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Accent Training: It’s Not Just What You Say, But How You Say It
Accent Reduction Blog | Accent Neutralization Blog
It’s easy to see how the language we speak can influence our perspective. For example, the Chinese word for ‘tragedy’ conveys not just a sense of disaster, but also the idea of opportunity. In other words, good can occur out of bad situations. While many people in the West may agree, this particular view is not implicit by definition.
In this month’s issue of Scientific American, Lera Boroditsky takes the connection between language and thinking one step further. In her article, How Language Shapes Thought, Boroditsky gives numerous examples where the words we use not only affects what we think, but how we think. In other words, word choice determines the way we process information. That’s new…and her examples are nothing short of fascinating!
For example, an experiment was conducted whereby people from a variety of language backgrounds were asked to find their way out of an unfamiliar building. Which language speakers did the best? An Aboriginal community in Australia who speak a language called Kuuk Thaayorre. Rather than using spatial terms like ‘left’ and ‘right’, they talk in terms of absolute cardinal directions; “the pen is southwest of the paper” or “Sue is sitting north of John” for example. Boroditzky cites that speakers of Kuuk Thaayorre ability to keep track of spatial locations are “better than scientists thought humans ever could.”
As it turns out, language use seems to affect nearly every area of cognition, from spatial recognition to memory to color identification to the ability to learn mathematics. We used to believe that thinking shapes language. But cross-linguistic differences clearly demonstrate that language shapes thinking. What does this mean for the adult learner? How we process and use new information depends on what, and how, we speak.
This has a profound impact on ‘best practices’ for ESL speakers and students of English pronunciation. As we know, a simple ‘listen and repeat’ methodology doesn’t work. And while requiring students to look at visual cues is important, this is merely a piece of accent training. Verbal explanations of what to do with the tongue, teeth, lips, and jaw are what completes the picture. Why? Because as socio-linguists tell us: “there may not be a lot of adult human thinking where language does not play a role.”
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How to pronounce the last 's' sound...
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Unfortunately the original audio player used is no longer available so please do click on the new link below to hear the recording:
If you would like to find out how you could speak with a British accent then watch the videos about my British accent training course. Follow the link to get more information about the accent course and view the videos: BRITISH ACCENT TRAINING
How to say Karaoke in RP British Accent
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Unfortunately the original audio player used is no longer available .
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Are you learning English? Would you like to speak it with a British accent? If you would like to learn the correct British Accent (RP) pronunciation of English then get your copy of my Ultimate RP British Accent training course
Do you say Haitch or Aitch
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Unfortunately the original audio player I used has been discontinued and no longer available.
Please do click on the new link below to listen to the recording:
Click to hear AITCH OR HAITCH
Are you learning English? Do you think it would sound better if you spoke it with a British accent rather than your native accent? You can learn to speak English with a British accent quickly and effectively - find out here about the British Accent Course
How To Say Finite, Suicide and Formidable
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Unfortunately the original audio player has been discontinued and no longer available. Please do click on the new link and listen to the audio recording:
I hope you enjoy all these audio and video pronunciation practice clips. Would you like more help with your accent? Would you like to learn to pronounce all the sounds that make up the British accent correctly? If so get your copy of the Ultimate RP British Accent Learning Resource.
How do you pronounce Fall?
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Sadly the original audio player I used to play the audio file has been discontinued and no longer available. Please click on the new link below to hear the recording:
Are you looking for a course that can teach you to speak with a British Accent? If so, take a look at my Ultimate RP British Accent Learning Resource. Available as a digital download or you can access all the material online by signing up to the Private Members Site.
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