How do people speak in german accents? I need to learn how to speak in a german accent, but I want it to be realistic.
German accent!
One idea is to check out Deutche welle TV station, which is in English, but these jurnalists don't really sound very German to me. Their accent is closer to British accent than German one.
I talked to a few Germans in the past and noticed that some of them have a German accent and some a kind of British accent maybe. I believe the ones with German accent don't speak Englsih very ofthen or they don't have much schoolong in Emglsh pronounciation, because otherwise I can't explain why some of them sound more British than other ones.
I also know that English language is part of the curriculum in any grade school in Germany.
I talked to a few Germans in the past and noticed that some of them have a German accent and some a kind of British accent maybe. I believe the ones with German accent don't speak Englsih very ofthen or they don't have much schoolong in Emglsh pronounciation, because otherwise I can't explain why some of them sound more British than other ones.
I also know that English language is part of the curriculum in any grade school in Germany.
My stepbrother and stepsister are German, and I notice an odd, hard-to-define whining quality to their intonation.
I notice that Germans (practically all of them) have problems with the vowel sound in words like 'apple' or 'hands' - the last one
usually comes out like 'hence'.
In North Rhine Westphalia (the most populous German state) kids now have to start learning English in their first year of primary school, ie at the age of 6. That's just been brought in this September - it used to be the third year.
usually comes out like 'hence'.
In North Rhine Westphalia (the most populous German state) kids now have to start learning English in their first year of primary school, ie at the age of 6. That's just been brought in this September - it used to be the third year.
Germans might have trouble saying voiced consonants at the ends of words, since in German all final consonants are voiceless.
I've recently had several conversations with a German immigrant who has been in the United States for decades. His English is good, but he has the problem that Mjd mentioned with 'w'. Also the other day I noticed that he said 'brother' with an odd kind of 'th'. I was reminded of the 'd' in 'Bruder'.
The best way to find a model may be to get a copy of an English-language movie that has a major character who speaks with an authentic German accent. Arnold Schwarzenegger (of Austrian descent, I believe) might do, though if you have any tendencies to become violent, maybe you shouldn't risk having him as a model. :-) There are probably a good many other actors -- even native speakers of English who were well coached -- who could serve as models.
They also pronounce "v"--- "f" and sometimes they are hard to understand.
Ve haf vays of making you speak viz ze German accent, ja????
I rather like hearing English spoken in a German accent.....also in a French accent...has a sexy quality.....I also like to hear Scandinavian accents but they are among the best for acquiring an almost native English accent, whether British or American....many seem to choose the latter to varying degrees. Ulrika Johnsson is Swedish born and bred but sounds as if she has lived in Sunningdale all her life. Dutch, Italian, Spanish accents...I rather like them all in their own ways. As for those hot East Europeans I met over a hot checkout......loosome too. I seem to like most foreign accents.....I hear so many. ALL of them beat Scouse.......that's for sure.
I rather like hearing English spoken in a German accent.....also in a French accent...has a sexy quality.....I also like to hear Scandinavian accents but they are among the best for acquiring an almost native English accent, whether British or American....many seem to choose the latter to varying degrees. Ulrika Johnsson is Swedish born and bred but sounds as if she has lived in Sunningdale all her life. Dutch, Italian, Spanish accents...I rather like them all in their own ways. As for those hot East Europeans I met over a hot checkout......loosome too. I seem to like most foreign accents.....I hear so many. ALL of them beat Scouse.......that's for sure.
Check out Derren Nesbitt's character in Where Eagles Dare, Ralph Fiennes and Jochen Nickel in Schindlers's List -the latter is the guy who shows Fiennes' character the Ghetto and asks 'Do you have any questions, sir?' and receives the answer 'Ja, why is the top down? I'm fucking freezing'. And then of course there is Jim Carrey in The Pet Detective, hehe.
Watching German movies and listeng to the language might help in order to get the intonation and pronounciation of the accent right if one does not already speak German, which I know helps.
Watching German movies and listeng to the language might help in order to get the intonation and pronounciation of the accent right if one does not already speak German, which I know helps.
ok, maybe this helps me and you...
i've recorded some words. actually, i don't know, whether i have a german accent, or not. maybe you can tell me.. ; D if it's so, you have an example of a bad english speaking german and i'll know, that i have to train harder. *g*
otherwise, i'll be happy.. :-) link: http://protten.com/non-site/pronounciation_test.mp3
(comments are really welcome!)
i've recorded some words. actually, i don't know, whether i have a german accent, or not. maybe you can tell me.. ; D if it's so, you have an example of a bad english speaking german and i'll know, that i have to train harder. *g*
otherwise, i'll be happy.. :-) link: http://protten.com/non-site/pronounciation_test.mp3
(comments are really welcome!)
Christian,
You definatly have a medium German accent! Maybe Candy (who teaches English to Germans) can compare you pronounciation to theirs...
You definatly have a medium German accent! Maybe Candy (who teaches English to Germans) can compare you pronounciation to theirs...
medium.. sounds good. :-)
[ just btw: cool site with cool lomo pictures and interesting (audio) comments: http://120seconds.com/features/021025_lomo/website/index.html ]
[ just btw: cool site with cool lomo pictures and interesting (audio) comments: http://120seconds.com/features/021025_lomo/website/index.html ]