Imitation of Pronunciation

[Silva]

Since I learned English, it never troubled me to deal with my pronunciation. Until one day I was in my conversation class at the beginning of that semester, I found out that my pronunciation became so bad that I felt everything was wrong. I did try to find out the reason after class. It was a funny thing, and it never occurred to me that one day I had to face this problem because I was always so confident about my pronunciation. Then, after searching myself for mistakes, I finally figured out why my pronunciation went wrong─ I had been not listening to English songs and radio channels for a long time during the vacation. Every time I listened, I unconsciously imitated what I heard. After I found out the reason, I tried to get back to the way to train my pronunciation. Fortunately, I now pronounce well again, and I learn a lesson through this experience. Of course, not everyone pronounce well like me do through imitation, but I just want to share this experience with you. Maybe someone who has pronunciation problem can do well in pronunciation after trying my way. For my part, imitation is really a good way to pronounce well.

[janie]

Indeed, it's effictive to immerse in the whole English enironment to correct the pronounciation. We say the basic element to speak authentic English would be the pronounciation. But for those who can articulate well do really good at speaking English? It is supposed to include intonation. However, I've heard a lot of children blabber out flent English without accent. But it is hard for us to immitate like that. Are there anyone could provide good ways for adults to speak pure English?

[TerryHo]

I'm an English major. Waht you have mentioned about is also something occuring to me,now. Obviously, I'm not as smart as you are. You've come up with the answer of imitating. It's really a good idea because by imitating you speak English ,and futhurnore, you are also able to train your listening comprehension. Combine these two, I believe that your English ability will get progress. [/code]

[wjserson]

I know a guy who came to Ottawa to take EFL classes. His teacher told him to find a "model" to immitate. She told him that from now until he masters his English, he should always speak like the model he chooses. Unfortunately, he decided to immitate Casey Casum (the most famous radio host in N.America, in history maybe) and took his teacher's advice way too far.

I'd ask him what time he wanted to pick him up to go see a movie and he'd respond with rising intonation "PICK ME UP! in your AUTOMOBILE! and DOWN TO THE MOVIE we GO!" ; )

[cosette]

Dear Syvia~~~
That is right that we can correct our pronunciation through imitation. And I have the same experience with you. After my first summer vacation in college life, I met my foreign teacher in the campus. I had much to say to her but my poor pronuciation stopped me. My tounge did not work at all and I was embarrassed. I told the truth to my teacher that I didn't hear english and speak English during the summer vacation and also I said sorry to her. She told me that she had the same experience that when she was back to Taiwan from Canada, she could not speak fluent Chinese, too. She comforted me; however, this experience still impressed me a lot. I know that as an English major, I cannot stop speaking English and imitating the way a native speaker pronounces.
I have wrote something in the elementary education forum. please have a look at it if you got some time.

[Fannie]

When I first time learned English, my teacher taught me the 26 letters of alphabet and the phonetic alphabet. I followed the teacher's pronunciation and observed carefully her shape of the mouth, such as short vowels, consonant, and a long vowel. Therefore, it occurred to me that the first impression on every word is the phonetic alphabet. However, sometimes it is easy for me to put the stress on the wrong way. Maybe your "Imitation of Pronunciation" provides me a good way to pronounce. I will try it.

[hweichin]

since we aren't native speakers, this is very helpful for pronunciation by listening music and seeing movies, especially for people who love them. there are always stories in the lyric and drama, which also let us to know the proper word in that situation, and memorize them easily. we can use the same way for any other languages, like Japanese. English and Japanese songs, magazines, and dramas are very popular here.