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- Practice Makes Better
It is often said that practice makes perfect. In the art of speaking and reading effectively it requires conscious and deliberate effort to perfect one’s skills. Experienced speakers who've ‘perfected’ their skills, still make mistakes, sometimes blatant and obvious ones. Thus, I stand to believe that it is more realistic to strive to get better and better in order to attain proficiency in a language. Until I have been proven wrong, I’ll replace the aforementioned expression; practice makes perfect - practice makes better!<o:p></o:p>
The more you practice the better you will be in the art of speaking and reading. Always remember that there’s room for improvement. <o:p></o:p>
August 14, 201801 - Non Native English Fluency
Fluency and proficiency in the English language may make one sound intelligent, well educated and sophisticated. This is especially true for non-native speakers. I live in a society that equates fluent English speaking like a native speaker to intelligence, well educated, smart and sophisticated. But you know what, that’s rubbish. Fluency in the English language as a non-native speaker doesn’t mean I’m smart, intelligent or sophisticated. Our proficiency in the language is evidence of conscious and deliberate effort. In my opinion, one of the identifying marks of non-native speakers’ proficiency in any language is to speak clearly and understandably. Of course we’re bound to have ‘mother-tongue interference’ in our second language. A native English speaker once said to me that he finds it funny when non-native speakers try to put an accent. i.e native English speaking accent. This is especially true when the native accent doesn’t come naturally. It really irks.<o:p></o:p>
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From my childhood up, I’ve been groomed to speak clearly and understandably. I wasn’t taught to adopt a native speaking accent. However, native accent was often the model for ‘correct’ English speaking. A take home for non-native English speakers is this; don’t fake or put an accent. And if you’re proficient in the language don’t get puffed up, thinking you’re smarter or more educated than others. Be humble. You just speak a language fluently.<o:p></o:p>
January 21, 201730 I feel you plight. We live in a world where we have to sound politically correct. In platforms as this it is only proper that we sound politically correct and use expressions or words that are generally acceptable.
When it comes to accents we all have accents irrespective of where we're from. Come to think of it, who doesn't have an accent? We all do. Even native speakers. Their native intonation shapes accent.
Likewise, for non-native speakers, 'mother tongue interference' comes to play. Their native accent will likely affect their second language. However it takes conscious effort to neutralize ones accent. No one should fault you if you prefer one accent to the other. You're entitled to preference. Just be civil about your preference. :-)
0 votedDecember 6, 20160
