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 Wed Jul 18, 2007 7:56 am Do you like to imitate accents? |
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| Jamie (K) wrote: | Is there a foreign accent you particularly like to imitate in your language? For some reason, I think imitating the Hindi accent is the most fun, but I am also good at German, French and Russian accents.
One of my friends is an American whose mother's family is from Syria. If he tries to imitate a Mexican accent, it sounds like an Arab. If he tries to imitate a Russian, it sounds like an Arab. If he tries to imitate a Jamaican, it sounds like an Arab. However, when he tries to imitate an Arab, it sounds like an Arab.
I once knew a German who could do a classic imitation of Dutch people speaking English, but for some reason I can't imitate a Dutch accent.
Once I heard a famous Mexican actor imitate what Americans sound like to Mexicans who can't understand English, and it was hilarious. |
When I teach English I tell my students to imitate English accent as much as it's possible. I always imitate the accent of the people I speak to. I think it's a good idea to imitate accents while learning languages. |
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Harry Smiith
I'm here quite often ;-)
Joined: 15 Jul 2007
Posts: 112
Location: Moscow, Russia
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| Wed Jul 18, 2007 11:59 am Do you like to imitate accents? |
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| Harry Smiith wrote: | | When I teach English I tell my students to imitate English accent as much as it's possible. I always imitate the accent of the people I speak to. I think it's a good idea to imitate accents while learning languages. |
When I go to Canada, I can't help picking up a Canadian accent within two minutes of my first conversation with a local. I always think the Canadians will imagine I'm making fun of them, but they never notice anything. |
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Jamie (K)
I'm a Communicator ;-)
Joined: 24 Feb 2006
Posts: 3915
Location: Detroit, Michigan, USA
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| Wed Jul 18, 2007 15:24 pm Do you like to imitate accents? |
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- Italian (northern/Tuscan)
- English
- Scottish (Awi'm Wulliam Wullace; Sco'ish)
- French (I've just now gotten the French "r", according to my french-speaking co-worker)
- German (I ahm Hans. And I ahm Franz. Ahnd ve are here to pomp - you ahp. Jah.)
- Jamaican (this is fun)
- Yooper (Say jah to da UP, eh!)
The easiest for me to do is German, since I grew up in northern Wisconsin... where (for instance) "yes" is "jahhhh". Auf Deutsch, bitte!
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Billie Jean is not my lover. Hee. |
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prezbucky
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Joined: 07 Nov 2006
Posts: 1933
Location: Nashville, TN (USA)
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| Thu Jul 19, 2007 20:00 pm Do you like to imitate accents? |
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I suck at impersonation. When I start speaking English, at first I'm fooled into thinking that my accent is totally awesome, but then I tape what I'm uttering and play it back and ... I wish I'd never started recording my voice in the first place
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Alex
Sweet home Alabama
Where the skies are so blue
Sweet home Alabama
I'm comin' home to you |
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lost_soul
I'm a Communicator ;-)
Joined: 15 Sep 2006
Posts: 1539
Location: South Park, Colorado, USA
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| Fri Jul 20, 2007 17:25 pm Do you like to imitate accents? |
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I've heard that the American/Canadian "r" and the "schwa" can be hard to pick up for some foreign speakers.
Try these words if you have problems with the above phonemes:
R:
Run
Rick
Rich
Rally
Recover
Lover
Cover
Another
River
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Schwa: (uh)
Run
Sun
Fun
Bun
The (not "thee", but "thuh")
Mutt
But
Enough
Was
What
----
And this sentence:
The run along the river was really fun.
_________________
Billie Jean is not my lover. Hee. |
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prezbucky
I'm a Communicator ;-)
Joined: 07 Nov 2006
Posts: 1933
Location: Nashville, TN (USA)
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| Fri Jul 20, 2007 19:45 pm Do you like to imitate accents? |
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| The accents I'm best at are English in French and Spanish and French in English and Spanish. I also like imitating Canadian and Proven?al French as well as Argentinian and Mexican Spanish. French with a Swiss German accent also used to be one of my specialties. |
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Conchita
Moderator
Joined: 26 Dec 2005
Posts: 2702
Location: Madrid, Spain
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| Fri Jul 20, 2007 19:49 pm Do you like to imitate accents? |
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Hi, Prezbucky
Yes, you're absolutly right about that "r" sound. Russians have trouble with it - it's difficult for us to pick up on it
I think you got to witness our struggles in movies featuring russians speaking English. By that "r" consolant you can always tell a russian - it gives us away, even those who've been speaking English for quite a while
Thank you for your list 
_________________
Alex
Sweet home Alabama
Where the skies are so blue
Sweet home Alabama
I'm comin' home to you |
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lost_soul
I'm a Communicator ;-)
Joined: 15 Sep 2006
Posts: 1539
Location: South Park, Colorado, USA
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| Fri Jul 20, 2007 22:13 pm Do you like to imitate accents? |
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Hi prezbucky,
I don't think there is a schwa in any of these words: run, sun, fun, bun, mutt, enough, was, what.
All the best
EU |
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Englishuser
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Joined: 06 Jun 2006
Posts: 806
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| Fri Jul 20, 2007 23:24 pm Do you like to imitate accents? |
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| Englishuser wrote: | | I don't think there is a schwa in any of these words: run, sun, fun, bun, mutt, enough, was, what. |
These words all contain a mid lax central vowel, which is the vowel American children are taught to call a schwa. Technically, a schwa is shorter and weaker, but otherwise it's the same vowel. |
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Jamie (K)
I'm a Communicator ;-)
Joined: 24 Feb 2006
Posts: 3915
Location: Detroit, Michigan, USA
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| Fri Jul 20, 2007 23:34 pm Do you like to imitate accents? |
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Hi,
| Quote: | | Technically, a schwa is shorter and weaker |
Precisely. And this distinction is quite important, isn't it?
All the best
EU |
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Englishuser
I'm here quite often ;-)
Joined: 06 Jun 2006
Posts: 806
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| Fri Jul 20, 2007 23:38 pm Do you like to imitate accents? |
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| Englishuser wrote: | | Quote: | | Technically, a schwa is shorter and weaker |
Precisely. And this distinction is quite important, isn't it? |
No. |
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Jamie (K)
I'm a Communicator ;-)
Joined: 24 Feb 2006
Posts: 3915
Location: Detroit, Michigan, USA
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| Fri Jul 20, 2007 23:43 pm Do you like to imitate accents? |
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Hi,
Are you suggesting that it is totally irrelevant to know that the strut vowel /ʌ/ is pronounced differently compared to the schwa /ə/ ?
All the best
EU |
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Englishuser
I'm here quite often ;-)
Joined: 06 Jun 2006
Posts: 806
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| Sat Jul 21, 2007 0:56 am Do you like to imitate accents? |
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| Englishuser wrote: | | Are you suggesting that it is totally irrelevant to know that the strut vowel /ʌ/ is pronounced differently compared to the schwa /ə/ ? |
For native speakers, it's totally irrelevant. |
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Jamie (K)
I'm a Communicator ;-)
Joined: 24 Feb 2006
Posts: 3915
Location: Detroit, Michigan, USA
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| Sat Jul 21, 2007 8:40 am Do you like to imitate accents? |
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Hi,
Really? Native speakers don't need to study the sound system of their first language? Where does this put all our non-native speaker forum members?
All the best
EU |
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Englishuser
I'm here quite often ;-)
Joined: 06 Jun 2006
Posts: 806
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| Functional English | Job: Translating text from Russian into German? |
