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say it is a very slight accent, I feel bad about it. ..after all, I am teaching English as second language now and I feel bad if I mispronounce a word...is there something I can do?

2006-12-12 15:06:45 · 16 answers · asked by kathy k 2 in Education & Reference Teaching

16 answers

There are nothing wrong with accents. Just like there is no such thing as an "American accent." Americans have different accents. We have Minnesotan/Dakotan accents; New England accents; Country accents; Hillbilly accents; Cajun accents...etc.

Accents add character. I'd keep your bit of accent. You speak the language...that's the point. You learned it. Your students will have an accent regardless if you have one or not.

Keep your past with you.

Best of luck.
Ashley.

2006-12-12 15:16:14 · answer #1 · answered by muertoalavida 2 · 1 0

There's nothing wrong with an accent -- everybody has one, even native speakers. You really need to focus on the clarity of your speech -- how clear it is and how well people understand you. If people understand you well, don't worry about it because it's not important. If people are having problems understanding you because of your pronunciation, then can you find a way to get conversation practice with a native speaker/s? Also, you can review the correct lip, tongue and jaw positions for consonant and vowel sounds in the texts you have. Using those mouth positions correctly helps minimize pronunciation problems. The best thing that English language teachers can do is learn to not be uptight about accents. There isn't one that's better than others. Clarity is important; accents aren't.

2006-12-12 16:12:42 · answer #2 · answered by buffy s 2 · 0 0

If English is not your first language and you learned it after the age of ten, your accent is most likely more influenced by your first language than that of your teacher. A speech pathologist would be your best bet if you want to change your accent. I know that there are classes here in Vancouver, Canada that train actors to sound more American so that they can audition for movie roles at American studio companies.
I also think that an accent is nothing to be concerned about. Native speakers use a variety of accents, so unless you want to be a news broadcaster, it is not essential to change it.

2006-12-12 18:41:26 · answer #3 · answered by xayuq 3 · 0 0

A decade ago to learn English, you had to attend costly English classes or purchase course material like tapes and books. Now you can learn English for free from the comfort of your home using the Internet. The BBC and the British Council offer a number of on line courses, which teach written and spoken English. You can also improve your English by watching television programs and reading English newspapers. For more information, visit http://tinyurl.com/qnzpt

2006-12-15 10:55:09 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0 0

If you can hold a dialogue with a native speaker of English and the person can understand you well, then there is nothing to worry about. It is strong accent that makes comprehension difficult that usually poses a problem .Otherwise be unique and enjoy your accent.

2006-12-12 15:37:57 · answer #5 · answered by Sooty 3 · 0 0

i think of you will discover this works any opposite direction around too - i think human beings might discover that non-English audio gadget who discovered their English from a British instructor may appear British. What maximum people who study English finally end up with is a mix of their very own accessory and the accessory of their instructor. Being British, you do no longer detect the British element yet, for you, an American element stands proud like a sore thumb!

2016-10-05 06:08:57 · answer #6 · answered by bugenhagen 4 · 0 0

First get hold of a good phonetic book try to understand how to pronounce the vowel sounds and the consonant sounds then go through the intonations if you want you can hear CNN or BBC news as it suits your job for a British,U.S accent.

2006-12-14 17:20:22 · answer #7 · answered by john r 2 · 0 0

I worked at an ESL school last year and some of our best teachers were non-native speakers with accents. Embrace it! You still probably speak the language better than the average native speaker.

2006-12-13 03:46:43 · answer #8 · answered by hotdoggiegirl 5 · 0 1

Ever wonder how accent expose English is our creator's new universal language that was change with time from the original Hebrew in planet of apes?
How living human kind living in misery took for granted that English belongs to the British when their own accent were different from everyone else in planet of apes.
Wonder who were making a monkey out of themselves with self lack of knowledge in planet of apes?
Surprisingly everyone with self prides in mastering ghostly kitchen's dialect from the graveyards in making a monkey out of themselves in planet of apes.

2006-12-13 00:15:00 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0 0

Your accent is very good, be proud of it. Different English speaking countries has different accents which presents their beauty and uniqueness. Be proud of your accent as I wish you the best.

2006-12-12 15:10:52 · answer #10 · answered by Melody 3 · 0 0

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