How can a person speaking English as a second language obtain perfect American english pronunciation?

Question

Anything you can recommend how they can lose their accent?

Answer 1

I don't think their is one American English pronunciation. People in the South pronounce things differently from people in the North, who pronounce things differently in the West, etc. Which part of the US do you want to sound like you are a native of? When you figure that out, you will probably have to immerse your self in that culture and practice, practice, practice. Watch TV, listen to the radio, buy books on tape and practice. You may even be able to hire a voice coach.

Answer 2

It depends on the native language of the person and whether or not they were exposed to spoken English when they were growing up.
For example: With some languages, (Spanish, Italian, Russia, Japanese, etc) the letter 'R', for instance, is pronounced by rolling the tongue against the roof of the mouth. Persons speaking these languages have a hard time forming the 'R' with their lips as we do with American English. Also, Spanish has no silent vowels. All of their vowels sound the same whereas English has at least five different ways to say just the letter 'A', separately or in combination with other letters.
With languages such as French or German, they pronounce the letter 'R' almost like gargling in the throat. They have a hard time learning to shape 'R' with their lips. French has about seven ways to say the letter 'A', separately or in combination with other letters.
The younger a person is the easier it is to learn how to reshape words that you pronounce. If a person wants to lose their accent, they should listen to recordings of persons speaking in the manner that they want to speak and copy them. There are different ways to speak English depending on the region of this country that you learned to speak. Practice, practice, practice.

Answer 3

As you hang out with english-speaking people and start to speak the language more oftern, you're more likely to loose your accent. But accent won't be gone completely. It'll just lightened up. It might sound like a perfect English, but if you listen carefully, there will be some differences between Native speakers and second-language speakers.

How to lose an accent? Well, hang out more with Native speakers, eventually, you'll pick up they way they're speaking.

Answer 4

Listen to quality material, music, listen to cnn, hang out with people who speak English. As to perfect American english pronunciation there is no such thing, it varies according to the region, the only American Standard is what you get with cnn, the midwest accent, which is kind of neutral and all broadcasters have to learn it no matter where they come from. As long as you get your message across without glaring mistakes you should do just fine.

Answer 5

My grandfather was a German immigrant. When he died he sounded like he'd never been outside Brooklyn in his life! I admit that's a LONG way from perfect American English pronunciation... Acclimatization is the key. Practice speech as you might hear on TV or the radio (as long as it's not from Brooklyn). ALso, don't worry about having a small accent, as long as your grammar is good.

Answer 6

Is there such a thing as a "perfect American" English pronunciation!!!?

As I see it, anyone from Texas, anyone from Mississippi or anyone from New York or Washington have a perfect American English pronunciation.Yet, their pronunciations are quite different, are they not?

Answer 7

Eek! That person should no lose their culture! That person should take pride in their past, and try to master both languages. Perfect pronunciation is much different than losing an accent. Please, don't fall prey to those who beg that you assimilate completely to American society.

Answer 8

Avoid hanging out with your fellow countrymen and instead stick to native speakers. Use your tongue, lips and mouth "well" while speaking (i.e. don't mumble). Articulate your thoughts. Reading out loud can be helpful as well. Find someone, a friend, and ask him/her to correct you whenever you say something incorrectly.

I am not a native English speaker, but thanks to the above ideas, no one can really tell I was born outside of North America :) My father on the hand hung out with non-natives, eventhough they weren't from the same culture and country as we were. He still can't pronounce things correctly simply because his friends couldn't speak English either.

Answer 9

Get two old black and white English Navy movies (where they wear the red uniform and head-dress). Repeat lines from the movies as closely as you can while watching from time to time. Even though the patterns' seem to deviate from today's mannerisms, they will tune you in to the separable speech pattern also intrinsic in modern English.

Answer 10

YOU CAN'T LOSE AN ACCENT!!!!!
If you could many ppl from the south would be gratful you will always have the accent but you can learn to speak prefectly with practice.