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Thoughts From A Future Pilot

Vanhallo

Vanhallo

Sweden

October 17, 2007

Hello. To begin with I have to say that I'm not English myself. Actaully that makes me more suitable to talk about this than if I had been English really. I'll explain why later. I'll try to write down some general advices in how you could sound more English. 

I have studied English for eight years and I have always had an ability to sound as if I actually come from the countries whos language I'm studying. I have studied English (obviuosly), French, German and some brief Chinese. I am by no means good at any of those languages (except maybe English) but since I do have the ability to sound authentic I still get top grades in them. For example in French I only just managed thru barely in my opinion. My vocabularly was very limited and in knowledge I deserved maybe an average grade but I still got top grades. In other words I was able to fool the teacher that I was good at french by just sounding as if I were from France. Unfair grades perhaps? But honestly if you got top grades and knew you deserved less, would you argue with your teacher about it? I think not. This is not really a natural talent I believe, I just have some special techniques that enables me to sound as a native speaker.

Enough of the bullshit. In order to sound English you really need to get the correct accent. If you nail the pronunciations it will be good too but that's not what makes you sound as if you were from England. I can pronounce an English word perfectly well with a Swedish accent (I'm from Sweden by the way, nice to meet you), just as you probably could do with your own accent. First things first. Choose an accent. You could for example chose a british, american, canadian or australian accent. I have involuntary chosen the american accent since there are so many american movies and tv-shows on Swedish television. The american accent is also kind of easy to adapt to. I just have to say that I do love the british accent but I'm to lazy to change now.

Once you have chosen the accent try find and listen to a native speaker and then try to imitate that person. If you doesn't have the opportunity to meet up with a native speaker, television is a good alternative. Atleast it is in Sweden since we do not dub any movies or shows. There must be someway you can get the opportunity to listen to an English accent. Use your imagination. Once you now know how it sounds like and you have tried to imitate it I have a little exercise that I find useful. Speak on your own language with the accent you discovered!!! Then you can say the same sentence both with your native accent and your newly discovered English accent in order to compare. If you do that you will eventually learn how your mouth is shaping the words differently depending on which accent you use.

When you have the accent you will automatically be able to pronunciate the most words corretly. In other words you will get a lot of things for free when nailing the accent (not everything though).

So that's it. You now know how to sound English.

No. Sorry it isn't as easy as that. Although I reckon that this is something most people could learn, you really have to practice alot.

The reason I said that I perhaps was more suitable of talking about the subject than a true English person is that a true English person is raised with the accent from the beginning. He/she never needed to adapt in the first place.

If you by some reason completely disagree or think that this is complete rubbish then please ignore it and forget all about it. There's no need for rude comments although if you have some more tips on this subject then please share.

Have a great day!

06:54 AM Nov 23 2007

kathy_lily

kathy_lily
China

Hi,thank you for your kind and useful advice on learning english ,expecially in practising oral english.what I want to tell you is that I am exactly in a high opinion in your words.

Indeed,as to a foreigner,speaking a foreign language as standard as a native speaker is really  difficult,but I think the first  and best way is to find a correct learning method.Thank you again for sharing this nice bread with us and I will follow this way to practise my oral english.Wish me good luck!LaughingI think I will get it done well!

02:55 AM Oct 17 2007

gaggot

gaggot
Thailand

Thanks for your good trip on learn English when I read your story so I think that you are very active. and you are very good practise English too, I hope that I will good writing and speaking English like you soon.Wink

bye, have a good day

gaggot

October 15, 2007

The title says it all.

Sometimes I'm so ashamed of being a guy. The only thing that's going on in a guys head is: girls girls boobs kinky sex.............................................................

I do sometimes spend some time in the chat room and it's always the same thing. In the main chat every five minuts (atleast) there's a guy saying something like this: "Girls wanna chat with me", "Any girls wanna go private". I think you get the idea. I'm so deadly tired of this. Since they obviously aren't, I feel very ashamed for them every single time.

 I have no idea what those type of guys are telling the girls in the private chat but I have my suspections. If there are any girls out there reading this could you tell me how on earh you put out with it/us?

 I am very aware that there will be some guys that'll think I'm an idiot and that this is non of my business. I don't care!!! I'm so tired of this pathetic behaviour. I stand for my opinion and nothing you say could brake me down since I know I'm right. (there are a few good guys as well, if you are one of them then don't take this to your heart)

01:20 PM Oct 24 2007

sweet_babe@28
Kenya

 You are very correct......! It sucks so much to go to chat rooms may be you want to get a good decent friend, for I believe there chat rooms are for friends finding.. But the first thing a guy asks you is whether you have a big ass or big boobs or if you wanna see him on cam masturbating! And stuff like that! Its too pathetic! I hate it so much and I would wish if you guys out there reading this please try to convince your fellow guys to try and behave decently for once because its pathetic to be this way! Anyway enjoy yourselves guys in the right way!

07:19 PM Oct 16 2007

sherryleio

sherryleio
China

It's pretty interesting to read this blog. I was first attracted by things you wrote in your profile, such a guy with so much passion for the airplane, then I got to read this "guys are assholes!" so maybe I need to say something here.

You know what? when I first came to chat room using one female nickname, tons of private messages popped up all of a sudden....some might be polite, like "care to chat" "hi there", some messages were totally gross, like "are you horny?", some were even more than that. I was totally freaked out, to be honest. But gradually I knew how to handle this, I would ask for a clean chat, or something like that...Sometimes flirting is good when you do that with someone who is smart and has a good sense of humour, but it is kind hard for me to carry on conversation with someone who is a total stranger to me on this kind of special stuff.

But I do not adjudge the guys, maybe they need them, they have decent families, and they have decent jobs, maybe they have some not so decent likings and they can get something by talking to girls, it is only talking, they think it is not a cheating-on or something like that. Actually, women do the same things.  So maybe everyone has something not so bright inside, and if it does not hurt anyone, then...let it be. So lots of porn sites in the world, and you can imagine there must be so many ppl have been visiting these sites, otherwise they have gone broke already! I am not among the visitors, as I do not like that stuff, but the world is full of ppl with different tastes and different experience. So you might be getting lots of guys against you by posting GUYS ARE ASSHOLES! ;-) but hey we at least have freedom of speaking.

Have a good day, you sound a nice guy, and wish you can make your dream come true SOON.

Sherry from China

04:16 AM Oct 16 2007

Jessica zhang
China

hey , have a great day!

10:57 PM Oct 15 2007

Vanhallo

Vanhallo
Sweden

Why would I write something like this just for fun? I don't think this is funny. Do you?

Maybe I exaggerate a little bit but I know I'm right and so do you. Because this is not a question about opinions it's just simple facts.

I do respect your opinion and this is my answer and I also appreciate you for taking time to read and comment.

Have a great day.

03:38 PM Oct 15 2007

farzady
Iran, Islamic Republic Of

hey man whats wrong with you? it's the reality of life.

respectfully i think you just wrote this for the sake of fun.

at due time you will be like these guys since you rae a guy too . but I percently agree with you guys are assholes.

October 14, 2007

Internet is a very useful tool. I have only recently realised how good it actually is although I have always been aware of it's capacity. With the Internet you can achieve almost anything. Here's a relatively short list of the Internets many qualities:

* You can become famous thru for example youtube, myspace and metacafe with others.

* You can earn money. There are several ways to do so.If you want to learn more about this specific quality just "google" it.

* There is basically no limit at all when it comes to resources. If you are good at searching the Internet you probably could find an answer to every tiny little question.

* It makes it possible to get in touch with people all over the world. Your friend network is no longer limited within your own country.

* You can learn almost anything. There are millions of online tutorials and "how to"s. If I for example want to learn how to play the guitar without leaving my home I could probably find some good websites or videos on for example youtube. Real world guitar teachers become somewhat overated. 

Now that was my thoughts for today. Now off to bed. Good night!

09:18 AM Oct 15 2007

progression
Turkey

Internet is the greatest resource in terms of accessibility of knowledge... But not many people know how to use it effectively... At least this is my observation in turkey. Ppl usually use internet to get rid of backward social restrictions (paradoxically they are never against such backward norms and institutions). This is true especially when it comes to so-called "friendship" sites. As the backwardness deprives women of involving in public space, men are raiding on friendship sites (or any kind of website, even an online-game site!!!) in hope of finding a partner or only to give vent to their sexuality...

I want a revolution... Robespierre!!! Wake up!! :)

02:43 AM Oct 15 2007

Vanhallo

Vanhallo
Sweden

 Yes I have a very good method to protect you eyes or health in general. Do not sit in front of the computer all day long. Or atleast take brakes after one hour straight. Cheers mate!

11:20 PM Oct 14 2007

Lynettebyc

Lynettebyc
China

Yeah, i agree

it doesn't sound good to speng so much time seeing the screen. do you have any good methods to protect the eyes?