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Etymon
Advanced Member
United States
2385 Posts |
 Posted - 03 December 2008 : 08:44:33
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I wrote a short app for an Italian friend for him to learn how to imitate an American English dialect. The app is pretty basic in its word selections but it is fun for him to use. It does not use a database, so some word sounds and patterns are not available. I still have a few perks to add.
http://www.lawrunfarms.com/sound.asp
Can anyone also suggest some good PC software for this sort of thing for this friend.
Cheers,
Etymon
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AnonJr
Moderator
United States
5768 Posts |
Posted - 03 December 2008 : 09:01:58
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| Skype and a good friend on this side of the pond?< |
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Etymon
Advanced Member
United States
2385 Posts |
Posted - 03 December 2008 : 09:05:34
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LOL! There you go!
Well, the reason I asked is because my friend was using me as a sounding board to hear my dialect and then he was trying to mimic it. He was getting frustrated trying to get it perfect while I was waiting/watching.
While I observed him, I thought it might be easier for him if he had an audio interface to practice with instead of a live person. My friend is very polite, and I think he thought he was bothering me. That's what prompted that app. I'm just curious if there is something in addition that might help him. I don't mind helping my friend with my live presence, but he seemed to really appreciate the audio app. It may be something by which he learns well. I hope there are some additional options out there for him.
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Edited by - Etymon on 03 December 2008 09:09:01 |
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Shaggy
Support Moderator
Ireland
6780 Posts |
Posted - 03 December 2008 : 09:12:20
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How thick is his own accent?
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“I was having a mildly paranoid day, mostly due to the
fact that the mad priest lady from over the river had
taken to nailing weasels to my front door again.” |
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Etymon
Advanced Member
United States
2385 Posts |
Posted - 03 December 2008 : 09:24:14
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Really thick ... to me anyway.
He is in his 50's, and he said that he was raised in Southern Italy. His upbringing was at a time when there was not a uniform dialect and it seemed that back then there were different languages spoken in the factions around him. I didn't really understand the history part other than he said that even his own dialect in his own country causes him trouble in his native language.
He tends to end his words with a soft a, and he makes the short sound of the letter i sound like the long sound of the letter e. I understand his grammar for the most part, but his English dialect is obviously overshadowed by his native dialect.
When I tried to mimic him, I could feel the difference in the shape of my mouth, but I really didn't know how to communicate to him how to shape his tongue and position those things. It seemed that if he heard it and figured out a way to practice it that maybe that would help.
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Shaggy
Support Moderator
Ireland
6780 Posts |
Posted - 03 December 2008 : 09:32:03
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He may find it easier to work on a neutral English accent first and then transition to an American one.
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Search is your friend
“I was having a mildly paranoid day, mostly due to the
fact that the mad priest lady from over the river had
taken to nailing weasels to my front door again.” |
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TSAloha
Junior Member
USA
151 Posts |
Posted - 03 December 2008 : 11:02:59
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| Can use a spoon for forming a tongue or proper pronounciation. XXXX years back, my friend with phd in linguistics/phonetics from Columbia University, had a patent in Japan with a spoon shaped item for an assistive tool to teach Japanese high school students to learn proper English pronounciation. It worked miracle for those local students who never been abroad or interfaced directly with native English speaking people - some graduates of his method won an English debate with American students in Japan and praised as speaking much better English (American) than nativing American college students studing in Japan... ;-) (oh, I wasn't one of these Japanese students. I have a heavy accent.)< |
Edited by - TSAloha on 03 December 2008 11:25:34 |
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SiSL
Average Member
Turkey
671 Posts |
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Etymon
Advanced Member
United States
2385 Posts |
Posted - 03 December 2008 : 14:55:11
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quote:
Originally posted by TSAloha
Can use a spoon for forming a tongue or proper pronounciation.
Is there a way you can get in contact with that friend? That sounds like a good idea. Thanks!< |
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TSAloha
Junior Member
USA
151 Posts |
Posted - 03 December 2008 : 17:03:05
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Sorry Etymon, lost contact with David. He was starting up a business in CA 20 years ago....
Anyway, what you may need:
1. A hand held mirror - to see how your mouth is formed for a particular pronounciation
2. A large size dinner spoon - to use upside down on a tongue
3. A cross section view of a tongue for particular vowel pronounciation/or consonant - such as there is no "th" in Japanese nor distinction between "l" and "r"... This info should be somewhere on an internet.
4. Perhaps to have a Sound of Music CD or something like that with clear/crisp English (US) to listen and use as a reference - select a song and practice repeatedly... and if you can record your own voice, then, will be good to check.
There are some tools/language kits available on web for this type things for practicing pronounciation of a foreign language.
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Etymon
Advanced Member
United States
2385 Posts |
Posted - 03 December 2008 : 19:54:04
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| Thanks TSAloha! I'll pass this information along to my friend in Italy!< |
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Topic |
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Hearing an American (USA) English dialect
