How to learn to speak english?

[npoe1]

Ok, I have a big problem, I need to speak english very well in order to keep my job, and I have no time, I only have until next Monday, so how do I do to improve my English in a short time.


I really would appreciate any help.

 

[her209]

Use punctuation.

 

[sash1]

Originally posted by: her209
Use correct punctuation.

fix'd

 

[veggz]

Are you serious? You will need more than a week to eliminate an accent/improve your English.

 

[ta8689]

If you speak VERY LOUDLY, they will understand you better

 

[veggz]

Originally posted by: ta8689
If you speak VERY LOUDLY, they will understand you better

:laugh:

 

[unfalliblekrutch]

Originally posted by: npoe1
Ok, I have a big problem, I need to speak english very well in order to keep my job, and I have no time, I only have until next Monday, so how do I do to improve my English in a short time.


I really would appreciate any help.

get a tutor and work 24/7?

 

[yosuke188]

Originally posted by: veggz

Originally posted by: ta8689
If you speak VERY LOUDLY, they will understand you better

:laugh:

Hey, it's better than mumbling right?

 

[lyssword]

Ahh I feel sorry for you, English is the hardest language to learn (especially to speak), I don't think you could do much in 2 days. Or do you mean just the pronounciations? I don't know if this will work, but try watching tv and repeat whatever's said on as well as possible, maybe that is going to help

 

[imported_LoKe]

English is not the hardest language to learn. No fvcking way.

 

[reverend boltron]

You should pick up an Ogdens Basic English book and read that. It basically gets the English language down to 850 words that you need to know in order to do just fine. They cut out a bunch of words that are synonyms and they're very good.

I'm sure if you just went over that and worked your butt off on it you would see a difference in your grasp of the language. Also, if you're having problems pronouncing words, or your accent is too thick, get a tape recorder, tape someone saying something (or record it on your pc) and repeat it back, taping what you say too. Listen to what you say, and try to mimick the native English speaker as much as possible to get rid of your accent.

Just my $0.02

p.s. If anyone has any tips on learning Tagalog PM me.

 

[myjaja]

Hola

 

[gsethi]

A tip: when you speak, Speak slowly.

 

[GalvanizedYankee]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/ Half way down the page, on the left. Hope there something there

that can be of assistance.


...Galvanized

 

[acemcmac]

Originally posted by: GalvanizedYankee
http://www.bbc.co.uk/ Half way down the page, on the left. Hope there something there

that can be of assistance.


...Galvanized

nice.

Good luck OP.

 

[jagec]

Originally posted by: LoKe
English is not the hardest language to learn. No fvcking way.

Certainly not, but it IS difficult to master

 

[BoomerD]

Originally posted by: jagec

Originally posted by: LoKe
English is not the hardest language to learn. No fvcking way.

Certainly not, but it IS difficult to master

No kidding. Lots of native english speakers have problems with it.

 

[npoe1]

It isn?t like I have the worst pronunciation that someone can have, but I need to improve it because now I?m in the Costumer service department, like two months ago, they (Human Resource Department) in his infinite wisdom thought that I could easily do the job, so now I?m there, and they changed their mind, so, I have until Monday to do it, if not I will be put in hold from 2 to 4 weeks to learn English by myself, and that is a recess that I can?t take. So in general terms is more like good bye to me, because I need the money and I will not wait to learn English in one month, It is easier to get a new job than learn English when I was basically rejected, you know the pride thing, blah, blah.

So I need to learn and need to prove them wrong, they don?t think that I can.

 

[Ika]

Originally posted by: BoomerD

Originally posted by: jagec

Originally posted by: LoKe
English is not the hardest language to learn. No fvcking way.

Certainly not, but it IS difficult to master

No kidding. Lots of native english speakers have problems with it.

Yep. Gramatically speaking, English is one of the most convoluted languages out there. It's not hard to get started, but learning every little rule is a BIG PITA.

In any case, I've found speaking slowly makes accented English much easier to understand. The hardest part for me about understanding accented English is figuring out where one word stops and another starts.

 

[Billyzeke]

Originally posted by: BoomerD

Originally posted by: jagec

Originally posted by: LoKe
English is not the hardest language to learn. No fvcking way.

Certainly not, but it IS difficult to master

No kidding. Lots of native english speakers have problems with it.

Well shoot far i aint had no troublewitit

 

[lyssword]

Originally posted by: LoKe
English is not the hardest language to learn. No fvcking way.

dude do you know how hard it is to say "R"s that sound like a mix between "W" and swallowing your tongue? I won't even get started. Also to speak english you have to learn a lot of rules, you can't just pick up the spoken part by reading regular english scripts. I.e reading english will only help you spell better. Its one of those languages where you could be totally brilliant in spelling words yet sound totally uncomprehensible when you try to speak english. Especially when talking to natives of an American town who have never traveled in their life and even small deviation from "correct" pronunciation will completely puzzle them.

Well I have mostly learned the spoken part now, people can understand me 99% of the time. I've lived in U.S for 8 years now.

 

[imported_LoKe]

Originally posted by: lyssword

Originally posted by: LoKe
English is not the hardest language to learn. No fvcking way.

dude do you know how hard it is to say "R"s that sound like a mix between "W" and swallowing your tongue? I won't even get started. Also to speak english you have to learn a lot of rules, you can't just pick up the spoken part by reading regular english scripts. I.e reading english will only help you spell better. Its one of those languages where you could be totally brilliant in spelling words yet sound totally uncomprehensible when you try to speak english. Especially when talking to natives of an American town who have never traveled in their life and even small deviation from "correct" pronunciation will completely puzzle them.

Well I have mostly learned the spoken part now, people can understand me 99% of the time. I've lived in U.S for 8 years now.

Try learning an asiatic language.

 

[shortylickens]

How come nobody suggested the Police Academy movies?

 

[veggz]

Originally posted by: LoKe

Originally posted by: lyssword

Originally posted by: LoKe
English is not the hardest language to learn. No fvcking way.

dude do you know how hard it is to say "R"s that sound like a mix between "W" and swallowing your tongue? I won't even get started. Also to speak english you have to learn a lot of rules, you can't just pick up the spoken part by reading regular english scripts. I.e reading english will only help you spell better. Its one of those languages where you could be totally brilliant in spelling words yet sound totally uncomprehensible when you try to speak english. Especially when talking to natives of an American town who have never traveled in their life and even small deviation from "correct" pronunciation will completely puzzle them.

Well I have mostly learned the spoken part now, people can understand me 99% of the time. I've lived in U.S for 8 years now.

Try learning an asiatic language.

I agree that both languages are exceedingly difficult to learn, but I'd have to give the edge to English, though admittedly I don't have much of a learner's perspective. I grew up speaking English, Manderin, and Cantonese and later became fluent in French and Italian (along with ten years of Latin and Greek throughout high school and college), and based purely upon the seemingly random quirks of each language (try explaining colonel to a foreigner) I'd say English is hardest to master.

I have older friends who have picked up Manderin after the age of 50 and speak surprisingly well, with little traces of an accent. However a foreigner trying to learn English will most always carry at least some trace of an accent (hell, I have friends who were born in the States who inexplicably have accents).

However I must admit the click languages spoken in some parts of Africa have always intrigued me, and seem damn near impossible to learn

 

[lyssword]

Originally posted by: LoKe

Originally posted by: lyssword

Originally posted by: LoKe
English is not the hardest language to learn. No fvcking way.

dude do you know how hard it is to say "R"s that sound like a mix between "W" and swallowing your tongue? I won't even get started. Also to speak english you have to learn a lot of rules, you can't just pick up the spoken part by reading regular english scripts. I.e reading english will only help you spell better. Its one of those languages where you could be totally brilliant in spelling words yet sound totally uncomprehensible when you try to speak english. Especially when talking to natives of an American town who have never traveled in their life and even small deviation from "correct" pronunciation will completely puzzle them.

Well I have mostly learned the spoken part now, people can understand me 99% of the time. I've lived in U.S for 8 years now.

Try learning an asiatic language.

I dont think it is harder to pronounce asiatic languages,imo.The only hard part may be the written part. My twin brother took a japanese class for a year + and he did pretty well (lol probably the only class in which he got an A that schoolyear). I think the teacher was even impressed (at least thats what he tells me)
As a russian speaker, if given choice I would learn the scottish accent easier. I just love the scottish accent, as they don't exxagerate the R's and the O's and A's so much I like Dr.Becket's accent in SG:A heh..