English Pronunciation

[Nestor]

This file has expired and is no longer available here. The owner of the topic can re-upload the file, or post a link to an off-site file. <BR><BR><a name="planetz-tag"></a>Genre: Acoustic<BR> <a name="planetz-tag"></a>Uses: Pulsar Mixers<BR> Actually, Creamweare...<BR> _____________________________________<BR><BR> I’m aware that this may be even laughable for some of you, cos of my accent. I understand it… but please, despite the accent, which is almost inevitable for me, what about my pronunciation? Do you actually understand everything? This is the point!

I’ve done it pretty straightforward. I have chosen a text from an old Creamware advertisement, and then read aloud it twice. The third time was recording it. I have edited it EQed it a bit, giving some depth and pass through a very soft naturalverb, that’s it. I can pronounce better with some study, but I prefer to show you my mistakes, so through your advices I can correct myself.

Please, be totally honest about it, don’t worry, I’m not going to be sorry or something… I truly need to know if this is acceptable or not, that’s it.


Here you have the text I’ve used, just in case you want to follow it in a given moment:

Creamware Text:

“The Pulsar DSP board brings it all together – more than 100 audio software components integrating mixing, effects, sampling, synthesis, routing, automation and control – all at the highest digital standards – all in one ultra-powerful and compatible Music Production Environment. Computer-based digital audio has experienced an enormous evolution during the past few years. There are countless products on the market that do different and interesting things on your PC – the problem is getting them to work together at the same time! In reality, it’s virtually impossible to get multiple audio software products co-existing as a stable, dynamic and responsive environment meeting professional requirements. Some people spend more time configuring their machine than making music. Chances are, you’ve experienced these complications relating to computer audio yourself!

That’s why we invented Pulsar. It’s not a multimedia sound card for games, or just a multi-I/O system, nor a simple DSP card with mixing functionality – it’s much, much more. Pulsar is a completely new concept; a DSP-based music production environment for your PC. It integrates mixing, sampling, synthesis, effects, I/O and unlimited routing on the most advanced and powerful audio card available today. Pulsar can do all those things at the same time because the most significant point about Pulsar is integration.”

Well, thanks for your advice guys…

[spoimala]

Your accent doesn't bother me at all!
To me, your speech sounds a little like you are concentrating to your speaking too much. Your articulation is pretty "sharp". Try to relax, just let the words flow out of your mouth.

Also, I think you should think (and listen to any native speaker) how to pronounce letter 'u' in words like 'products',
'multiple' and 'functionality'. To me it doesn't sound correct.

Otherwise this sounds professional already.

[Neil B]

I think that this is well done Nestor.
I accept what Spoimala has said but that is just one of those things when speaking another language.
I thought of recording the same text myself and uploading a "real" English version but because this is a demo text that you are using, it doesn't really matter.
Yes, there are a few mistakes. You pronounce I/O as "ee/O" instead of "eye/O"
Control and component should have the 2nd "o's" pronounced in the same way as in I/O". But, this is demo text.
In terms of delivery, I can understand you better than I can understand my doctor.
I think that you perhaps need to be a bit more familiar with the text that you will be using. Feel it in your own language first and then express it in English - your emphasis points were a bit "out" in a couple of places. Some of this was due to concentration on the written text though.
I don't think you have a problem.

[Spirit]

Yes, pretty good. If you have a problem it's not so much the accent, it's the pace and timing.

It's like
you broke
up the sentences at
very
odd moments which interupted
the
pace of the
presentation. This distracts
from what you are trying
to
say.

But you seemed to get much better toward the end of text. Is that because you were more familar with that part of the text, wer more relaxed after you got into it, or perhaps the sentences were less complex ?

Edit: Of course all this assumes that as an Australian I'm qualified to comment about English ? Neil ?


<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Spirit on 2003-12-07 10:12 ]</font>

[Neil B]

Spirit
I think I could understand Nestor better than I can understand most Aussies
At least all his sentences didn't go up at the end
Still, that's what happens when folks are kept isolated on a big prison island eh - they invent their own language
Well done again Nestor, and seriously I think Spirit was supporting my comments - he simply explained it better than I did.

[paulrmartin]

Pronunciation of "Pulsar". The "U" sounds like the "O" in "Buenos Dias", just slightly flatter.(of course that all depends on your specific accent in spanish).

http://www.sil.org/mexico/ling/glosario ... sChart.htm

Look at the aove link. The sound you are looking for in "Pulsar" is in the middle column. It looks like a pyramid and refers to The way the "O"s are pronounced in "London". It's the same sound.

The way you say it is Pull-sar.( now I'm waiting for the Creamware "Push-sar"... hehe).

[bassdude]

instead of "pull-sar" I would say it's more like "pole-sar" as in flag pole.

[Nestor]

To Spoimala:
Thanks very much for your answer, this is valuable information for me.
I will check the “U” pronunciation as you suggest, I’m sure there are quite a few differences to achieve a close native speaker way of speaking.

To Neil B:
Ups, you’re right, I realise I said “ee” instead of “eye”, i.e. “I”.
Ok, I understand I’m not pronouncing well enough the second “Os” of words, I’m going to pronounce it more markedly.
I guess your doctor is Pakistani or something
I guess it was too slow as suggested by Bosone as well, I have to make it more fluent and natural, I can’t deny I was a bit tense as well, trying too much to well pronounce the words.
This is VERY important, the emphasis, I’m going to check it out with care…

To Spirit:
Ok, I see… no rhythm and so, there is not a fluent way of making sense of a phrase… this is very important, it is in fact the same that Neil have just said, but referring to it as “emphasis”, I’m going to be very careful with it.
As you guess, I was more relaxed by the end of the text, that’s why it is a little better.
Wow! Australian accent can be very difficult at times, but I love it body!

To Paul:
Yes, ok, more like the “U” from Spanish. I’m sure you can see details others won’t, cos you speak French and English too. French is in a sense, similar to Spanish and French speakers have similar problems to pronounce English as Spanish speakers have.
Fantastic link Paul, cheers, I’m going to download it and practice through.

To Bassdude:
Ok, so I guess Pulsar must be pronounced with some Spanish “ou” at the beginning for the “ul”.

***

Thanks very much everybody, it is interesting to see what people think about it, so I have to opportunity to get better at it. Based on what you have said and my own impression of your corrections, here it is what I have to do:

• Speak more fluently, understand it as a bit faster, more natural.
• Relax your voice and let it go.
• Make sense of phases through a good expression and rhythm.
• Take care of interruptions that should not exist between certain words.
• Study a bit the correct phonetics of English vowels.


Well, thanks VERY much you guys for your kind help.

I know it is a hard challenge for me, but the best I can do is do it again, after a few weeks, trying to put into practice all the points you have mentioned.

Thanks again

[AudioIrony]

I understood everything you said Nestor, just in some cases the emphasis was on the wrong syllables.