Learning English with videos

[irmamar]

A friend of mine has sent me this link with English videos. You can watch them subtitled:

http://www.lingual.net/lingualproductitems/

She has sent me also this link where a man advises to throw away your grammar books. I've found it funny, but what I like is his accent: he speaks so clear...., I can understand everything. Why don't all English speakers speak so clear?

[chileno]

Originally Posted by irmamar

A friend of mine has sent me this link with English videos. You can watch them subtitled:

http://www.lingual.net/lingualproductitems/

She has sent me also this link where a man advises to throw away your grammar books. I've found it funny, but what I like is his accent: he speaks so clear...., I can understand everything. Why don't all English speakers speak so clear?

Because he is american?


ouch!

[CrOtALiTo]

That man speaks very clear, I could to understand at most everything he said.

Irmamar. Thank you for the contribution, I hope you can set more videos about the learning in English that it really fault.

It was useful.

[irmamar]

I don't know his nationality, I guess he is British

In the first link you'll find a lot of short videos in English. I was looking for a similar page in Spanish, but I haven't found it . I think the videos are interesting because they are very short and you can choose to watch them subtitled or not (although they are not so clear as the one from youtube).

[laepelba]

Originally Posted by irmamar

I don't know his nationality, I guess he is British

In the first link you'll find a lot of short videos in English. I was looking for a similar page in Spanish, but I haven't found it . I think the videos are interesting because they are very short and you can choose to watch them subtitled or not (although they are not so clear as the one from youtube).

No, he is definitely not British. He is definitely American. In fact, I would say that he is not from the Southeastern US, either. He is speaking a little bit slowly and annunciating his words distinctly. I try to remember to do that when I teach my "English as a Second Language" Algebra class............

By the way - I have said it before and I'll say it again: These videos at the University of Texas website are FABULOUS for English speakers wanting to improve their Spanish listening skills. http://www.laits.utexas.edu/spe/index.html

[pjt33]

Originally Posted by laepelba

No, he is definitely not British. He is definitely American. In fact, I would say that he is not from the Southeastern US, either.

Californian?

Looks like I was right: his website gives a company address in San Francisco.

[laepelba]

You may be right. Californians tend to have a "generic" accent. I'm from New York (!!), so my "filter" is off.

[chileno]

Originally Posted by laepelba

No, he is definitely not British. He is definitely American. In fact, I would say that he is not from the Southeastern US, either. He is speaking a little bit slowly and enunciating his words distinctly. I try to remember to do that when I teach my "English as a Second Language" Algebra class............

By the way - I have said it before and I'll say it again: These videos at the University of Texas website are FABULOUS for English speakers wanting to improve their Spanish listening skills. http://www.laits.utexas.edu/spe/index.html

Even then, when you find a person easy to understand, there comes along another one who you don't understand anything.

Persevere. That's all I can say.

Also, when you are at the point to tell apart some accents or drawls then it is time for you to read aloud while recording your voice and listening to that recording in order to soften your own accent.

[pjt33]

Originally Posted by laepelba

You may be right. Californians tend to have a "generic" accent. I'm from New York (!!), so my "filter" is off.

I don't think his accent is generic: I think the vowels sound Californian, but I'm not a phonologist so I can't give any detail.

[laepelba]

Originally Posted by chileno

Even then, when you find a person easy to understand, there comes along another one who you don't understand anything.

Persevere. That's all I can say.

Also, when you are at the point to tell apart some accents or drawls then it is time for you to read aloud while recording your voice and listening to that recording in order to soften your own accent.

I really should start recording myself to work on my accent. My Peruvian friend says that my consonants are not soft enough. (Although she is the same person who says "arriba" and I can't hear a "b" sound AT ALL.

Originally Posted by pjt33

I don't think his accent is generic: I think the vowels sound Californian, but I'm not a phonologist so I can't give any detail.

Like I said ... my "filter" is off! My defense is my New Yorker upbringing.

[chileno]

Originally Posted by laepelba

I really should start recording myself to work on my accent. My Peruvian friend says that my consonants are not soft enough. (Although she is the same person who says "arriba" and I can't hear a "b" sound AT ALL.

jajaja. por supuesto, en Perú y Chile muchas veces, hablando mal, se omite la "b".

Por ejemplo:

Llévame p'arría (para arriba)

[irmamar]

Originally Posted by laepelba

No, he is definitely not British. He is definitely American. In fact, I would say that he is not from the Southeastern US, either. He is speaking a little bit slowly and annunciating his words distinctly. I try to remember to do that when I teach my "English as a Second Language" Algebra class............

By the way - I have said it before and I'll say it again: These videos at the University of Texas website are FABULOUS for English speakers wanting to improve their Spanish listening skills. http://www.laits.utexas.edu/spe/index.html

Did you teach Algebra to foreigner students? I should be quite difficult, for the pupils, of course

A very interesting link to learn Spanish . Above all when, in my opinion, listening is the worse when you're learning a language and linguistic immersion is not possible.

And is he American? Well, USA is so big... I've heard another accents from USA (I don't know from where they were) and they were hard to understand. American English has a nasal accent to my ears

[CrOtALiTo]

Here the point the guy speaks very clear and very well, I like this kind to videos, because I can understand them.

[laepelba]

Originally Posted by irmamar

Did you teach Algebra to foreigner students? I should be quite difficult, for the pupils, of course

A very interesting link to learn Spanish . Above all when, in my opinion, listening is the worse when you're learning a language and linguistic immersion is not possible.

And is he American? Well, USA is so big... I've heard another accents from USA (I don't know from where they were) and they were hard to understand. American English has a nasal accent to my ears

Yes, I teach Algebra in a secondary school (14-20 year olds). Many in my school are foreign born - it's just that kind of neighborhood. Algebra is always difficult for some and easy for others. I find that the language doesn't really stop those students who have a natural leaning toward mathematics.

I LOVE that website - can't wait to get back to it every time I can!

Yes - this video is definitely American. And, yes, American accents can vary greatly. I'm glad that this one has been easy for you to understand!!

[chileno]

Originally Posted by irmamar

A very interesting link to learn Spanish . Above all when, in my opinion, listening is the worse when you're learning a language and linguistic immersion is not possible.

And is he American? Well, USA is so big... I've heard another accents from USA (I don't know from where they were) and they were hard to understand. American English has a nasal accent to my ears

Originally Posted by laepelba

Yes - this video is definitely American. And, yes, American accents can vary greatly. I'm glad that this one has been easy for you to understand!!

Please, do not forget that these feelings of difficulties are always felt by learners of any language.

irmamar states that since the US is so big... that is natural to have different accents, however she forgets that Spain has different accents in just one little region and there are/were 13 provinces!

When I first arrived, I made friends to a Guatemalan couple, he grew up in the US and spoke Spanish too, and sometimes he would be listening to the radio, and where for me was just mumble jumble he would listen to it without much attention. I would ask him if he understood everything, to which he would answer "yes". I used to think to myself that I would never be able to understand that well or any of it, for that matter...

I still don't!!!!! (just kidding).

[irmamar]

I hope you do, because if you don't I won't ever

[María José]

Originally Posted by irmamar

A friend of mine has sent me this link with English videos. You can watch them subtitled:

http://www.lingual.net/lingualproductitems/

She has sent me also this link where a man advises to throw away your grammar books. I've found it funny, but what I like is his accent: he speaks so clear...., I can understand everything. Why don't all English speakers speak so clear?

Thanks, Irmamar. I just sent the info to my students.

[irmamar]

Originally Posted by María José

Thanks, Irmamar. I just sent the info to my students.

You're welcome. It's so easy to understand!

[Perikles]

Well, I have just tried to listen to that video, and I had to stop listening becuse I could not tolerate his accent. Not only that, but he was saying you should not study grammar. Absolutely ridiculous. I think that not only do I speak more clearly than he, I talk with an acceptable accent and I talk a lot more sense as well. And I'm modest.

[AngelicaDeAlquezar]

He's easy to understand because he speaks slowly and articulates for English learners. I guess he wouldn't be so easy to understand in a daily conversation.


@Perikles: I agree with you, but now I'm relieved it's not my fault actually that I can't speak English easily, quickly and automatically.