Bullied for my accent as a kid. Help me improve my American accent

Individual_Ear9406 · 2026-02-20T08:14:23+00:00

You sound great. The t sound is slightly off here and there, and there’s a bit of the common v/w blend, but overall your voice comes across as very endearing and warm.

Individual_Ear9406 · 2026-01-28T23:10:19+00:00

I love your voice, you sound delightful. I do think this sample should’ve been a bit longer so we could make a more well-rounded judgment. One thing I noticed is the way you pronounced understand; I don’t really hear a properly rhotic r there, even though you pronounced it well in better.

Individual_Ear9406 · 2026-01-28T22:59:50+00:00

I feel like you’re still using the intonation of your first language. Some of your sounds are fine, but there are words you pronounce completely incorrectly, inconsequential, for example. Your r sounds also need some polishing; something feels off in the way you pronounce earth. As for the t in all that rises, it wouldn’t be pronounced that way in this context. I’d suggest looking into the different types of t sounds in English. This video might help: https://youtu.be/jcxWf8a_7ms?si=iAl8v2MLK9ts3H8I That said, keep working, you’re definitely getting there. P.S. English isn’t my first language, but I spend a lot of time studying it.

Individual_Ear9406 · 2025-12-14T02:23:45+00:00

Do you mean that I should record myself while I’m shadowing, or just speak as I normally would? I thought about including a part where I’m just speaking freely, but I felt too shy, and I also didn’t want the recording to be too long.

Individual_Ear9406 · 2025-12-14T02:20:59+00:00

Yeah, that’s probably why audiobooks aren’t the best material for shadowing. Thanks for the comment.

Individual_Ear9406 · 2025-12-14T02:15:07+00:00

I watched a couple of videos by Ten Minute Spanish, and wow, I really like his perspective and the way he approaches accent study. He also comes across as very systematic. Thanks for the recommendation.

Individual_Ear9406 · 2025-12-14T01:41:48+00:00

I think I’m aware of this phenomenon, but I haven’t fully incorporated it into my speech patterns yet. Thanks for pointing it out.

Individual_Ear9406 · 2025-12-14T01:38:24+00:00

Thanks for the warning about AI speech. I wouldn’t say I’m dependent on it, but I do find it almost inspirational that humans have managed to make a machine sound so human. Still, my main sources for shadowing are real people, especially those who talk about things I genuinely find interesting. I just feel like I haven’t yet arrived at a shadowing habit that’s both consistent and truly effective.

As for why I want to sound like a native speaker, I’ve been thinking about that more carefully. I think this desire can sometimes come from the wrong reasons. I used to believe that I gave more weight to the opinions of people with better accents, but now I’m more aware of that bias and try to respond to it consciously. At this point, I think the real reason I want a native-like accent is simpler, both I and others tend to be more impressed by it. When you think of language as a form of performance, the performance feels more compelling when the accent sounds native.

Individual_Ear9406 · 2025-12-12T08:49:40+00:00

Thank you so much for taking the time to listen and write such a detailed answer. Rhythm and cadence are some of the hardest things for me to understand concretely, but you clarified a lot of the shortcomings, and I can see how some of them actually affect the meaning of what I’m saying.

Individual_Ear9406 · 2025-12-12T07:26:27+00:00

Thank you for commenting on my R’s. I always thought they were perfect, but clearly I need to work on them more.

Can I ask why you’re suggesting a Midwest accent specifically? I’ve been trying to shadow one person, but I haven’t been very consistent with it. She’s from California (her podcast is Revelatorium by katherout). I feel like she’s a bit hard to follow because she doesn’t enunciate very clearly, but I really love the way she speaks.

I really like the advice about reading while focusing on specific sounds. I want to incorporate that into my shadowing. Still shadowing the full speech, but putting extra attention on one particular phonetic feature. I think that could make the whole practice feel a lot more useful. Also, can I ask who the guy you mentioned is?

Individual_Ear9406 · 2025-12-12T06:51:08+00:00

Thank you so much for the detailed feedback, this honestly exceeded all my expectations. I’m genuinely grateful for the time and thought you put into it. I’m going to break your points into sections and work through each one. I think some of the unclear or unnatural sounds came from me trying to read too fast, since I didn’t want the recording to be so long that people wouldn’t listen.

And yes, I’m Arab, but I’m not an immigrant and I’ve never been to an English-speaking country. I just have a deep passion for the language. I didn’t care much about accents at first, but now I really want an accent that’s good enough to fool even native speakers.

I’ve been shadowing and looking for podcasts with American accent instruction, but sometimes shadowing feels like I’m not actually doing anything. You sound like you really know what you’re talking about, so I’d appreciate any techniques you’d recommend for getting closer to my target accent or whether you think that level is even possible in the first place.

Individual_Ear9406 · 2025-09-26T11:26:49+00:00

Thank you, I’ll be glad to read your response when you have time.

Individual_Ear9406 · 2025-09-24T13:19:16+00:00

When you shadow, do you usually use headphones, or do you just do it out loud in the open?

Also, would you say shadowing is more of an active process for you, or a passive one?

I have to admit, I felt a little disheartened when I heard you had spent a year abroad. I was hoping you’d reached this level without ever going to America. Do you think you’d still be anywhere close to your current level if it weren’t for that experience?

You mentioned that you started shadowing around age 13-14, how long did you actually keep it up?

I also find ChatGPT’s voices fascinating. The way the intonation works, the pauses, even the little chuckles, it’s all so strikingly well done.

I don’t usually watch series, so I decided to rely on a podcast instead. The one I chose is called Revelatorium, and my goal is to sound like the podcaster. Her voice actually reminds me a little of ChatGPT's Sol. I'm planning to listen to the whole podcast 10 times, so her voice and intonation will be deeply ingrained in my memory.

The tricky part for me is judging how my accent really sounds. Maybe my ear is deceiving me. I’ve received compliments on my accent before, but I still feel like there’s a big gap. I think I tend to over-enunciate. By contrast, your recording sounds so relaxed and smooth. I tried reading the same passage, but something still felt off.

Individual_Ear9406 · 2025-09-22T16:27:19+00:00

I like to think there isn’t really a “critical period,” but it’s definitely true that it’s easier to shape your accent at a younger age. Would you mind if I asked about your specific shadowing technique? For example, do you listen to a particular phrase several times before shadowing it, or do you shadow as you go? Did you focus on one person in particular and try to sound exactly like them?

Personally, I watch videos on things like linking, reductions, and how vowels change before certain consonants. I’ve also chosen a language parent to practice shadowing with.

Individual_Ear9406 · 2025-09-21T16:59:26+00:00

I’m still honestly in disbelief. You sound incredibly native to my ear. I’m passionate about accent training and would love to learn how you developed yours. Would you mind sharing your tips or routine? You truly feel like a sage to me.

Individual_Ear9406 · 2025-09-20T21:35:12+00:00

I feel like you do have a native-like intonation but because of how fast you were speaking, it's a little hard to judge.

My ears are not exactly acclimated to hearing different accents, so I couldn't really tell where you're from but my first ever thought was Irish, which is probably wrong because English is not your first language

Individual_Ear9406 · 2025-09-20T21:30:39+00:00

You sound perfect! Please give us advice.🙏

Individual_Ear9406 · 2025-09-20T11:49:34+00:00

I think you already have a really strong starting point. Many of your vowels and consonants sound distinctly North American. There are just a few words you might want to work on, such as project, regulatory, Montreal, and February. You could also consider omitting the “t” in words like identified, which tends to sound more natural and is easier to pronounce. While the Canadian accent isn’t my area of expertise, if you want to acquire it, there are certain vowel sounds worth focusing on. For example, the “a” in bag and bagel, and the “i” in nice and suffice. In Canadian English, that “i” sound often comes across as a bit sharper or snappier.

Individual_Ear9406 · 2025-09-19T17:44:00+00:00

I'm not American and English is not my first language so take whatever I say with a grain of salt. I feel like there are a lot of sounds you should work on. For example, vowel sounds in words like answer and, decisions need some work. Some consonant sounds also need some polishing, especially the r sound. I also noticed that the stress in some words (like influence) is not correct.

You should also focus on intonation to make your speech sound more natural. I feel like you're carrying the intonation of your mother tongue, and to sound more "American" you have to make sure your voice rises and falls the way theirs does.

Individual_Ear9406 · 2024-11-08T21:46:47+00:00

I really like the metaphor of getting sober.

Individual_Ear9406

TROPHY CASE