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Q: Pronunciation question for...
Accelerate. Chinese friend here brought it up. She had been hearing me say it where the 'acc' is pretty hard and sounds like 'ack' or maybe like the sound in 'action'. ack cellerate. Which I guess is the American pronunciation. She says she had heard it as 'eck',,,or something like the sound in 'ectoplasm'. eck cellerate. and not near as hard of a stress as the US way.
Any Brits, Aussies, Canookadians, or Kiwis out there care to set us straight on this?
6 years 19 weeks ago in Teaching & Learning - China
Yeah, it's like icnif said. The osession with proper/perfect pronunciation is completely obsessive. There's Chinese who practice to eradicate every trace of their accent, and seem entirely British, or East Coast American. And some do an amazing job at it.
But there still isn't much substance or understanding behind it. I haven't spoken with any of the fabled perfect speech mimics, but I'm willing to bet they still won't get top marks on an IELTS, just enough to pass comfortably.
Pronunciation is valued way way higher than actual mastery of a language. The opposite probably applies to expats too. If you can speak Chinese flawlessly, but with a limited vocabulary, you'll get more respect than a person who has wide vocabulary but an audible accent.
'ek - se - le - rate' ....
I might have an accent, 'cause I come 
from my mum .....
Here's pro's weblink with UK & US pronunciation:
https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/pronunciation/english/accelerate
awesome,, xiexie 77. she really understands when Cambridge explains it,,, not so much when I do,,,, haha. 
icnif77:
'Never put yourself in front position!'
Search the web instead, and provide the link of authorized English speakers/teachers ... 
and add: 'They know correctamundo ... for sure!'
icnif77:
I've never understood Chinese need for 'proper English pronunciation'.
There is no such thing especially if you listen to different speakers in big English speaking cities.
I often had lengthy lessons on English pronunciation e.g,: 'tou-ble' instead 'tai-ble', with my final statement:
'We have problem only when I don't understand meaning of your pronunciation! But, English speakers around the world pronounce English different!. This is the same in every language!'
'You as Chinese won't ever be able to speak English as Native speakers do, same as I won't ever be able to speak Chinese as you do!'
But, when you exit China and hit the West, English pronunciation differs a lot!
I had often similar problems, buTT ... I am Non-native, what makes my 'problem' multiply by brazillion comparable to yours with Native English passport.
And despite you were born in Native English country, your pronunciation is still in Q.
Just give them FocusEnglish 
to study 'proper-for-real' English.
Yeah, it's like icnif said. The osession with proper/perfect pronunciation is completely obsessive. There's Chinese who practice to eradicate every trace of their accent, and seem entirely British, or East Coast American. And some do an amazing job at it.
But there still isn't much substance or understanding behind it. I haven't spoken with any of the fabled perfect speech mimics, but I'm willing to bet they still won't get top marks on an IELTS, just enough to pass comfortably.
Pronunciation is valued way way higher than actual mastery of a language. The opposite probably applies to expats too. If you can speak Chinese flawlessly, but with a limited vocabulary, you'll get more respect than a person who has wide vocabulary but an audible accent.
Yeah, I tell students/friends all the time that there are a hundred different pronunciations, some more subtle, some more noticeable, the thing is to be understood. Hopefully to understand what you are saying as well. I think most of them get the idea that in such a widely spoken language, different regions (peoples) sound different.
Truth is up here in the hinterlands I'm happy when I can understand anything beyond the compulsory- "Hello, My name is Long Dong, I'm from China, Where are you from? Do you like Chinese food?"
icnif77:
I'd say, that's all good! You'll be busy for centuries ....
Chinese language is based on pronunciation, i.e. if you don't pronounce it right way, you change the meaning of the word/saying. That can be one reason for Chinese obsession with 'proper' English pronunciation.
