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Is the Midwestern American English accent unique?

People tell me I've got an English/American accent in French but I'm a native French speaker majoring in Eng!

  • I'm a native speaker of French, majoring in English. Yesterday, I chatted with a British girl and she started criticizing my pronunciation in French and testing my level in French (you say "cel" instead of "ciel"). I do sound foreign in English but I don't sound French, only European. I live not far from Germany and I used to have a thick German accent in French. However, apparently English has taken its toll over my German accent in French. I posted a sound file in French on a board and asked people whether I sounded foreign or not. One person told me I sounded German, 5 people told me I sounded English/ American or made comments like "you seem to have a hot potato in your mouth". A French guy actually asked "How did you manage to learn French?" and wanted to know where I came from. I use English most of the time but I've never left France. I watch TV, read, listen to music etc in English only. I've been doing that for 3 years. Would it be enough to get an English/American accent?

  • Answer:

    Do you live in Alsace? That could be the reason for your German accent. You might also be mimicking the American accent in French without realizing it. Just bathing constantly in English is enough to make you modify your native accent. You obviously have a musical ear. From your question, I can't figure out if you are upset about this "accent" or not. Interesting though! (BTW, your English is great!)

Lily at Yahoo! Answers Visit the source

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You may have "Madonna Syndrome" she claims she has not tried to change her American accent to a British one but being around it so much makes her have one, the same for you being around English language media gave you a subconscious American accent

Nikki

hi Liliy from what i've heard some people can pick up accents easily, and i suppose you're one of them. Don't get too upset over your accent, consider it as something unique! My friend comes from Malaysia and she doesn't have a typical Malay accent at all, becasue just like you she watches alot of English films and listens to American music etc. Don't worry about what other ppl say, their English probably isn't as good as yours. Good luck

˜˚•◦feli◦•˚˜

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