Disckstuckinfan
Member
- Joined
- Mar 18, 2019
- Member Type
- Student or Learner
- Native Language
- Spanish
- Home Country
- Spain
- Current Location
- United States
It is vanishingly unlikely that you will ever sound like a native speaker, Dickstuckinfan.
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Yes! Being able to mimic an accent is not a talent we all have. Some can do it, but most can't. And there's nothing wrong with having an accent that tells people where you're from.It is vanishingly unlikely that you will ever sound like a native speaker, Dickstuckinfan.
Even if you do manage to reduce your accent, you will always have a Spanish accent so don't worry about it. What you should aim for is clear and effective pronunciation. You don't need to try to adopt the features of an American accent to do that.
Yup! That's why it's a good question.Learners should strive for an accent which does not impede understanding. Beyond that, I agree that vocabulary and grammar are more important, but it never hurts to continue improving your accent.
Learners should strive for an accent which does not impede understanding. .
And speaking of vocabulary, I think you mean review or critique.
Let's not discourage our students unduly.
If I have offended you, jutfrank, please accept my sincere apology. I must try to be more careful in how I express my views.
That's true! I have an old friend whose first language is German. But I never knew that until she asked me to explain a word or phrase I'd used. She's a classical pianist with a good ear, and her American English, like her piano playing, is pitch perfect.Having a near-native accent can actually make communication more difficult. It gives an impression of fluency that your command of the language may not merit. . . .
Thank you all for your suggestions and responses.
I know it is practically impossible to develop an American accent at my age (18). My goal is not to sound like a native English speaker because it will take years of practice, besides, as I grow older it will only get tougher. The aim is to improve my intonation and pronounce words aptly. Fortunately, I'm living in the US and being surrounded by native English speakers might help me to achieve this. I will also exercise shadowing to sound a bit more natural when I speak.