Strange English speech

[Johnyxxx]

Hello,

Out of sheer curiosity, I would like to know what impression the speech of this Czech politician makes on a native speaker.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K13njP5RdXw&t=34s

Thank you.

 

[bhaisahab]

The impression it makes on me is of someone doing their best to speak English and doing a good job of it, in the sense that I understand everything he says, despite his strong accent. I don't find anything strange about it.

 

[GoesStation]

His accent is strong enough that I'm sure many listeners couldn't follow him. A couple of sentences are garbled enough that I doubt many listeners followed them.

He was brave to use English, but he would have been better understood if he'd used Czech and relied on a simultaneous interpreter.

I like the Czech phonetic subtitles, though they miss enough that they succeed in making him even harder to follow. I had to listen to TEKS HEJLNC three times before I realized he was saying "havens" (or HEJVNC).

His conclusion, We will win! Take it easy, but take it!​ is quite odd. Was he quoting something?

 

[Tdol]

It's OK for a short time, but I wouldn't want to listen to an hour-long speech.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

He knows English but speaks it with a purc Czech accent, making no attempt to imitate English pronunciations.

There's nothing wrong with that. The ability to mimic foreign accents isn't a talent everyone has. For example, most Britons and Americans can't imitate each other very well. (Even when we think they can.)

 

[GoesStation]

He knows English but speaks it with a purc Czech accent, making no attempt to imitate English pronunciations.

There's nothing wrong with that.

I don't agree. Learners should learn to speak with an accent that native speakers can understand. This speaker is barely comprehensible and would benefit from additional instruction.

Of course we don't know whether the speaker is trying to produce a decent accent. He may be the victim of a teacher who also had a terrible accent.

 

[alexpen]

...what impression the speech of this Czech politician makes on a native speaker.

I believe, native speakers of English hear so many curious accents that they would not pay that much attention.

At least, he is not trying to fake an accent without knowing how it really works.

 

[GoesStation]

I believe, native speakers of English hear so many curious accents that they would not pay that much attention.

At least, he is not trying to fake an accent without knowing how it really works.

The problem is that his pronunciation is so far from any native accent that many native speakers could not understand him.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

I believe, native speakers of English hear so many curious accents that they would not pay that much attention. . . .

Some native speakers enjoy hearing different accents. Others absolutely hate it. And many simply have a hard time understanding English spoken with unfamiliar accents - even if that accent is another native English speaker's.

That means that many native English speakers would not be able to understand what the Czech politician is saying - as GoesStation rightly points out.

 

[Tdol]

The problem with this speaker for me is his intonation- he changes the stress on some words so much that it requires a second to realise what the word was, by which time he has moved on. This can make comprehension a bit jumpy. It's not like a foreign accent simply colouring the words.

 

[alexpen]

The problem is that his pronunciation is so far from any native accent that many native speakers could not understand him.

I agree. I am almost sure his English is easier understood in non-English speaking countries: Germany, for instance