Saturday, November 23, 2013

Developing Better Pronunciation In English

By Angela Briggs


Some people may wonder why it is important to learn better pronunciation in English. After all in recent times people have become more accepting of regional accents. However there are a number of instances where learning how to communicate more clearly can be beneficial.

There are always practical benefits to learning how to say words in a more formal way. For example while you may speak in a certain way with your friends you may not necessarily want to speak this way if you are going to a job interview and you want to impress the interviewer. This does not mean having to hide an accent but simply making sure that you can be properly understood.

This is why it can help to learn how to pronounce words more clearly. In more formal scenarios such as giving a speech or a job interview this can also be important. You could be telling a very funny joke or giving the most intelligent interview answer but if the person listening cannot understand it then they will not understand or get the punchline.

Another thing to do is to check how a word is pronounced. There are numerous websites where you can find how to pronounce words. Over time you should then practise how you say the words. Over time this will then be a lot easier to say it in a clear way so that people can understand it. If you have trouble with certain words note what they are and focus on them as much as possible. It is often easier after you have dealt with the words you have problems with!

Broadly speaking the way you pronounce consonants in American and British styles of speech are pretty much the same. The main difference is that an r or a t will be pronounced differently after a vowel is spoken and the British style tends to use a larger range of vowel sounds.

Another way is to consider the kinds of films, television shows and so on that you like. Watching something that you like is often useful as you are more likely to watch them a number of times. Comedy sketches are a good example as they tend to be memorable and you are more likely to be able to quote them.

Another way to do this is to find things that you like as you are more likely to engage with it. Watch movies you like, listen to your favourite podcasts or comedy sketches. Comedy sketches are especially useful for this as they tend to only be a couple of minutes long and if they are funny enough they tend to stay in your head anyway and therefore learning those words are a bit easier.

In short there are both formal and informal ways to learn better pronunciation in English. This does not mean you cannot speak in your natural accent and nor is it about the right or wrong way to speak. However clearer communication can be useful and it is worth developing these skills to give you another way to help you communicate in more formal situations and avoid unnecessary embarrassment and frustration. Look online to find courses, video tutorials and other ways to help you pronounce words clearer in English.




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