Vrije Universitet Amsterdam | Pronunc_inGW_Week1_v2_25p

Welcome to week one. In this week, we will address the question, what is important in English pronunciation in a
global world?

The important point about English pronunciation is to make sure that I'm articulating my words clearly. I tend to

adopt the accent of the various places that I've lived in, and that can lead to some confusion if I'm not careful.

In my opinion, the most important thing of English pronunciation is to ensure a mutual understanding. And
personally, I think it's important to articulate words clearly and loudly. Yes, that's what I always feel is true.

I believe having good pronunciation in your language is a good thing, because it provides understanding in the

context you want to.

When it comes to pronunciation, I think the most important thing is to be intelligible to other people and then to
meet them halfway with our own pronunciation as well.

To me, the most important thing about English pronunciation is just understanding each other. And because I'm
living in such an international environment, I'm now used to so many different accents, so now I'm just used to
understanding everybody. And I think that even when someone pronounces a thing in a different way, usually

context is enough to understand each other.

Especially as a scientist, I think it is important that you can pronounce the words as good as possible to convince

the audience that your results and your conclusions are reliable.

For me, pronunciation is something that matters a lot. When I moved to the US, even though I already spoke

English, I didn't sound like everybody else around me. So I had to actively modify my speech to make sure that I

was understood, and that I could get my point across.

I think accent and pronunciation, as long as you're coherent to the other person, do not really matter in today's
cosmopolitan world. I personally believe that my accent has got bits and pieces from everywhere that I've lived,

and that's what makes it unique. And that's what makes life exciting as well-- knowing that people are different,

and they're unique in their own special ways.

There is an increasing number of people in the world who all need to speak English for various purposes. So we

each have our own goals. However, in general, we would say that it is important that your English accent is

intelligible, credible, and that you feel comfortable speaking it. That is, that it fits with your identity.
First, what does it mean for an English accent to be intelligible? It is both that you are understood by other

speakers, and vice versa-- that you understand their accent. It has been shown many times that a particular
pronunciation may cause a breakdown in communication, and even lead to dangerous situations. For example,

the former French Minister, Bernard Kouchner, once inadvertently threatened Iran that Israel would "eat" them by

dropping his h from hit. To "eat" them is to devour, which came across as very aggressive. This caused such an
upset in Iran that Kouchner felt compelled to apologise for the phonetic confusion that he had caused.

Second, what it means for your English accent to be credible is that it does not affect the way that you are
perceived. Unfortunately, it is a fact of life that some accent features are negatively evaluated. For example, this

research article reports on an experiment where speakers with a standard English accent on the one hand and a

foreign accent on the other uttered the same trivia statements-- like, a giraffe can go without water longer than a
camel can-- which is actually true. The research article concludes that people with what was termed a more

severe accent were less likely to be believed.

Finally, provided that your English accent is intelligible and credible, you should have an English accent that meets

your personal goals and suits you. It may be that you aspire to a British English accent because you think it will

help you in your profession, or simply because you like it. But it may also be that you have reasons for not wanting

to sound like a Brit, for example, because you represent a local company in negotiations. In that case, an English

accent with some features of your native language might be more appropriate.

And then, you are always behind the facts-- running behind the facts, I call it in Dutch.

After all, what makes Louis van Gaal an international Dutch football coach, the very fact that he speaks Dutch and

English with a Dutch accent.

For this week, we have the following programme. You will examine the notions of intelligibility, credibility, and

identity in relation to English pronunciation. You will set your personal goals for English pronunciation, and share

them with other students in the course. You will make a recording of your own English pronunciation and listen to

others. And you will have the opportunity to ask your educator questions online.