Pronunciation and Presentation

 

Instructor: Andrew Peterson

 

 

 

Diagnostic Passage

If English is not your native language, people may have noticed that you come from another country because of your "foreign accent." Why do people usually have an accent when they speak  a second language? Several theories address this issue. Many people believe that only children can learn a second language without an accent, but applied linguists have reported cases of older individuals who have mastered  a second language without an accent. Another common belief is that your first language influences your pronunciation in a second language. Most native speakers of English can, for example, recognize people from France by their French accents. They may also be able to identify Spanish or Arabic speakers over the telephone, just by listening carefully to their pronunciation. Does this mean that accents can't be changed? Not at all! But old habits won't change without a lot of hard work, will they? In the end, the path to learning to speak a second language without an accent appears to be a combination of hard work, a good ear, and a strong desire to sound like a native speaker. You also need accurate information about the English sound system and lots of exposure to the spoken language. Will you manage to make progress, or will or just give up? Only time will tell, I'm afraid. Good luck, and don't forget to work hard?