Should I learn a native accent?

[Haven]

Hi all,

I just have a few questions.

I'm starting to learn Spanish (again, I studied it in high school but have forgotten nearly all of it), and I've heard different things from different people about native accents. Some people have said not to emulate native speakers' accents, but to concentrate on pronouncing things correctly and being understood. Others say to attempt a native-like accent and try to eliminate any English influence.

I've always agreed with the second camp and have wanted to speak like a native, but I realize that might not be possible or even desirable, especially for someone at a beginner's level with the language.

What do you guys think? Is it worth it to attempt a native accent, or should I just concentrate on speaking the language clearly and acquiring decent vocabulary, grammar, and so on. Thanks!

-Haven

[poli]

My advise is to concentrate on learning the language. Concentrating on accents may be putting the horse before the cart. There is a time when you build you vocabulary and learn the grammar and you will speak the language. Around that time it's good to focus on pronunciation, at which time the standard Latin American Spanish may be a good one to emulate. It's the way many well educated people speak or strive to speak. It's the kind of Spanish often spoken on CÑN or by actors in telenovelas, and it is devoid of local idiocincracies.

If you fall in love with Spanish or Argentine culture, then you may want to focus on using those accents. If you plan to stay in the States, however, standard Latin American Spanish is best to focus on.

[Rusty]

This question has been asked before.
Some said that it's not possible to speak a foreign language without an accent.
Some said that it's not possible to become totally fluent.
Some said that you can speak a foreign language, with natural flaws, and that native speakers would be left wondering what other Spanish-speaking country you're from.

If you learn to pronounce things correctly, you are in essence speaking without an accent. I'll let you in on a secret. Every textbook and web site I've seen convinces the beginning student that most of the Spanish consonants and vowels have American English equivalents. This is mostly false. Almost all Spanish consonants and all the vowels are pronounced differently than the so-called American English equivalents. So, as I said before, if you learn to pronounce things correctly, you are speaking without an accent. If you choose not to learn a different sound for almost every letter, you will forever have an accent.
That said, everyone I know is intrigued by an accent.

[Haven]

Muchas gracias a todo por su aviso (I know that's full of errors).

Poli -- This time around, I'm planning to just focus on good grammar and pronunciation, and not worry about accent. I'll be living in New Mexico, so the standard Latin American pronunciation makes sense (an Argentine accent would be out of place in the Southwest).

Rusty -- I'm kind of a linguistics buff, so I learned about the different phonemic patterns in Spanish. You're right, almost all the letters are pronounced differently than in English. For me, it seems difficult to pronounce vowels and especially consonants the "Spanish" way, especially ones that are very different from English (especially /r/, /v/, /d/, /o/, etc.).

[wrholt]

Originally Posted by Haven

Muchas gracias a todo por su aviso (I know that's full of errors).

Poli -- This time around, I'm planning to just focus on good grammar and pronunciation, and not worry about accent. I'll be living in New Mexico, so the standard Latin American pronunciation makes sense (an Argentine accent would be out of place in the Southwest).

Rusty -- I'm kind of a linguistics buff, so I learned about the different phonemic patterns in Spanish. You're right, almost all the letters are pronounced differently than in English. For me, it seems difficult to pronounce vowels and especially consonants the "Spanish" way, especially ones that are very different from English (especially /r/, /v/, /d/, /o/, etc.).

I'm with Rusty on this: most native speakers easily understand anyone who uses a native-like but relatively neutral pronunciation of most or all phonemes. Some local/regional accents employ less-familiar pronunciations of some phonemes which are frequently harder for people from other regions to understand easily.

If and when you live in a particular place for an extended time, you may discover that your pronuncation evolves to become more like the local accent that you hear every day.

[Liquinn3]

Well, I'm off to spain for nearly a month soon. How would they know I'm English if I only speak to them in Spanish? My accent?

[pjt33]

Originally Posted by Liquinn3

Well, I'm off to spain for nearly a month soon. How would they know I'm English if I only speak to them in Spanish? My accent?

That and your sunburn

On the topic of accents, most people speaking a foreign language betray their origin just as much as they do when speaking their own language. It's usually not hard to identify a Brit or a US American speaking Spanish, any more than it is to identify a Spaniard speaking English. The biggest giveaways are vowels and phonotactics. For English-speakers learning Spanish, I recommend concentrating on the vowels.

I remember staying the best part of a week in a hotel in Ecuador which was next to a primary school, and hearing the children reciting the vowels every morning: A E I O U. Find out how they're pronounced in Spanish and practise them. Then when you're speaking whole words, try to remember that Spanish vowels are the same in isolation as in words. (It doesn't necessarily help with diphthongs, but it's a good start).

I don't think I've ever been mistaken for a Spaniard by a native speaker, but I have been asked if I'm Argentinian. (And no, I wasn't using voseo or the distinctive Argentinian elle).

[Liquinn3]

Ah, I sometimes dismiss my native language while learning Spanish. Why? :P

I hope to speak to a Spanish girl in Barcelona. En la playa... jajajajaja

Well, I'm improving. I will improve in Spain with full total language immersion (sadly, only for a few weeks).

How much will I improve?

Un saludo.

[pjt33]

Originally Posted by Liquinn3

I hope to speak to a Spanish girl in Barcelona. En la playa... jajajajaja

Well, I'm improving. I will improve in Spain with full total language immersion (sadly, only for a few weeks).

Home, si creus que a Barcelona vagis a estar immers en la llengua castellana, t'espera una sorpresa.

[poli]

Just like a Spanish speaker fluent in English, there is almost always an accent. Sure, it's good to do as best as possible by paying attention to d's and r's and other things as well, but for the most part, your accent is with you and will eventually betray you even if you're good. If you speak the language well with a slight accent, it can work in your favor. Some will admire your ability to learn, because very few anglos speak Spanish beyond a few mispronounced words. I doubt an English accent sounds good as French accents sound in English, but I can't judge that. It would be interesting to hear what native Spanish speakers think

Going to Barcelona to speak Spanish may be like going to Montreal to speak English. Almost everyone knows Spanish and will speak it with you, but it if often not the language spoken at home.

PS: A fast train will take you to Valladolid or Zaragoza where Castilian reigns and not many English speakers venture. There, you will have to use the Spanish you learned. There is no beach there, but Zaragoza has a nice river.