Re: Re: Pronunciation

"Russ Taylor" <russssch-/E1597aS9LT10XsdtD+oqA@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:

> I can't recall exactly where I came across the idea
> that a student will almost never lose their own accent
> and it is of no consequence if they can be understood.

My recollection, it could be wrong, is that in general, children who start 
growing up in one country and then move, before the age of eight (8), to 
another country and stay until adulthood, demonstrate little or no noticeable 
originating country accent, that is they take on the accent of their host 
country. 

Apparently our chosen phonemic sound-set get locked in around eight years of 
age. However, those who move after the age of eight can modify their accent to 
some degree. This apparently was attributed to the need to sound like those 
around us, to fit in. this exhibits itself in a variety of ways, from accent 
through to local slang and jargon.

Now, I don?t remember the source of this research but it did stick in my mind 
as something to think about.

Now this kind of student is very rare, I have met maybe one or two like this 
per year. Several others I have met, have early childhood overseas study 
experience. They seem to have access to a completely different, and perhaps 
expanded ?sound set? compared with the standard Chinese student. And thier 
'English' accent is very clear and distinguishable as, American, Canadian, 
Australian, New Zealander, British, Singaporean, etc.


Regards,

Tsc Tempest DCA
__________________________
People's Republic of China
Zhuhai SEZ, Guang Dong


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