Thread: Help me improve my acccent (audio)

I'm trying to improve my accent and any help is much appreciated
This: https://soundcloud.com/user658034925/dialogue is me reading a random dialogue I found on the Internet:

- Мама!

- Что, Игорь?

- Представляешь, какой кошмар я вычитал в Интернете! Оказывается, в Тихом океане образовался новый континент из мусора!

- Что? Как это – новый континент из мусора?

- Там в воде плавает огромное скопление отходов: пластика, бутылок и всего такого. Все это мусор, выброшенный человеком в море.

- А при чем здесь континент?

- Это огромное образование, по территории его можно сравнить с целой страной, даже с континентом!

- А как оно могло образоваться? Что-то я не понимаю.

- Океанические течения несут мусор на определенную территорию. Получается колоссальная свалка в океане. Морские животные глотают пластик и погибают!

- И, наверное, это свалка увеличивается?

- Конечно, мама, а как ты думала? Мусор-то выбрасывают!

-Какой ужас! Нужно строить мусороперерабатывающие заводы! Везде! В каждом городе!

- И перерабатывать мусор, а не делать свалки?

- Да, особенно весь этот пластик! И тогда не будет таких жутких «континентов»!

• What is your overall impression of my accent? Where do I sound like I come from?
• Any specfic comments on pronunciation, intonation and rhythm?

I'm more interested in overall impression and intonation, than in specific pronunciation errors, although any input is welcome.

First and foremost, it was quite good, very good even. Your intonation, rhythm are indeed alright, but the thing is it is a rhythm of a text, not a speech. What I mean is it's easy to uderstand that you're reading rather than speaking on your own. Maybe choose some topic and try to talk about it and then leave it here. It'd be much more authentic.

As for pronunciation flaws, it was obvious to me that you need to work on your consonants, on п, р, ч, т and maybe some others in particular. I don't know how to even describe what's wrong with them, but there is something out of place with them for sure. They sounded too... soft, muffled, unclear. They need to be pronounced, well... more determinded, if you know what I mean, all in all you need to work on them, not much though

Hope it helps in any way

iCake, thank you for your reply!
I might upload some free speaking later, for now this will do.

Originally Posted by iCake

As for pronunciation flaws, it was obvious to me that you need to work on your consonants, on п, р, ч, т and maybe some others in particular. I don't know how to even describe what's wrong with them, but there is something out of place with them for sure. They sounded too... soft, muffled, unclear. They need to be pronounced, well... more determinded, if you know what I mean, all in all you need to work on them, not much though

This helps a lot. When I hear myself speaking in real life it sounds ok, but when I listen to recordings of me I hear something is wrong with some words, although I can't always pinpoint it. This might help. I'll try recording words with these sounds and experiment with the pronunciation.

Wow, you are really good! Of course, I am not Russian, so it's not my opinion you want, but I'll still say you sound fantastic. If your native tongue is something other than another Slavic language, then it's even more fantastic. Otherwise the only explanation I can think of is that you must be Polish or Czech or Serbian.
I don't think I'll ever be able to speak Russian with that little accent. But I'll try!

Where are you from or better yet what's your native language if I may ask? I'm asking that because I couldn't determine it from what I heard on that recording. That tells much about your accomplishments though!

I've had a dream of getting a good American accent for some time, but really trying to get it was so frustrating, I didn't even knew how to start off and when I'd actually come around to that, that proved even more frustrating, because I couldn't determine if I got that right or not, so I decided to put it on the shelf for some time, but seeing you has rekindled my passion for that

Thank you, both of you!
I'd prefer not to tell you what my native language is yet, it's more interesting if you listen to it without prejudice

I uploaded a file with me speaking on my own. https://soundcloud.com/user658034925/free
Edited a little bit because I always stumble over the words whenever I record anything longer than three seconds.
The thing is, my spoken Russian used to be better, so it really bothers me to hear that something's "off" now. Or maybe it always was and I notice it more now.. Like, in my head I thought I was saying "из России" when I recorded this, but then I listened and it sounds more like "из Россию". That's frustrating.

Originally Posted by Hanna

I don't think I'll ever be able to speak Russian with that little accent. But I'll try!

I think it's very hard, if not impossible, to get rid of your accent in a language you started learning as an adult. I'm doing my best to reduce it, though. I think most people can reduce their accent by tons and tons of listening (and speaking).

Oh, and if anyone is up for recording the dialogue, or parts of it where the consonants sound wrong, so I could compare and practice, that would be fantastic!

Very good, very good indeed. As I said before, the rhythm and intonation is just what it should be. Just some sounds are what you need to work on, consonants in particular.

Well, I hope it won't sound offensive because it's not what it's intended to be, but all in all you sound RUSSIAN, but with some slight speech disorder, which is not a disorder, it's just what it sounds like

Originally Posted by iCake

Very good, very good indeed. As I said before, the rhythm and intonation is just what it should be. Just some sounds are what you need to work on, consonants in particular.

Well, I hope it won't sound offensive because it's not what it's intended to be, but all in all you sound RUSSIAN, but with some slight speech disorder, which is not a disorder, it's just what it sounds like

Haha, no offense taken!
I tend to slur my words together a bit and not pronounce words very clearly in my native language, unless I focus on the way I speak. It's not a speech disorder, but sometimes (more rarely nowadays because I've started noticing it and try not to do it) people notice it and sometimes they think I have a slight accent. I'm wondering if this is related somehow.

Any more details about the consonants or, even better, a recording, would be great! I know those things are hard to explain in words.

muxa - if you want to compare with a native speaker, check the link in my auto-signature. You can go there, and somebody will record the whole clip for you so you can compare word for word. But remember, an accent can be chic

Originally Posted by muxa

I think it's very hard, if not impossible, to get rid of your accent in a language you started learning as an adult. I'm doing my best to reduce it, though. I think most people can reduce their accent by tons and tons of listening (and speaking).

I started English when I was JUST past the limit of not getting it native (9 yo I think it was). Heard it a lot on TV growing up, and that helped, plus was forced to speak it in real life situations quite early. After moving to England after uni, I worked on it a bit, and now I can pass myself off as English. I couldn't do it with any other language though.

All the SOUNDS in Russian are fine, but the rhythm and the colossal number of consonants stacked on each other are too different from my native language (Swedish) to ever get right.

Plus, there is no chance that I'll ever get perfect Russian grammar, so that will give me away anyway! Particularly if I waste my time in the Political forum...lol. I did some Russian in school when I was 14-15 but found it was well past the cut-off line for native. I found it so incredibly hard at the time that I ended up wrangling out of it, when I realised it could ruin my final grades. It wasn't the pronunciation but the grammar that just made me feel it was an overwhelming task. I was genuinely interested in Russia, the culture and language though. Just too lazy or untalented Now I'm back on the task though! Better late than never!
Btw - your written English is too perfect to be native...

And fortunately, for everybody's info: BOTH native English speakers and native Russian speakers are very tolerant about mistakes and non-native speakers.

Originally Posted by muxa

Any more details about the consonants or, even better, a recording, would be great! I know those things are hard to explain in words.

That's very hard indeed, that's why I'd rather help you through Skype if it's okay with you, write me a private message. Otherwise, I don't know how to explain the problem with your consonants to you

Originally Posted by iCake

That's very hard indeed, that's why I'd rather help you through Skype if it's okay with you, write me a private message. Otherwise, I don't know how to explain the problem with your consonants to you

Thanks. I can't talk on Skype these days, unfortunately, but I hope to take you up on your offer in the near future.

I posted these recordings on another forum and they pointed out sooo many errors. Apparently I mispronounce most consonants and quite a few vowels too. I really didn't think it was that bad. Someone also said it sounds like a typical accent для англоговорящего (I'm not). I hear an accent when I listen to myself, but not that type of accent. Oh well.

Всё прекрасно, кроме Ы!

бутилка вместо бутылка
виброшенный вместо выброшенный
ти вместо ты
вичитала вместо вычитала


калиссяльная вместо колоссальная и ещё парочка слов - думаю, просто из-за спешки

Океан, океанический получаются не очень, их нужно выговаривать тщательно: а-ке-а-ни-ческий.
Ещё Игорь произносится иначе. Закрепить!
Май на! - 18 - Дублер

Originally Posted by maxmixiv

Всё прекрасно, кроме Ы!

бутилка вместо бутылка
виброшенный вместо выброшенный
ти вместо ты
вичитала вместо вычитала


калиссяльная вместо колоссальная и ещё парочка слов - думаю, просто из-за спешки

Океан, океанический получаются не очень, их нужно выговаривать тщательно: а-ке-а-ни-ческий.
Ещё Игорь произносится иначе. Закрепить!
Май на! - 18 - Дублер

Спасибо большое! Со звуком "Ы" у меня вечная проблема. Когда тренирую отдельные слова, у меня вроде получается. А как только начинаю быстрее говорить, получается "И". Мне кажется что, чтобы правильно произнести Ы, нужно сильно напрягать мышца горла. Для меня это настолько непривычно, что не получается в беглой речи. Буду ещё тренироваться.

Я знаю, что в имени Игорь ударение на первом слоге. Не знаю, как это вылетело из головы. Теперь точно буду помнить об этом.

Кроме ударения, в слове "Игорь" звук "р" произнесен твёрдо, а должен быть мягким. Кроме того, у вас "л" почти всегда звучит мягко, альвеолярно. Особенно это заметно в слове "свалки" - у вас оно звучит, как "свальки". Звуки "т" и "д" у вас тоже произносятся несколько альвеолярно, и с ненужным придыханием. В русском языке при произношении этих звуков кончик языка упирается в верхние зубы, а не альвеолы. Что еще хочется отметить, это темп речи. Вы слишком торопитесь, обычно русская речь звучит более плавно. Стоит также обратить внимание на произношение словосочетания "в воде". У вас звучит одна "в", а должна быть геминанта, то есть звук "в" в этом месте должен прозвучать чуть более протяжно. Ну про "ы" уже сказали.

Миха, может быть, послушаешь эту песню? Там два исполнения и есть "бутылка".

http://masterrussian.net/f52/%D0%BF%...03/#post158998

Originally Posted by Lampada

Миха, может быть, послушаешь эту песню? Там два исполнения и есть "бутылка".

http://masterrussian.net/f52/%D0%BF%...03/#post158998

Спасибо. Но проблема не в том, что я не знаю как это слово должно звучать. Прекрасно знаю. Другое дело, что у меня не получается

Когда тренирую слова, у меня лучше получается. А когда говорю как будто забываю о всех правилах произношения. Для меня общение на русском было важно и на работе и в жизни и я не особо работала над произношением, не было времени для этого. Поэтому говорю довольно свободно, но с некоторыми ошибками в произношение.

Вот запись где тренирую мягкие звуки (масса-мясо, лук люк итд. И слово "бутылка" в конце): https://soundcloud.com/user658034925/pairs

Хоть какие-то получаются?

Да, и хочется повторить вопрос с первого поста:

What is your overall impression of my accent? Where do I sound like I come from?

Акцент едва заметен,

Where do I sound like I come from?

я бы сказал - из славянской страны. Черногория?

Мушка, ты можешь сделать список этих пар слов? Для моего уха ты звучишь очень хорошо. Нужны мелкие корректировки.
А вообще, конечно, нужно побольше говорить. Думаю, легче и веселее повторять что-то за кем-то. Я притаскиваю сюда разное, что, мне кажется, может быть полезным для уха. Например, какая-то посредница между мирами Инесса говорит чётко и очень медленно. У неё московский говор. То, что она говорит, неважно. Какая-то муть, хотя может, и нет. Не знаю. (Лично я не верю ни в какой ченнелинг).
Вот послушай её: http://masterrussian.net/f52/%D1%8F-...tml#post262797