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#2 (permalink) Fri Aug 22, 2008 16:28 pm Native speakers wanted! |
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hi Torsten
I am kind of interested but it is not clear form your link, what text, or am I missing something?
cheer stew.t. _________________ Please meet Stewart Tunncilff |
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Stew.t. I'm here quite often ;-)

Joined: 14 Dec 2006 Posts: 561 Location: Leipzig, Germany
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#3 (permalink) Fri Aug 22, 2008 21:07 pm Native speakers wanted! |
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Hi Stew,
Thanks a lot for your interest in recording our texts. The one I posted was just a paragraph you might want to record as a sample. The rest of the texts are here.
Let me know what you think. Regards, Torsten
TOEIC short conversations: Talking about being self-employed. |
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Torsten Learning Coach

Joined: 25 Sep 2003 Posts: 17788 Location: EU
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#4 (permalink) Fri Aug 29, 2008 15:12 pm Native speakers wanted! |
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Hi,
What do you make of this recording by Brandee Sweesy? I like a lot -- the only thing is that Brandee was using the integrated mic that came with her laptop. She is now trying to get a decent microphone from her local store and we hope the background noise will be gone. Unfortunately, the mic we discussed here is not available in the States. However, I'm quite sure she'll find something similar.
Please let me know what you think. Thanks, Torsten
TOEIC short conversations: Trying to reach a co-worker on the phone |
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Torsten Learning Coach

Joined: 25 Sep 2003 Posts: 17788 Location: EU
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#5 (permalink) Sat Aug 30, 2008 0:30 am Native speakers wanted! |
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Hi Torsten
Brandee has a nice, friendly voice and her accent is basically general American (though I thought I caught a touch of the South here and there).
She spoke clearly, but also seemed to be speaking much more slowly than normal. That's perhaps good for beginners and the sort of text she recorded. For higher level texts, I'd say she should speak at normal conversational speed.
One thing stuck out in this sentence:
Quote: | You probably remember that after he/she/it an «s» is added to the verb as in these examples: |
She got a little tangled up at the word "an" and seems to have not actually said the letter "s" at all. (Possibly the unusual quote marks around the "s" threw her off.)
As for background noise, to be honest, I didn't notice any at all. . _________________ "Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power." ~ Abraham Lincoln |
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Yankee I'm a Communicator ;-)

Joined: 16 Apr 2006 Posts: 8325 Location: USA
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#6 (permalink) Sat Aug 30, 2008 9:22 am Native speakers wanted! |
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Hi Torsten.
I'm interested. I have some audio recording software installed on my computer and I think they're good enough. How can I send you a clip?
*Edit: My bad, I didn't see the email address when I skimmed the page. Will record and email :) |
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Martino I'm new here and I like it ;-)

Joined: 29 Aug 2008 Posts: 17 Location: Manila, Philippines
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#7 (permalink) Sun Aug 31, 2008 10:20 am Native speakers wanted! |
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Hi guys
Would agree with Amy´s point concerning delivery of speech. But maybe Brandee was being considerate with her recording. But then that brings up the issue of something sounding forced versus being comprehensible for the level of the listener. An issue I often have with a lot of material. Maybe a balance of a slower speed for explanations and then a natural voice for dialogues or monologues is better. But I am still undecided on this.
Another point that came up when I recorded the text, the phrase "on the weekend" is not natural for a speaker of BrE. But this is a pretty complex issue, as the text needs to have uniformity. However will the learner assume that this form is BrE when listening to an Englishman like me? Something to consider. On the other hand the learner may see it purely as a learning tool for grammar and form. _________________ Please meet Stewart Tunncilff |
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Stew.t. I'm here quite often ;-)

Joined: 14 Dec 2006 Posts: 561 Location: Leipzig, Germany
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#8 (permalink) Sun Aug 31, 2008 16:40 pm Native speakers wanted! |
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Hi Stew
ESLers will have direct access to the texts, so if they have trouble understanding what they hear, they can choose to read along while they're listening. That's one reason I don't see much need for overly slow speech in the recordings here.
What I have found is that unnaturally slow speaking can give ESLers the wrong impression in a couple of ways.
- They attempt to always pronounce words just as they have heard them. When a recording is unnaturally slow, the words will of course be pronounced more clearly, but also tend to sound unconnected. Students often get frustrated that they cannot reproduce the sounds when they try to speak at a normal speed.
- If the recordings are to be used to help students with their listening skills, then extremely slow speech will not help them too much in the "real" world. They need to practice listening to and understanding what is natural, not what is artificial and non-existent.
- When a native speaker attempts to speak overly slowly, they may end up pronouncing certain words completely differently than what they would otherwise use in "normal" speech. An example of what I mean is Brandee's pronunciation of the indefinite article "a" in the sentence "What do you do for a living?" Although that pronunciation might be used in certain situations for emphasis, it is unlikely to be used in that sentence "in real life". . . Brandee, if you are reading along here, please don't misunderstand me. I liked your recording very much and think your recordings would be a great asset. My comments are intended as hopefully helpful input, and reflect the opinions I've formed after having taught ESL for a very long time. . _________________ "Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power." ~ Abraham Lincoln |
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Yankee I'm a Communicator ;-)

Joined: 16 Apr 2006 Posts: 8325 Location: USA
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#9 (permalink) Mon Sep 01, 2008 4:27 am Native speakers wanted! |
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Hi Amy
I agree with you that slowing speech down gives learners (or ESLers to coin your phrase :)) the wrong benchmark. However I would also say that I alter my delivery dependant on the function. If reciting a dialogue then I become more natural than in explanations in the classroom or on this section of recordings. I think this is normal, well as normal as a teacher´s trait can be.
There is some adjustment in my and other people´s speech dependant on function, don´t you think?
stew.t. _________________ Please meet Stewart Tunncilff |
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Stew.t. I'm here quite often ;-)

Joined: 14 Dec 2006 Posts: 561 Location: Leipzig, Germany
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#10 (permalink) Mon Sep 01, 2008 8:51 am Native speakers wanted! |
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Hi Stew,
You're right there. You only need to listen to my recordings here to hear the difference (I hope) :).
But Amy's points are quite valid as well - you need to find a good balance of intelligible speech and natural speed. _________________ Test of English as a Foreign Language TOEFL Preparation & TOEFL Vocabulary Learn more: How to Become an English Teacher |
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Ralf Language Coach

Joined: 20 Apr 2006 Posts: 1751 Location: the world
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#11 (permalink) Mon Sep 01, 2008 10:10 am Native speakers wanted! |
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Ralf wrote: | Hi Stew,
You're right there. You only need to listen to my recordings here to hear the difference (I hope) :).
But Amy's points are quite valid as well - you need to find a good balance of intelligible speech and natural speed. |
Should "natural speed" come out something like this, IYO?
I start wor_kat 9 o'clo_ckand fini_shat 5:30. Water boil_sat 100 degree_sCelsius. We usually visi_tour friend_son the weekend.
Should we hear the "linking"? |
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Molly I'm a Communicator ;-)
Joined: 12 Feb 2008 Posts: 4017
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#12 (permalink) Mon Sep 01, 2008 13:39 pm Native speakers wanted! |
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Hello everyone,
Thank you for all your feedback and support regarding our audio recording project. Stew and Martin have submitted their recording samples and it would be great to get your feedback on them too (sound quality, voice, intonation, pronunciation, etc.) You can listen to them here.
Regards, Torsten
TOEIC short conversations: Choosing the right seminars and workshops |
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Torsten Learning Coach

Joined: 25 Sep 2003 Posts: 17788 Location: EU
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#13 (permalink) Mon Sep 01, 2008 14:11 pm Native speakers wanted! |
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Hi,
I thought Stew delivered the introduction in such a way that it sounded interesting. So often information like this read out aloud can sound painfully boring but Stew avoided that trap.
Alan _________________ English as a Second Language You can read my ESL story Present Simple |
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Alan Co-founder

Joined: 27 Sep 2003 Posts: 17284 Location: UK
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#14 (permalink) Mon Sep 01, 2008 15:51 pm Native speakers wanted! |
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Hi,
The sound quality of all three clips can easily be improved by using software filters, but I think the only suitable recording (for learners) so far was Brandee's. I also think that Stew hasn't yet exploited his full auditory phonetics potential since I know for a fact that he doesn't usually mumble all that much :). _________________ Test of English as a Foreign Language TOEFL Preparation & TOEFL Vocabulary Learn more: How to Become an English Teacher |
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Ralf Language Coach

Joined: 20 Apr 2006 Posts: 1751 Location: the world
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#15 (permalink) Mon Sep 01, 2008 16:29 pm Native speakers wanted! |
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Hi
Thks Alan for your compliments, flattery gets you everywhere.
As for mumbling Ralf, care to point out the mumbling that causes incomprehension? You know my speech is not unaccented or clear as a bell, but I don´t fake a stronger accent for effect either. :shock: _________________ Please meet Stewart Tunncilff |
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Stew.t. I'm here quite often ;-)

Joined: 14 Dec 2006 Posts: 561 Location: Leipzig, Germany
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Anyone "Linkedin" | Crocodile Dundee was German |