If your first language is Russian, or a dialect of Russian, you may be using the Slavonic “sound system” when you speak English. You may not have learned much about this if you studied English as a foreign language. Some of these differences won’t have great impact; some may give you a charming accent, but others can interfere with your ability to communicate.
You may get feedback that listeners can’t understand you, that you talk too fast, or that you sound harsh, depressed, or pushy. Perhaps you’ve gotten feedback at work that your presentation style confuses your audience or lacks direction. These, and other problems, result from applying what you know and use successfully in Russian, to English, where it doesn’t work as well. You are applying a set of Russian “sound rules” to English, which has its own sound rules that you should be applying.
Some common interference points between Russian and English:
- Vowel system differences (long and short vowel differentiation, and diphthongs)–these affect your pronunciation
- Consonant system differences–these affection your pronunciation
- Intonation and pitch range differences–these strongly affect your tone
- Pitch, rhythm and stress pattern differences–these affect your message
English intonation and sentence stress carries layers of meaning, as well as signals about idea organization and your attitude–things that are not conveyed in the words themselves. This is an important area to study. It will affect how people perceive you.
If you’d prefer one-to-one help, rather than do it yourself, get in touch! We can diagnose your current pronunciation habits, define your goals, determine your existing skills, and create a plan that will lead you to a better sound in English. Contact me to discuss a customized, private pronunciation class that addresses your goals.
Peggy@AmericanPronunciationCoach.com
STUDENTS AND TEACHERS!
All of these challenges AND solutions are addressed in my new guide, English Pronunciation, Intonation and Accent Reduction for Russian Speakers. Click here to get it now!
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Peggy Tharpe teaches, coaches, and publishes about English pronunciation and intonation. She believes that if you understand why something is happening, you're better able to address it and change it. She teaches the "why" of pronunciation as well as the "what" and "how".
