Japanese students learned words in highschool, on a word-by-word basis. Each word is pronounced the same as the dictionary version.
In real native North American speech, however, there are several differences from that bookish English. Here are some major differences:
1)
R should sound like U. <i>"Iki wo tomenaide."</i> It shouldn't sound like L or D.
The difference between R and U is, R is pronounced with your teeth clenched.
So, the words Fresh and Friend, RE should sound like the Japanese word UE (meaning UP).
In the word FROM, RO should sound like UO (the Japanese word for fish).
2)
<i> R no mae no boin ha, A ja nai nara, hatsuon shinai.</i> A vowel that appears before an R is not pronounced, unless the vowel is an A.
So, CAR sounds like CAR, but Narrator sounds like Narratrrrr and Personal Computer sounds like Prrrsonal Computrrrrr.
3)
T and Y become CH. So, "What you want" is pronounced "whatchya want".
4)
Final consonants are silent or become mere breath-stops. So, AROUND AND OF ABOUT WALKING become AROUN' AN' O' ABOU'. WALKIN'.
Could have, would have, should have = coulda woulda shoulda.
5) Initial vowels disappear. So, AROUND AND ABOUT become 'ROUN', 'N", 'BOU'.
6) In Japanese, all syllables are pronounced exactly as they're written. However, unimportant words are simply unsaid. In English, some words are simply unimportant, but are said anyway. If the word wouldn't be said in a Japanese sentence, then the word will be pronounced in a muffled way in English.
In a muffled word, the vowel becomes a brief SCHWA SOUND and T's become D's or disappear entirely.
Similarly, only the stressed syllable of a word is pronounced clearly. The other syllables disappear or are muffled.
So, "I'm a Canadian" is actually pronounced "@m @ C@nady@i@n."
Twenty Thirty Forty sounds more like Twenny, Thirdy, Fordy.
I and MY become A and MA, unless they're of particular importance in the sentence.
7) Similar sounds connect. Therefore,
going to = gonna / Got to = gotta / That's a = thassa / What is a = whassa
YOU is shortened to y' yi' or ya :
Y'all = you all / y'comin' = are you coming ? / Didja = did you
9) O sounds are pronounced like a romaji A, and sometimes vice-versa:
Office Copier = Affis CApier
Walk = Wok
Not = nat
Hot = Hat
10) True A sounds are somewhere between a Romaji A and a Romaji E:
Apple / Hat / and
11) central syllables are sometimes unpronounced:
Interesting = intrestin'
Passionately = passh'netly
12) The first word of a sentence, if it's predictable, is unpronounced.
This is particularly true for "IS / Are / DO" in questions, and for pronouns.
"Do you have a girlfriend" = "(you) Have a girlfriend ?"
"Is she old ?" = "She old ?"
"Are you coming "" = "(You) comin' ?"
"I'm Canadian" = " 'M canadian."
"HOw about you ?" = "You ?"
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These keys should be an interesting introduction to REAL native Canadian/American pronunciation. Let me know if it helps.