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As was outlined in the introduction, existence of an accent
can be explained by the fact that some English sounds do not exist in your
native language, and your speech organs are not trained for them. Therefore
these sounds may represent a particular difficulty in pronunciation. Below we
list speakers of world languages and their particular difficulties. Main
world language Arabic Key
countries where it is spoken Algeria,
Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia, others Particularly
difficult English sounds [3:] Recommendations Avoid
aspirated trilled [r] Articulation
exercises, particularly fricative consonants; give enough time to every
syllable; connect sounds together [01. [8], [rl China,
Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore Chinese Czech and Czech [w], (kw]. [r]. Do
not lengthen Slovak Republic, [6+8], («], HI vowels in second Slovakia unstressed syllables. Avoid
using [a:] for [aej Particularly difficult English
sounds Key countries where it is spoken [r], [s], [91, [8], [ao] Holland,
S. Africa Dutch Iran Afghanistan Pakistan [61, [ft], [w],
[v], [ae] Avoid adding [e] before [s] Farsi [r].[i:|,[j], II [w],
[r],
[ae], [au], [v], [s], [z] Avoid
nasalisation of vowels when followed by In] or [g]. Anglicise words of French
origin Be
careful with voiced vs. unvoiced consonants French France,
Canada German Austria Germany Switzerland Id3],
It/] Greek Greece Hungarian Hungary [r], [w], [0], [ft], [au] Italian Italy [r], [9], [ft], [t], [d], lateral p losion Care needed on unstressed syllables and unpronounced letters Japanese Japan [I], [r], [9], [ft], [3],
[t], [dl, laol. [3:1. [s], [z] Give enough time for each syllable Korean Malay Mongolian
Nigerian Norwegian Polish Portuguese Key countries where it is spoken Korea Indonesia
Malaysia Mongolia Nigeria Norway Poland Portugal,
Brazil Particularly
difficult English sounds M,
[f], [p], [b], [I], [r], [61.
[5], [z] [au], [xl [3:1. tel. [01, [8], IJI-
[3] iji.m. [d3n3] [rl. [9+81, [a], [a], [3:], [v] [d3l,[kwl,
[61. [8] [I], [r], [w], [01. [8] [d3l, [3]. [t/1. [01. [8], [wl. [se] Articulation exercises Avoid over- pronouncing syllable
clusters Avoid nasalization of vowels before
final [n] + [m] Work on voiced consonants Articulate
endings, particularly endings spelt as
V'; avoid nasalization of vowels when
followed by [m], [n] Avoid
shortening long vowels, diphthongs, over-pronouncing consonants Particularly difficult English
sounds [w], [1], laul lx\ Key countries where it is spoken Russia, CIS countries Russian [r],
[I],
[ae]. [e]. [0+8], [w] Avoid
de-voicing final voiced consonants Serbo-
Croatian Balkan
countries South
Asian Languages India Pakistan Bangladesh Nepal [r], [w], [ae]. [au] Need to weaken the [r] sound [b],
[v], [w], [h], [j], [r],
[z] Be sure to give full value to endings of words, and
pronounce final consonants Spanish Spain
Latin America Swahili Long and short vowels Tanzania Kenya Uganda Zaire Swedish Sweden [w], [d3], [s], [zl Turkish Turkey [6], [81, [r] Work on voiced
consonants Avoid over- pronouncing consonants |
