Can you really sound like a native English speaker if you started speaking English as an adult? There are some courses out there that promise you that in no time, you will be speaking with no foreign accent. But is that really possible?
In this post, I’ll be talking about the challenges of gaining a native-like pronunciation in English. I’ll discuss if sounding like a native is possible and what you should focus on in order to be a clear, confident, and fulfilled English speaker.
Why do we have an accent?
First, let’s look at why we have an accent when we speak a foreign language.
According to research, after we hit our early teens, it becomes almost impossible to sound like native speakers of our target language. This is because when we are children, we form a solid foundation of our native language phonology and the sounds of our language serve as a reference point for decoding the sounds of other languages that are learned later in life.
That’s why, most people who learn a second language as adults will have a foreign accent, regardless of their full mastery of grammar and vocabulary. The accent could be strong or super mild, very slightly detectable, but it’ll still be detectable, especially if the speaker gets nervous or speaks on a topic that is unfamiliar.
Can you trick native speakers to think you are a native speaker too?
So, can you really trick native English speakers into thinking that you are a native speaker if you started learning and speaking English in your 20s for example? The short answer is: most probably not. It’s possible for some people, but highly improbable for the majority.
Don’t get me wrong. I know that there are some nonnative speakers who are able to sound like natives all the time when they speak English, but this is super rare. I’m saying ALL THE TIME because you can still fake it for a while if you apply connected speech and word stress and reduction, the right pronunciation of vowels, and all other nuances of the language, but there are going to be moments when some little detail will give you away. It could be the length of a particular vowel, voicing or devoicing a consonant, or any other little detail that you can’t think about while you are talking.
So, while you can absolutely master an amazing English pronunciation, be it American, British, Australian, or whatever dialect you aspire to master, if you have never spoken English before your twenties, native speakers will most probably be able to tell that you weren’t born into the language. And, by the way, THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT.
Improbable but not impossible
Now let me tell you why I think that it’s improbable, and mind you I don’t say impossible, but improbable – and these are two different words.
People who acquire an accent that is undetectable from a native speaker possess two very important components – talent and willingness to do the grueling work to build the muscle memory that is necessary to sound like a native.
Talent
Let’s first discuss talent. I know this might sound a bit controversial because nowadays everybody tells you that talent doesn’t matter and you can achieve anything with hard work. But before you get mad at me, hear me out.
Everyone is born with a certain predisposition to something. It could be math, singing, dance, acting, learning foreign languages or any other thing. That doesn’t mean that if you don’t have it in your genes, you won’t be able to learn. It only means that having some talent would make it easier.
Let’s take as an example American ballerina Misty Copeland. She didn’t start taking formal ballet lessons until the age of thirteen. Mind you, other kids start at five or six, or even younger, if they want to even consider a career in ballet. But Misty was able to catch up within a few months. She was able to learn within a few months what other ballet dancers learn in years. And all of this was possible because of her extraordinary talent. Rarely would someone be able to come even close to what she has achieved, no matter how hard they worked.
Learning foreign languages
Now, what does that mean for learning foreign languages? Some people are able to hear and distinguish between different sounds better than others. When we are kids, all of us can hear many more sounds, but as we age, we slowly lose this ability. You could still train your hearing skills and you can absolutely get better. But some people are just naturally able to hear the difference between sounds. It’s simply easier for them.
Just being able to hear the difference is not enough though. Some people are born with the ability to imitate others. They hear someone’s voice, intonation, or way of speech, and they are able to reproduce it to a T.
As a side note here, I just want to say that because of YouTube and the technology today, children and young people will be able to hear way more English, regardless of where they live. So, in the future, people might not struggle with pronunciation so much because they will be familiar with the sounds from a very young age. But here, I’m talking about adults today.
Hard work
Having talent, as I said, is a huge advantage. However, talent alone is not enough for an adult person to start speaking without a foreign accent.
But if it’s combined with hard work, and I mean a grueling amount of repetition of sounds and self-monitoring, with the willingness to almost obsessively practice every day, maybe even several hours a day, then it’s possible for this person to acquire a native accent of the target language.
The question here is: Is this necessary?
The truth is that everyone can achieve fluency in a foreign language, get a good education, find a great and fulfilling job, and have a decent life in a foreign country. Of course, it takes time and effort, but it is indeed achievable. Good pronunciation is very important and you can definitely learn how to pronounce well and be clear without striving to sound exactly like a native speaker.
You can take a pronunciation course, but don’t fall prey to one of those “Lose your accent in 30 days” courses. It’s just not true. Of course, there is nothing wrong with wanting to sound like a native. If you love working on sounds or want to be an actor, go for it. Just make sure you are doing it out of pleasure and not out of frustration.
Semantics and pragmatics
If you live or plan to live in an English-speaking country, what you can focus on is learning the semantics and pragmatics of the language. Semantics is the meaning of the words in sentences, while pragmatics is how given words are used in context. Pragmatics and cultural competence are closely related, so don’t focus just on grammar and vocabulary, but pay attention to different cultural aspects as well.
Remember though that this comes with time. Be patient, stay curious, be kind, and never apologize for “imperfect” English. Remember, you speak another language. Many people don’t.
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Leave me a comment below and tell me how many languages you speak. Let’s celebrate our diversity.
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