, this "test" has the problem that when you "fail", it is pretty much impossible to do anything about it immediately. You maximise the probability of not "failing" by minimising your accent as much as possible.

A corollary of this is that accents cause non-native speakers much greater difficulty than native speakers; so the more globally you want your English to be understood, the less accent you should aim for.

Secondly, a large part of the world is not as tolerant as those of us posting here. Accent is something about which people make judgements - OK, maybe they shouldn't, but it's pretty much subconscious, so it's going to keep happening. BUT, the good news is that if you have very little to no accent, as anon-native speaker, your prestige will be great & people will generally be very positively impressed.

Everything n language learning depends on your goals - but I would say, keep working on the accent.

If you want one simple tip, pick an actor whose voice you like, and copy that voice. Accent-modification is mainly an exercise in accurate listening.

Luck!

The videos are a great idea.
 

iZicci

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You accent is the typical spanish one. Between the english and the american, I could say that you are closer to the brittish.
Good anyway, I understood everything so just a little bit more practice and that's it.
Success
 

Luka Nieto

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Mar 31, 2010
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Student or Learner
Thank y'all! Especially BobK; I'm already improving my s sounds.

It's been a long time, but I just came back to thank you folks and tell you I uploaded... yet another video! Yes, I know. I talk about the australian accent, which I love, and I ask for some tips:

YouTube - My accent and the Australian Accent
 
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