Getting the vocabulary and pronunciation right isn’t the only challenge faced by language learners. Whether you’re learning a second language or your child is looking to boost their language skills, making a few tweaks to emulate a native speaker is recommended.
Whilst language learners may never sound like real native speakers – getting a grasp of all the accents a country has is an impossible feat! Improving an accent can help the speaker be better understood.
Adopting a foreign accent becomes even more essential when putting newfound skills to use in the country of the language’s origin.
Here we reveal the tips and tricks that will improve the foreign accent no-end, whatever language you or your child wish to learn.
Relish the challenge
The importance of an accent shouldn’t be underestimated. As well as helping people, including native speakers better understand, adopting a foreign accent boosts confidence.
Budding language learners can, after all, be tentative about taking language lessons outside, with fears of mispronunciation and having to repeat themselves common.
An accent and a few well-practiced phrases help learners avoid the confusion that can so easily knock confidence.
Each foreign language presents its own challenges when working on the accent. Here Betty Birner from the Linguistic Society of America (LSA) reveals the accent and pronunciation issues that could be encountered when studying German:
“German speakers learning English, for example, are likely to have trouble with the sounds found at the beginning of the words wish and this, because those sounds don't exist in German. So they may pronounce them instead as v and z - similar sounds that do occur in German.
On the other hand, the German words schöne ('beautiful') and müde ('tired') contain vowel sounds that don't exist in English - so native English speakers learning German tend to pronounce these words with an 'English accent'.”
Work on those listening skills
Listening to the target language is a great place to begin when developing an authentic foreign accent. Learning an accent is only possible when interacting with and listening carefully to native speakers.
Listen closely, don’t be afraid to repeat phrases and, more importantly, take your time. Note not just the sounds but the rhythm used. Break down the distinct sounds when listening and repeating.
It is important to acknowledge that learning a foreign language takes time, and that means lots of listening. As well as regular interactions with native speakers, watch films, and TV shows, and listen to podcasts and music in the target language to increase exposure and familiarity. Play these while cooking, showering, exercising, working, and washing-up. It’s the most beneficial background noise.
Being surrounded by a new language constantly will enhance the accent, even if there’s no or limited contact with native speakers.
Get feedback from native speakers
Partnering with native speakers, whether it’s in person or over the phone, is a vital source of feedback, so don’t be afraid to ask for it.
Look for clarity on words and phrases that aren’t so easy to understand, and work on improving together.
Asking for input from native speakers is easy. Practice sessions can even be uploaded to Reddit community JudgeMyAccent for tips on how to improve.
With a lot of practice, persistence, and a few pointers from native speakers, the trickiest of foreign accents can be mastered.
Embrace complete immersion
Complete immersion into a new language and associated foreign accent is easy with a homestay or language exchange.
Homestays and language exchanges unlock language learning and cultural discovery as well as provide unlimited access to native speakers. The homestay or language exchange host will be a source of learning, practice and improvement.
They’ll provide you or your child with the support they need to master a foreign accent in no time at all.
Discover more ways to immerse into a new language right here.
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