When you learn a new language, one of the first things you’ll be introduced to is that language’s pronunciation. It’s easy to let the sounds of your native language influence the way you pronounce the new language. However, resisting that temptation early is key to achieving perfect pronunciation in your target language.
Pronunciation is a central part of speaking any language, and it requires the same amount of practice that you would dedicate to reading, writing, or listening. The good news is that you can exercise multiple aspects of a language simultaneously! All it takes is planning out a few steps to create a structured study plan.
Table of Contents
How to improve pronunciation
Improving your pronunciation goes hand in hand with listening to native speakers talk in the language you’re learning. If you practice active listening (i.e., think critically about how someone says something), your pronunciation will improve naturally over time. Think of this process in five steps:
- Listen to native speakers in real-life scenarios.
- Repeat words you hear.
- Get regular feedback on your pronunciation from language experts.
- Combine reading practice with speaking practice by reading out loud.
- Practice, practice, practice.
By following these five steps consistently, you’ll learn how to speak your new language like a local.
5 steps to perfecting pronunciation in any language
Every language is different, but the approach to perfecting your pronunciation in any given language is the same no matter what you’re learning. Integrate these five steps into your study regimen to improve efficiently and effectively.
1. Listen to native speakers
The first step is to hear the word pronounced correctly. As you learn a new language, it’s especially important to make sure that you’re listening to native speakers. When you hear the words as a local would say them, it trains your brain to articulate them that way as well.
This is also one of the best ways to familiarize yourself with the differences between a language’s accent vs. dialect types. Unless you seek out these variations, it can be difficult to find resources for language learners that use anything other than the “standard” form of the language. Consider these different dialects:
- English: American English vs. British English.
- Spanish: Caribbean Spanish vs. Castilian Spanish.
- German: Hochdeutsch (high German) dialects vs. Niederdeutsch (low German) dialects.
The variations in pronunciation found within a language’s various dialects is where listening to native speakers will really pay off. For example, say you intend to learn English to work in the United States. While the language might be the same, the pronunciation of a word might change depending on what part of the country you’re in. For example:
- pecan: “pi-KAHN” in Standard English, “PEE-kan” in Northeast accents
- caramel: “KAR-uh-muhl” in Southern and East Coast accents, “KAHR-muhl” in Midwest and West Coast accents
- car: “kahr” in Standard English, “kah” in a Bostonian accent
Being aware of differences in pronunciation based on accents and dialects will help you identify cultural nuances and keep language learning interesting.
2. Echo what you hear
After you hear the correct pronunciation, the next step is to replicate it. This doesn’t have to be complicated. Just think of yourself as a parrot determined to copy everything it hears.
Start simple with vocabulary. Find a bilingual dictionary in your target language that includes pronunciation audio files. For example, SpanishDictionary.com is a good option if you’re learning Spanish. If you look up the dictionary entry for “hello” (or hola in Spanish), you have options to listen to the correct pronunciation for the Spanish spoken in Latin America and Spain.
As you build your vocabulary in any language, find out what its correct pronunciation is alongside its translation in your native language. When you’re ready, try repeating entire sentences. You can do this in a few different ways:
- If you use an app or other program that comes with audio (like the Rosetta Stone App), play the recording and then echo it.
- Work with a native speaker (like a tutor) who can say phrases for you to repeat.
- Learn the lyrics to music in your target language. If you drive a car on your commute, singing along is a great way to pass the time and practice pronunciation at the same time.
It’s natural to feel self conscious as you work out how to pronounce a new language. Seek out a quiet place for you to practice speaking where no one can hear you if that makes you more comfortable.
3. Get feedback
Feedback is a crucial step to improve anything. Not only will you get to hear what you’re doing well, but it’ll also help you nip bad habits in the bud. You have two main options for getting feedback on your pronunciation: speech recognition technology or a language expert.
Speech recognition technology
Speech recognition technology is an easy way to get immediate feedback while you’re studying by yourself. Some language learning programs have their own integrated technology that grades you automatically, such as Rosetta Stone’s TruAccent pronunciation tool.
You can also use your phone’s built-in keyboard. Instead of typing in your target language, use the speech-to-text feature. If it accurately transcribes what you say into a written message, then your pronunciation is accurate (or at least passable).
However, speech recognition technology has the drawback of overlooking small errors, which can lead to you developing pronunciation that’s slightly incorrect. That’s where a language expert has the advantage.
A language expert
A language expert can give you feedback almost as quickly with the additional benefit of offering you actionable tips to fix any errors. This can be essential when dealing with words that have identical or near-identical spellings but different pronunciations.
For instance, it might take someone learning English a minute (“MIN-it”) to detect minute (“mahy-NOOT”) differences in pronunciation, but a native speaker can offer an explanation where speech recognition technology usually can’t.
4. Read out loud
Once you’ve been exposed to correct pronunciation and received feedback on your ability to replicate it, it’s time to combine pronunciation practice with the rest of your language learning.
Reading out loud in your target language starts with understanding the writing system (or systems) that language uses. If it’s different from the writing system used in your native language, you’ll have to find out how to learn a new alphabet. If you’ve already familiarized yourself with the correct pronunciation of each unit of sound (or “phoneme”), you’re halfway to mastering a new alphabet.
By reading content in your target language out loud, you’re accomplishing multiple language learning goals:
- Slowing down to allow yourself to read out loud prevents you from skimming content.
- By ensuring you read every word, you strengthen your reading comprehension.
- You can identify vocabulary or grammar structures you don’t know, which will prompt you to look them up.
- By doing all of the above, you’re reinforcing your pronunciation skills as you build other skills.
5. Practice your pronunciation often
Pronunciation practice never ends. Think about the last time you found out you were pronouncing something incorrectly in your native language, or had to look up the word in the dictionary to be sure. There’s always something new to learn, so keep an open mind.
To continue perfecting your pronunciation skills, add listening or speaking practice to your language studies whenever you can. It doesn’t have to be boring or monotonous either! Try out some of these creative ways to learn how to form the sounds in your target language correctly:
- Try to learn a language by watching TV. Just make sure the audio is in your target language (subtitles optional).
- Listen to language learning podcasts. Even podcasts that aren’t completely in your target language can offer insight into accurate pronunciation.
- Satisfy your inner movie critic by adding the best foreign language films to your “watch later” list.
- Challenge yourself to smoothly repeat hard tongue twisters.
- Make new friends! A language exchange partner can offer language immersion, friendship, and accountability all at once.
Key takeaways about perfect pronunciation in any language
Achieving perfect pronunciation in your target language won’t happen overnight, but you can hone your skills faster the more you practice. Even if it’s as simple as reading out loud or watching a show with subtitles as you listen to the native accents of the actors, every little bit counts. Apply these key takeaways to your regular language practice to accelerate your learning:
- Speak out loud and often in your target language.
- Listen to native speakers talk and repeat what you hear.
- Get feedback on your pronunciation, whether it’s through speech recognition technology or a language partner.
- Stay positive and keep practicing!
0 Commentaires