Speaking Standards: Is Perfect English Pronunciation an Attainable Goal? What is Perfect Pronunciation Anyway?

Airport English works for casual conversations.

“Life is a foreign language: all men mispronounce it.”

— Christopher Morley (1890-1957), American author and journalist

By Eric H. Roth

What qualifies as “perfect” English pronunciation? Is perfect pronunciation essential for having compelling conversations in English? How can English language learners struggling with pronunciation communicate effectively at their skill level?

Some English students make learning English even more difficult by expecting themselves to speak “perfectly”, with no accent just like “a real native English speaker.” In my opinion, achieving this noble goal is both very difficult – especially for adult learners – and often unwise. This English classroom question also seems so academic. How often do we find perfection in daily life?

Outside of the ESL classroom where do you find yourself speaking English? You may find speaking English yourself in an airport to a fellow traveler from another country.  One student from Greece, a businessman from Japan, and yourself. Together you speak airport English, focusing on meaning and purpose, rather than “perfect” English. The accents may differ. Some grammar errors may appear. And you still may have a very satisfying conversation and make new friends.

Airport English works just fine in many other social situations from shopping in a supermarket, ordering in a restaurant, and chatting with neighbors. Do you find many people speak perfect English? What does that phrase even mean? Does perfect English mean something different to your American neighbor?

Which standards are we using, anyway?

For starters, which pronunciation standards are we using, anyway? People across the United States – Boston, New York, Minnesota, Atlanta, and California – all have slightly different pronunciation patterns. When I walk down the Santa Monica Promenade or visit Venice Beach, I can hear an astonishing range of accents – and languages. (For a more global perspective, check out the outstanding website Sound Comparisons for English accents around the world.) So does anybody really speak without an accent? Consider me sceptical, deeply sceptical.

Accents can provide valuable information to sensitive ears on the speaker’s background and sometimes education. However, accents remain an unreliable indicator of language proficiency. Consider the many famous immigrants with strong native accents that have built lives and fantastic careers in the English-speaking world. Arnold Schwarzenegger, for example, speaks with an Austrian accent – and he’s been extraordinarily successful as a film star, Hollywood producer, and a popular political leader. (Schwarzenegger served two terms as California’s Governor.)

Remember: being understood matters most. Therefore, instead of perfect English pronunciation, I suggest focusing more on clear, natural speech. Whether at school or work, people want to hear you and will usually make reasonable efforts to understand your words and thoughts. Meaning matters most.

Practice makes progress

Yet sometimes weak English pronunciation also do reduce a listener’s ability to understand. In this case, practice makes progress, not perfect. Here are a few practical suggestions to improve your English pronunciation:

• Open the mouth a little wider to make vowel sounds.
• Speak more slowly.
• Practice saying the last sounds in words, such as lunch, gives, and locked.

Of course, you also want to understand other English speakers too. Sometimes outside noises make it difficult to hear; sometimes people speak faster than we would like, and sometimes we just get a bit confused. Whatever the reason, it’s important to let a speaker know when you feel confused.  There’s nothing wrong with asking someone to repeat a statement So, what can you do if you don’t understand someone else’s speech? Many native English speakers ask their conversation partners to clarify and repeat words or sentences. Don’t be shy; you too can ask someone to repeat a phrase whenever you do not understand something.

Try using these helpful phrases:

• Would you say that again, please?
• Could you repeat that?
• Please speak more slowly.
• Pardon me?
• Sorry, I didn’t hear you.
• I didn’t catch your meaning.
• Could you repeat that?
• I’m lost. What do you mean?
• I’m confused. What did you say?
• Could you clarify that?

Almost all American adults will politely respond, speak slower, and try to use simpler words so you can follow the conversation more easily.

Volume also matters.

Don’t let perfectionism silence you!

Ultimately, fluency is a better friend to conversation than accuracy. To quote a famous postmodern design principle, “form follows function” and language is, above all else, a form of expression. So, give yourself permission to speak more English – and don’t let perfectionism silence you! When your goal is clear, comprehensible speech, you open yourself up to a wider audience and pave the way for more compelling conversations.

What are your personal standards for own English pronunciation? What are your standards for others’ pronunciation? Which do you consider more important: being understood or being technically proficient? Share your thoughts in the comments!

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Eric

Eric H. Roth teaches international graduate students the pleasures and perils of academic writing and public speaking in English at the University of Southern California (USC). He also co-authors of the ELT fluency-focused Compelling Conversations series. Roth co-authored Compelling Conversations: Questions and Quotations on Timeless Topics in 2006 to help English language learners increase their English fluency. Recommended by English Teaching Professional magazine, the advanced ESL textbook has been used in over 50 countries in English classrooms and conversation clubs. Easy English Times, an adult literacy newspaper, published a monthly column, “Instant Conversation Activities,” based on the book for over a decade. The first specific version for a particular country, Vietnam, was published in 2011, followed by 2012's "Compelling American Conversations". A title for Japanese learners, "Compelling Conversations – Japan", was released in 2015, and a second edition of "Compelling Conversations – Vietnam" in 2016. "Creating Compelling Conversations: Reproducible Search and Share Activities for English Teachers" (2019) reflects his educational philosophy that students deserve a choice and a voice in their English classes. Eric enjoys sharing reflections, resources, and teaching tips on this blog. Many intelligent followers of many related hashtags - #ESL #EFL #ELF #CATESOL #TESOL #ELT - might find enjoy these posts.