On Learning English Pronunciation

I noticed many Korean friends studying English think pronunciation is their top priority. 

At first I didn't agree with them, and couldn't really understand that they wanted to change their pronuncitation. 

You don't have to sound like an American native to speak English. 

 

But I realized there was a problem that only now hit me hard. 

They can't use the words that they already know because natives don't understand their pronunciation.

 

That's why I checked out a few books to help friends learn it.
It's called "영어발음전문가 사비나의 신박한 특강: 한마디를 해도 원어민처럼 "(이사바나 지음) or "An English Pronunciation Expert Sabina's Groundbreaking Lessons: Speak Even a Word Like a Native" by Sabina Lee.

 

She received masters in English Education at San Jose State Univeristy and have taught many immigrants of various nationalities and Korean companies English speaking and pronunciations. 

The book was made from her hopes to help people joyfully learn English with confidence through her method, based on her professional experience and her own answers to the pronunciation-related concerns among Koreans. 

 

Many quotes from the introduction already caught my mind.. I could relate to it so closely.

 

- How Koreans get stressed out when asked "How are you?"
- How a native didn't understand pronunciation of "shampoo" when a Korean asked where it was.

- How it sometimes causes headache when Koreans listen to the English natives because of high frequency in English speaking. (Apparently English language is spoken with abdominal breathing while Korean is used with thoracic breathing. I think this may be why English speakers tend to sound louder sometimes). 

Korean has low frequency of 2000 Hz, while English 5000 Hz(left graph)

The book says that if you could pronounce words correctly, your accent is not a problem(p.24).

 

Here is the quote I like to end this post:
"English is an international language. Accent reveals your nationality and it's a good way to bring out your identity...

[In the U.S.,] in the country where diverse nationalities coexist, the accent that reveals your Korean identity is a cool factor"(p.24).

 

That's what I mean! I'm excited to read this book :)

영어는 국제적인 언어이고, 자신의 국적이 드러나는 accent는 자신의 정체성을 나타내는 좋은 방법이다. 영어 발음의 목적은 메세지의 정확한 전달이기 때문에 발음만 좋다면 accent는 문제가 되지 않는다... 다양한 민족들이 공존하는 국가[미국]에서 한국인으로서 내 정체성이 드러나는 accent는 멋진 요소다. 
- 이사바나