#80 Mimic, mimic, be yourself

When learning to speak a foreign language, we start by mimicking the sounds we hear, and we often need to polish it over a long period of time. This process takes more practice than many learners realize before it becomes automatic.

As both a language learner and teacher, I know first-hand how important this phase of imitation is. However, at some point, you must transition from mimicking to actively producing the language—that is, speaking it.

In English, pronunciation is key, but there’s no need to obsess over your accent. It’s normal to retain a foreign “colour” in your speech as an adult learner. The goal is not to sound like a native speaker unless that's specifically your aim (e.g. for cinema, acting or similar purposes).

Achieving a native-like accent as an adult requires significant effort. Sound formation involves fine muscle coordination and motor skills, and takes considerable training, discipline, and time. For most learners, focusing on clarity and proper diction is enough to be understood effectively.

Having taught English to hundreds of business managers and corporate clients, I have seen that their priority is to reduce their accent to a functional level—not to imitate a native accent. For most purposes, this is more than sufficient.

Similarly, you should also accept your coloured way of speaking, it's part of the way you communicate in English.

In summary, working on pronunciation in English is important to achieve clarity in speaking, but no more is needed for general purposes. Additionally, working on pronunciation helps you recognize English sounds more clearly, which in turn improves your listening skills and comprehension of fluent speech.

Question: Do you think focusing on clarity instead of accent could help you communicate more effectively? Share your thoughts in the comments below.??

Do you have trouble pronouncing English with ease?

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My weekly articles are based on tips from 25+ years of professional experience working with hundreds of professionals and corporate managers who initially struggled with their English pronunciation.

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Connect | Gábor Légrádi | MA, RSA/CTEFLA