There are a few points that we would like to address in this article.
It’s a fact that the majority of English teachers are not language experts, they might excel in teaching English grammar and literature, but speaking is a different game and requires a different set of skills. As a result the majority of non-native English speakers learning the English language struggle with English pronunciation even if they are fluent in reading and writing in English. No surprise here, right?
Also please factor in that if you were learning English from a non-native English speaker or a native English speaker with a strong regional accent, you are likely to pick up a slightly different variation of English pronunciation, and not the standard English accent you often hear on the BBC.
The truth about learning any language and speaking like a native is all down to the techniques we use to produce the correct sound; without it you are technically just mimicking. In order to acquire the correct English pronunciation, we need to learn the techniques used to create the sound; such as tongue placement, mouth shape, intonation and how to put it all together etc. Think of it as learning the precision of David Beckham’s iconic freekick. If your aim is to improve your English pronunciation, you need to start by building a foundation.
The most common advice given to non-native English speakers who are looking to improve their English pronunciation is as follows;
Sadly, the above advice is usually given by individuals who do not have a thorough understanding of languages. It just simply doesn’t work. See the reasons below:
Consistency is key!
Learning English pronunciation requires consistency. It is another major reason why we have not invested in developing an app. Let’s be brutally honest here, how often would you open the app to learn and practise? Linking the sound and utilising the skill to articulate the words correctly requires more than logging in when you feel like it. The simple analogy we will use here is that why some people hire personal trainers in the gym but others who work out alone don’t see as much progress. They are using the same machines but the result is very different.
We get asked all the time that why don’t we have any YouTube channels or videos on Tiktok and Instagram. As mentioned above, there are already plenty of YouTube channels and videos on TikTok and Instagram. You might learn a thing or two but it is merely a marketing tool. To actually improve your pronunciation requires consistent adequate training before we can assist you to cultivate a British English accent.
Conclusion
At Speech Etiquette we want results for our clients. We want to invest in our clients and not interactive videos. We know how difficult English pronunciation is and there’s no short cut to magically get you to speak like the Queen of England. Rome wasn’t built in a day either. Have you watched the British movie, The King’s Speech? If not, we highly recommend it!
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