How to sound like a native speaker: THE SECRET

Is there a secret to sounding like a native speaker? In today's lesson I'll share with you the key to PERFECT PRONUNCIATION! English pronunciation can be difficult to master, because it isn't a phonetic language -- that is, words are not pronounced the way they are spelled. In addition, American pronunciation and British pronunciation are very different from one another. So how can you sound like a native speaker? Watch this lesson to find out!

TRANSCRIPT

What we have here is a list of words, each one looks very similar, but it has a different phonetic sound. Now, "phonetics" means the sound of the syllables in the word. "Syllables"... I'll just write that word here. A "syllable" is the sound part of a word. For example: the word "cat" has one syllable. The word "beautiful", "beau-ti-ful" - three syllables. Okay? So we're going to learn how to look at syllables, how to find the sound for each syllable in a word to know how to pronounce the full word.

Let me say all these words first. "Look", "lock", "luck", "lack", "lake", "like", "lick", "leek", "Luke", "bloke", and "let". Now, "bloke" and "let" are obviously different words, but there's no such word as "loke" and there's no such word as "lek", so I had to improvise. But we have a bunch of other ones. Now, for some of you, a lot of these words sounded exactly the same I'm guessing. Right? They're not. They're very different.

So "lock" and "luck" have completely different meanings. They have no relationship to each other except that they share one, two, three; one, two, three similar letters. "Aw", "ah", very similar vowel sound as well. So, what you notice above each of these words is the phonetic symbol.

Now, if you look at these words in the dictionary on Merriam-Webster, you will find the phonetic spelling. The "phonetic spelling" means they spell the word according to its sound. So this "u" with a dot-I hope you can see that dot-"look", "uh". "Book", "took", "bull". It doesn't matter what the letters on either side are, the vowel sound is going to be the same with this symbol.

With "lock", you have "a" with two dots on top of it. "Lock", "rock", "sock", "font". If you're not sure what a font is, if you have Microsoft Word or whatever typing tool you use, there are different fonts; Times New Roman, Agency, and Calibri, or whatever they're called. These are font, but the sound is "aw".

[engvidAdam]

Hi everyone,

I usually don’t post this soon after a lesson, but just wanted to clear up a couple of things. If you’ve found this lesson difficult, don’t worry too much about it. This skill, like any other, takes time and practice to master.

Anyway:
I see this lesson has received very mixed reviews. For those of you who have found it useful, I’m glad I could help. For those of you who disliked it, or at least some aspects of it, allow me to explain myself a little:
1) I’m not British. I am Canadian, and so I speak with a neutral North American accent (i.e., not Texan, or Bostonian, or Newfoundlander, etc.) I could try to fake a British accent, but then I’ll have to comment here with apologies for sullying the Queen’s English.

2) What about the IPA? Well, what about it? I have been teaching English for a long time. I have tried on many occasions to get my students to use the IPA and have had very little success. Why, you ask? Firstly, it involves memorizing a new alphabet, which many students who have enough trouble with the regular one aren’t very inclined to do. Secondly, not everyone finds it useful. That’s because it is actually not as international as it may seem; there is no such thing (yet?) as an international English standard.

All I was trying to do was provide an alternative approach (much like I did in my lesson on The Sentence- svo, svc, sva, rather than a subject-predicate group. You’d be surprised how difficult it is for many people, native and non-native English users alike, to grasp the concept of a predicate).

Take the word CAN'T:
Merriam Webster: \ˈkant, ˈkänt, especially Southern ˈkānt\
Oxford Dictionary: /kɑːnt

Ummm… ok, well… which one should I go with? Imagine you study the British pronunciation. Next, imagine you take that pronunciation of the word can't and go to a small, conservative town in the southern US. In certain contexts, your pronunciation of this word might get you slapped in the face, punched in the stomach, or shot. I’m afraid I cannot elaborate here as to why, but the curious amongst you will figure it out.

3) Why use the Merriam Webster Dictionary in the first place? If you attend college in the US, most likely your professors will want you to write using the standard language rules of the US, which follow (in most cases) the Merriam Webster Collegiate Dictionary (11th ed.) It then follows that you should use it for pronunciation as well. This is why I was very careful to mention which dictionary I was using for this exercise.

4) Some of the fiercest comments against my approach came from people whose writing suggests to me that they are native or near-native English users. Please keep in mind that it isn’t as easy for newcomers to the language to grasp the things that you can, at least not at this stage of their language development. Besides, most native English users (outside linguistics programs) don’t even have a clue what the IPA is.

[brunomattheus]

I can't believe that there are people complaining about the lesson. Adan, you are fantastic. Your lessons have helped me a lot in a way that you can't imagine. I am so grateful for your work and the others EngVid members, especially the Canadian ones, who have the most lovely english accent in the world. :)

Best regards from Brazil.

[lv]

You are such a great instructor...and you seem so patient.  Very useful lessons!!

[Colosoliteratura]

Without a doubt, this is one of the best videos I've seen about pronunciation. Pronunciation and accent are two different things. Pronunciation is of paramount importance so that native and non-native speakers can understand you, and Adam did an excellent job in this video. Now, accent is something you may find really hard to change, and here I'd ask you why you would wanna do that. If your pronunciation is top-notch and native speakers can understand you easily, then accent becomes an irrelevant issue. Take it from there guys and you won't have to worry about sounding like a native speaker. Oh, and it works both ways, think about the times when you have met an English native speaker who has recently learned Spanish (or any other language for that matter) and how unimportant his/her accent is as long as he says each word clearly and the goal of communication is reached. That's what a language is about: communication. Keep that in mind.

[agatasampaio]

ADAM DO NOT WORRY ABOUT SILLY OR MEAN COMMENTS KEEP ON TEACHING THOSE WHO REALLY WANT TO LEARN, YOU R DOING A GREAT JOB AND I'M SURE THERE'S A LOT TO LEARN FROM U SO I'M ABOUT TO CLICK ON YOUR NEXT VIDEO THX

[theTing]

When you took out the hookah, your smile was so genuine and beautiful! you're a great teacher who brings joy and excitement to students, which really motivate them and get them excited to learn as well! students don't always want strict teachers, and I learnt from you that it's nice to bring some fun to class once in a while!

[mariavindas]

Thanks! you're such a great teacher! I've learned a lot with your lessons, you're really clear not just announcing words but also explaining grammar or anything! Blessings!

[chilliwillye]

Adaamm I want you to be my teacher, you're the best! I like that you don't speak too fast, you do it just "normal" and clearly. When you explain the meaning of any word, you do it with mimic and thats great, because it's much easier to understand. Your videos are not boring like others', you're not grumpy, somehow you make it interesting... maybe your personality. You are awesome.

Congratulations for doing a great job.

[sarahmaetimario]

Thank you so much for this lesson Mr. Adam I'm from Phil. And it really helps me a lot.

[abibeukrydiop]

So happy to you Adam because of your cleared and precised explanations in all your courses. Thanks too much my professor .

[a.guerrero]

Me ha resultado muy útil el video, me encanta las lecciones que explican sonido por sonido y ponen varios ejemplos de cada uno, ya que de esta forma nos ayuda muchísimo a clarificar la pronunciación y cada detalle de los diferente sonidos de las vocales..

[luiskastle]

Hi, Adam! You're great teacher! I've been watching some of your videos which are so pedagogical and easy to understand. Even though, as you just said, the pronunciation of English is quite difficult, only practice can help us, non native speakers to improve our pronunciation....You're doing such a terrifc job! I love it..!

[teknocimientoparatodos]

Excellent video. Thank you so much. Your English is easy to understand.

[cleidsonmarcelino]

thank you  teacher Adam, im a complete beginner to study english  and  your  lessons really good and your expalanation  help me to understand more about  it. thank you.

[skabirhassan]

you are kinda amazing ADAM, might be i can make my pronunciation a lil bit better.cheers man, ur doing freaking great

[muhamedali]

You explain very well, thanks a lot Mr. Adam

[CosmeJunior]

I wish I could do something more than thank you, Adam! Each class is something else!

[johanazuluaga]

Adam, we need more videos about intonation, pauses and stressed words. Presentations and speeches are very difficult for English students...!!! Thank you for your lessons. They are amazing.

[guillaumeflo]

I am a native speaker of Fench and honestly, I think your videos are very helpful ! I could understand everything thanks to the English subtitles and due to the fact that I have problems of understanding ! but..of course I am trying to get used to the sound even if I have already got basic knowledge of english. thanks for your help

[adinadin]

hello Adam, your lessons are quite beneficial. thanks