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Tutor Lady Ayame 's Column

Your accent is not the problem! Practice mouth movements

Apr 3, 2023

Dear Cafetalk Community,

I found a very interesting video by Vinh Giang called "How I learned to speak English: Tips and Tricks for Clear Communication." Vinh is a famous YouTube English and Communication influencer and I think he has a lot of good things to say in his video.

I love it when he says, "The problem is not your accent. The problem is you're using the wrong mouth movements in the wrong language." (paraphrase) Vingh can speak fluent Chinese, Vietnamese, and English. His CV and background are very impressive. 

The main point in the video is that you are not forming the words correctly with your mouth for that particular language. As a result, the way you form your mouth when you say the words is most important and makes a big difference in your articulation--for that language. 

So, it's important to be aware of how you are forming your words with your mouth. If you want to articulate in English better, you have to work on your mouth movements since your mouth is not familiar with the new language and the way the words are formed. I believe this is a very important difference.

If you want to get rid of your accent, you have to articulate properly with the correct mouth movements for that language. I hope this gives you hope and a way to get rid of the accent by using correct articulation and mouth movements.
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Some of the tips and tricks covered in Ving's course include:
1. Mastering the basics of English grammar and vocabulary
2. Practicing active listening and paying attention to body language.
3. Building a strong and varied vocabulary by reading and listening to English content.
4. Developing a daily speaking practice routine
5. Building confidence through positive self-talk and visualization techniques

Overall, the course is designed to help non-native English speakers improve their communication skills and become more confident speakers of English.

Warmest regards,

Lady Ayame
(Patricia Ayame Thomson)

Janis Ian - QOTD: "Never make fun of someone who speaks broken English. It  means they know another language." | Facebook

This column was published by the author in their personal capacity.
The opinions expressed in this column are the author's own and do not reflect the view of Cafetalk.

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