GeneD
Senior Member
- Joined
- Mar 18, 2017
- Member Type
- Student or Learner
- Native Language
- Russian
- Home Country
- Belarus
- Current Location
- Belarus
There is one question I occasionally think about and find extremely curious. Do you native speakers of English often hear not AmE, BrE, Canadian, etc. but rather a mixture of two or more varieties? For instance, when someone habitually mixes AmE and BrE pronunciations in each sentence they say. Does it sound awkward? Or are there a lot more awkward things you hear from non-native speakers that such thing as mixed pronunciation doesn't seem a problem at all?
The reason why I ask you is that with the coming of the internet we learners are exposed to more than one variety of English. We listen audiobooks being read by AmE, BrE and who knows which other variety speakers; we watch Youtube videos of various not as easily identified English speakers on a daily basis and so on. And when for a native speaker there is always a safe harbour, their native language they hear every day, that serves as an axis and prevents a person from falling into chaotically organised speech; for us learners there aren't such a harbour. I have to confess that I, at least, most certainly speak such a mixed language which I call Eccentric (i.e. 'lacking a centre') English. What I would like to be sure of is whether or not I should stick to only one variety of English. (Whether it's possible or not and how exactly such a goal can be achieved is another question. )
Since I usually use BrE spelling and grammar, I thought that it might be a good idea to stick to the British variety. (I'm not sure that's the only right choice though because ironically, I'm more used to the AmE sound of speech.) Anyhow, trying to find a suitable video on Youtube on BrE pronunciation, I've come across this one. And although the name of the channel is Oxford Online English, one of the presenters (the girl) clearly speaks with the AmE accent. That's what puzzled me a little and, having formed this question in my head, caused to ask it now.
The reason why I ask you is that with the coming of the internet we learners are exposed to more than one variety of English. We listen audiobooks being read by AmE, BrE and who knows which other variety speakers; we watch Youtube videos of various not as easily identified English speakers on a daily basis and so on. And when for a native speaker there is always a safe harbour, their native language they hear every day, that serves as an axis and prevents a person from falling into chaotically organised speech; for us learners there aren't such a harbour. I have to confess that I, at least, most certainly speak such a mixed language which I call Eccentric (i.e. 'lacking a centre') English. What I would like to be sure of is whether or not I should stick to only one variety of English. (Whether it's possible or not and how exactly such a goal can be achieved is another question. )
Since I usually use BrE spelling and grammar, I thought that it might be a good idea to stick to the British variety. (I'm not sure that's the only right choice though because ironically, I'm more used to the AmE sound of speech.) Anyhow, trying to find a suitable video on Youtube on BrE pronunciation, I've come across this one. And although the name of the channel is Oxford Online English, one of the presenters (the girl) clearly speaks with the AmE accent. That's what puzzled me a little and, having formed this question in my head, caused to ask it now.
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