Community Discussions
Is there an actual translation for this concept in English?
Hi, everyone! Italian speaker here. While writing in an informal context, I was going to use a word traslating it literally from my native language: something that I shouldn't have done, I know, but sometimes it still happens. Specifically, after so many years practicing English, I realized I never saw the direct equivalent of a very common Italian word, that's to say "ideali" (plural form of "ideale", both noun and adjective). While in the singular form the meanings are pretty equivalent to the English ones, in the plural form the meaning slightly shifts, and indicates - more or less - a set of moral standards and aspirations that an individual, a group or even a generation might have (i.e. "gli ideali dei giovani"...youth's ideals?). While I know that it's possible to use "ideals" in Law English (i.e. *the ideals in legal theory*) or in Mathematics and Physics, I am not aware of the usage I'm referring to. Would the word "ideals" be used in this regard too? Would you use a different word at all (i.e. aspirations)? Or is it something you wouldn't say at all? TIA!
How Did You Become Fluent?
I'm curious to hear from those of you who have become fluent in English so that I can adopt the same. I'd love to know: * What resources (books, apps, courses) did you find most helpful? * Did you practice with native speakers, and if so, how did you find them? * How did you stay motivated throughout the learning process? * Were there any specific challenges you faced, and how did you overcome them?
Can’t speak English
Hey guys i have been watching movies and series since 5/6 years I can understand and I know a lot English also I can know when something is wrong or right in written English but Iam unable to speak english In Duolingo practice test i got score of 110-120 Which is equal to B2 in CEFR Any tips guys?
This is correct?
1 There are any packets of sugar in the cupboard? 2 There is any flour in the bag?
Does this sound natural to you?
The onions are making me cry.
Is my accent really that noticeable? I’m probably in denial but please be super honest!
https://voca.ro/1dPYyHpfMg65 here’s my recording, I had to be somewhat quiet to not disturb the others and startle them. What does it sound like to you? Any opinions/ feedback on my accent?
What is she talking about? What's the magic beans? What's the riddle?
I just stumbled upon [this video on Reddit](https://www.reddit.com/r/Unexpected/comments/1i2cq8z/womans_warnings_against_solotravel/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button) and couldn't make sense of what she's talking about. Video transcription: >\- I just went under a bridge and the troll stopped me and he didn’t stop anyone else. Of course he asked me do I have my magic beans with me. Of course it’s one f\*ing day I leave the house without magic beans. I say no, can I do a riddle instead? \- Yes. \- OK. I do the riddle. Can anybody clarify what the magic beans are and what's riddle she's talking about?
Am I understandable?
Hey fellas, My job requires me to interact with clients in the USA, and I want to make sure that they can understand me. I have received both positive and negative feedback regarding understandability. How can I improve my accent to get a neutral accent? Is it realistic for me (32 M) to aim for a standard North American accent? Please find the audio at [https://voca.ro/1c5lGHGHLT4M](https://voca.ro/1c5lGHGHLT4M) The audio sounds so different from how it sounds in my head. Additional notes: I am not musically trained and have difficulty understanding tonal variations in speech. In my first language, 1. /z/ is replaced by /s/ 2. /v/ sound is between the English /v/ and English /w/. There is no distinction between /v/ and /w/. 3. /th/ and /dh/ are not fricatives. I cannot get these phonemes correct, especially when they appear at the beginning of a word 4. /p/,/k/,/g/,/t/ ,/b/,/d/ don't have that plosive air release. 5. Vowels are so confusing that I don't know where to start. None of the English vowels are in my first language. I have a hard time distinguishing between various American English vowel sounds.
“It’s hard to make any best friends at work/on the job. Colleagues are just colleagues.” Does this sound natural?
https://www.reddit.com/r/EnglishLearning/comments/1hya2ap/its_hard_to_make_any_best_friends_at_workon_the/
An important PSA regarding improving your accent in your non-native langauge:
I see a lot of people here with unrealistic expectations of the kind of accent they will be able to develop in their non-native language. After puberty, the way we speak tends to settle, and though it may evolve as our environments change, it will most likely always be rooted in the environment in which we spent most of our adolescence. There are a few exceptions to this - very talented actors can often imitate accents so well that they fool natives, but this is a performance that requires intense concentration. (Check out American John Lithgow's uncanny performance of Winston Churchill's RP accent in The Crown!) To top it off, these are cases where the performer is simply changing the accent of their native language! I can not think of a single example of a person who speaks in a native-level accent of a language they began speaking as an adult. Face it: You will always have a foreign accent. And that's okay! Your foreign-ness is a gift, not a curse. As a Japanese learner myself, I spend hours imitating the Japanese cadence and pronunciation, and although I think I can do it quite well, I know I will never fool a Japanese person into thinking that I'm native. And I'm fine with that! There are millions of native Japanese speakers, but very few ethnically Pakeha dudes who can speak it - it's a positive point of difference! You should absolutely work on your accent in your non-native language. As you improve your accent, your clarity improves, as does your ability to instantly build a rapport with native speakers. By having excellent pronunciation, you put them at ease and you open countless doors to opportunities for positive experiences. You will never sound like a native. And that's okay! In fact it's a wonderful thing - it's a marker of your willingness to put in the hard work to learn a second language. Be proud of your foreign accent!