Why do people speak second languages with an accent?

Question

Is it more a matter of the person not being able to pronounce the language correctly, or not being willing to pronounce it correctly?

Answer 1

I speak English with an accent, but it was one of my secondary languages. However, I was taught Russian and Ossetian at home when I was young, and I speak both as a native because I spoke them all of the time and they are somewhat similar. I also speak Polish quite accentlessly although I haven't studied it as long as some of the other languages I learned such as English.

My mother was an English teacher, and she learned English for many years before she studied at an American university. She taught my sisters and I English when we were very young still. I could carry on a fairly deep conversation in English by the time I was about 12. It took me a while to become accustomed to the accent because English is so different, but I can now speak it without too strong of an accent...although it certainly is noticeable.

I know that I still have an accent when I speak English, but I do try very hard to assimilate. I am assuming that most foreigners are like me and want to fit in; I know that I would just love to be able to speak English without an accent just like almost everyone else.

When I speak with someone, sometimes I feel like all that they are thinking about is that I am some crazy Russian man who came here because he wanted to escape his one-eyed mule named Igor and his cheek-pinching babushka who won't leave him alone about getting married. (Yes, I know the stereotypes associated with my culture, and I know that many people probably think of those stereotypes upon hearing my voice.) No one likes to be singled out for being different like that; I am always wishing and trying to lose that accent. So, I think it's more of a matter of not being able to pronounce certain things properly...not a lack of willingness to do so.

Answer 2

People that speak a second language with an accent do so because they are not able to pronounce the language correctly. This is because the prononciation or enunciation they have in their language may greatly differ than the second language. You may want to pronounce things correctly but the old habbits die hard.

Answer 3

People speak their native language with an accent. A person gets used to saying certain letter combinations in a particular way.

Then when they occur in the second language its easy to say it the way you are used to , which may be wrong.

With enough attention and practise you can learn to change and pronounce things correctly.

With english as a second language you canoften tell what part of the USA the teacher was from by listening to the students talk.

Answer 4

That's because every area has their own accent, even in the same country which speaks the same language. For someone who speaks a second language with an accent, that's because the speaker has his/her own mother tongue's accent. In the case of some, there are certain language which does not have a certain vowel or sound equivalent to the second language and so they make do with the nearest sound available.

Answer 5

its a matter of the tongue, to pronounce things a certain way we have to be able to make certain sounds and movements with our tongue.....

when people learn a language and speak for a good amount of their early life, the tongue gets used to those movements and regardless of how much they try, they usually wont be able to get rid of any sort of accent.....

so to answer your question is not a matter of not wanting to, its a matter of not being able to

Answer 6

I think it depends on how much u practice the second language. Me for example, I have enough trouble trying to put words together...I dont find time to mind about my accent...

Be patient

Answer 7

Because they do, just like if you would go to england you would pick up there accent after a few months. it happened to me now i cant get rid of it. lol