Blog Archives

Meet and Speak English Networking Party Sat. July 28, 10-12:00

7/23/2018

It's time to Network, Visit and Catch Up

I am so lucky to meet people from around the world. Every few months, I like to celebrate these new friendships and make new ones.
Come and bring a friend.

Please join me for a morning of Networking, fun and refreshments.
Saturday, July 28, 10:00-12:00 p.m.
1st UU Church, Room 302
5200 Fannin @ Southmore Houston, TX. 77004
Please RSVP (Reply below on Sign Up Genius). So I know you're coming.
See you Saturday.

MFA Film: The Doctor from India . Sunday, July 29 5:00 p.m.

Please join me on Sunday, July 29 at 5:00 at the Museum of Fine Arts, 1001 Bissonnet for the film "The Doctor from India." It looks fascinating. I will meet you in the downstairs lobby near the movie ticket booth at 4:30.

THE DOCTOR FROM INDIA is the fascinating story of one man’s mission to bring the ancient healthcare system of wellness called Ayurveda from India to the West in the late 1970s. In this meditative, immersive portrait, with interviewees including Ayurvedic practitioner Deepak Chopra, Frindel documents the life and work of Dr. Vasant Lad who, fulfilling his destiny as foretold by his family guru became a holistic health pioneer, helping to bring Ayurveda, which was almost unknown when he first arrived in the west, to become one of the most prominent alternative health systems in the world today.

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Code Switching...Do you know what it is? Do you do it?

7/13/2018

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Donna Durbin:
Code Switching is a new term I'm hearing, although it's not new. We all do it.

The way you speak to your friends is different than the way you speak to your boss, right? That's code switching. You're changing not only your words, but posture, attitude and attention. This phenomenon of switching from the native language and the foreign language is especially seen in multilingual and multicultural communities to make communication more effective and meaningful. This language shift can be done by adding words in the other language at the end of a sentence, within the sentence or the insertion of a "tag" word from one language to the other.

Think about times when you use it or hear it. Are you conscious while you're doing it? Does this ability to "code switch" impact your life or your career? Certainly! We all do it, especially when and if it benefits us. Could "accent modification" be seen as "code switching?" I think so.

There are many reasons to "code switch." Let's talk about a few of them.

1. To compensate for a deficiency in communication: Perhaps, when you can't express yourself as easily or effectively in the foreign language, you switch to your native language. This occurs more often when you're upset, tired, distracted or simply can't find the "word." This allows you to continue the communication, however it may have a negative effect on mastering fluency in the second language.

2. To express solidarity with a particular social group or ethnic identity: You speak to connect with the listener and convey attitude and emotion. You do it to "fit in" and be a part of that cultural group. You share a common bond, your language serves as an advantage.

3. In some situations, "code switching" is used intensionally to exclude a person from a conversation. You both speak a shared language and leave the listener out. This can create problems because mutual intelligibility is not possible.

Watch the video below for a "life or death" use of "code switching."

What are ways you use or have experienced "code switching?" I'm interested in hearing your perspective. Please leave your comments.

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Does your accent affect your career? by Donna Durbin

7/2/2018

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Some of my clients want to sound like a native American. If English is your second language, that's almost impossible and really not desirable, in my opinion. I've worked with hundreds of international professionals from around the world that are intelligent, fascinating experts in their fields, but feel embarrassed to answer when someone asks them, "Where are you from?"

That's an opportunity to connect and start a conversation with that person. They want to know more about you. Your accent is a part of your identity, your background, your story. It's more important that you are understood when you speak, not that you have an accent. Again, you want your message to be clearly understood by your audience.

Listen to Albert Einstein's talk, "The Common Language of Science" which was aired as a radio broadcast to the London Science Conference on October 2, 1941. He talks about how science is an international language. He has a strong accent, but do you understand what he is saying? Does it interfere with the way you feel about him or his message?

Does his accent interfere with the way you feel about him or his message?

There are some simple things you can do to improve your confidence and clarity when you speak. Here are some tips:
1. Think about what you are going to say, before you say it.
Fluency comes with preparation, rehearsal and experience, no matter what language you speak. For presentations, practice a minimum of speaking your topic at least 6 times so you're prepared. You spend hours on the Powerpoint. You need to spend time on the speech.

2. Speak more slowly.
Don't rush your words together. It's not a race. "Fast" does not mean "fluent." Take time to articulate the last consonant sound in each word. Use pauses between word groups, no more than seven words at a time. This allows the listener to keep pace with your speaking.

3.Practice the words and sounds that are difficult for you.
Make a list of your "high frequency" professional words you say all the time. Make sure you correctly articulate the sounds and put the stress on the correct syllable. Use dictionary.com to check your pronunciation. Spanish speakers, for example, need to watch their "V's" and not say "B" when they mean "V." In English the "V" is produced when the bottom lip vibrates when it makes contact with the top teeth.

4.Don't be lazy and skip over the consonant sounds.
Practice clear, crisp consonants like /t/, /d/, /p/, /b/,/k/, and /g/. Make sure you complete the longer nasal sounds of /n/, /m/, /ng/. Hold your tongue behind your top teeth for the dark /L/. And make sure you say every /rrrr/ in each word with a growl. Find words with those consonants and practice saying them ten times each to create a new habit when you speak.

5. Be yourself while you speak with confidence and clarity.
Be considerate of your audience. Focus on "how" clearly you speak the message. Take your time. If you're on the phone, don't multi-task. Pay attention to your listener. Ask if they understood you or you need to clarify the information. Numbers are especially difficult to understand over the phone. Remember, what you say has value. Communication is a two way street. It takes both people to make a conversation successful.

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About Me:

I coach non-native speakers to speak with clarity and confidence. My speciality is accent reduction and American Pronunciation.

As a world traveler, l enjoy people from other cultures and want them to succeed in life.
The purpose of this blog is to provide tips to sound more "American," be understood, effectively communicate and build your self confidence.

Categories: Spoken English, Global English, Accent Reduction, Online pronunciation courses, ABC's of an American Accent, Foreign professionals, Language courses, English for Interviews, Small Talk, Foreign accents, How to learn, Business English, Successful habits, accent reduction, American Idioms, Group Classes, phrasal verbs, American English pronunciation, podcasts, Facebook Live events, Houston events, art exhibitions, Meet and Speak English, code switching, English class, online English class, Free Accent Reduction Class, language, Houston, Private coaching, speech training,

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