Englishuser  +  287884 Tue, 31 Oct 06 03:26 PM Hello, Most people who speak English as a Second/Foreign language have a 'foreign accent', for instance, a Japanese person speaking English is likely to have a Japanese accent, and so on. My question to you is: can you as learners of English hear the foreigness/non-nativeness in your accent? Naturally English speakers who have studied foreign languages are more than welcome to express their views on the subject as well. Englishuser Englishuser Joined on Thu, Mar 30 2006 Regular Member 717 Accents, Speak English, Speaking English

	Francesca  +  287957 Tue, 31 Oct 06 09:00 PM I have a clear italian accent, of course! Francesca Joined on Tue, Oct 11 2005 Contributing Member 1,786

	Englishuser  +  287962 Tue, 31 Oct 06 09:28 PM Hi Francesca, Do you know what there is in your accent in English that is Italian? Do you know what to do should you wish to reduce your Italian accent and sound more British or American, for instance? Englishuser Englishuser Accents

	Annvan  +  287973 Tue, 31 Oct 06 10:35 PM I'm pretty fluent in Dutch, but I know I also have a pretty strong English accent - this is made obvious to me by the embarrassed reactions of my children, as well as the frequent comments by all these honest Dutch folk around me. However, I don't hear it myself simply because when I'm speaking - I'm busy speaking - rather than listening to myself. (This may be a blessing in diguise; hearing my accent would probably make me too self-conscious to even attempt to speak.) Of course, if I were to hear a recording of my Dutch, I think I'd be the first to cringe in embarrassment! Annvan Joined on Mon, Sep 4 2006 The Philippines Regular Member 618 Accents

	Francesca  +  287974 Tue, 31 Oct 06 10:35 PM The intonation for sure! Then I pronounce some words in an italian way....the only thing I could do for improving should be going abroad I guess Francesca Accents, Intonations

	Cool Breeze  +  288171 Wed, 01 Nov 06 10:54 AM Hi Englishuser You have developed a liking for accents, haven't you? Absolutely no offence meant. I do have a slight Finnish accent when I speak English. I like it that way; I don't want to change it. I am not British or American, why should I sound British or American? Some people might take me for a Brit or an American, and I wouldn't like it. It has actually happened a few times, but after people talk to me for some time they realise I am a 'foreigner'. Cheers CB Cool Breeze Joined on Fri, Apr 7 2006 Senior Member 3,970 "I hope you'll all live to be 150 years old - and the last voice you hear is mine!" Frank Sinatra on stage in Oslo, Norway, 28 September 1991 Accents, Speak English

	Englishuser  +  288181 Wed, 01 Nov 06 11:53 AM Hi Francesca, You wrote: the only thing I could do for improving should be going abroad I guess I disagree. You don't need to go abroad just to change your accent. All you have to do is to study the phonetics of your target language. Englishuser Englishuser Accents, Phonetics

	Englishuser  +  288182 Wed, 01 Nov 06 11:56 AM Hi Cool Breeze, You have developed a liking for accents, haven't you? Yes. What could possibly be more fascinating and intriguing than the study of accents from a phonological as well as sociolinguistic point of view? I do have a slight Finnish accent when I speak English. Do you really call an accent that no one could place as Finnish a Finnish accent? Shouldn't we rather speak of a 'mixed accent'? Englishuser Englishuser Accents, Speak English

	Cool Breeze  +  288212 Wed, 01 Nov 06 01:23 PM  Englishuser wrote: Do you really call an accent that no one could place as Finnish a Finnish accent? Shouldn't we rather speak of a 'mixed accent'? Englishuser Hi Englishuser 'Mixed accent' is fine with me. I'm not that interested in terms. Perhaps a 'nonnative accent' would be fine as well. How would you describe your accent? I don't think you are a native speaker of English. Cheers CB Cool Breeze Accents