Pronounciation/Verbal Conversation Practice

[CajunCoder]

[I have recorded the contents of this post, which you can stream here: http://media.putfile.com/hatsuon-no-renshuu-no-sure]

最近、多くの人は発音についての質問があります。　それから、僕はあまり話す機会がないので、自分の発音迫ﾍにも気になりました。　だから、「発音の練習のスレ」を投稿しようと思いました。

では、練習のために、自己紹介しましょう。　僕は諸ｪ歳で、ルークと言います。　一年三ヶ月日本語を勉強してきましたが、まだまったく苦手です。 趣味はたくさんありますけど、日本語の勉強は一番興味があるのです。

じゃあ、間違いを指摘したり、自分の質問・コッメントを投稿してください。


(my overly literal) English Translation:

Lately, a lot of people have had questions about pronounciation. Also, as I rarely have the chance to speak [Japanese], I also became curious in my own "proununciation ability" (I doubt that is correct in English or Japanese, but... :p). Therefore, I thought I would make a pronounciation-practice-thread.

For practice, [lets/I'll] do a self introduction. I am 18, my name is Luke. I have studied Japanese for a year and three months, but I'm still utterly unskilled. I have many hobbies, but studying Japanese is the one in which I have the most interest.

/Overly Literal English Translation


PS. As you may be able to tell, I wrote this post up first, and then read it as I was recording. In reality, I wouldn't be able to organise my thoughts so quickly in Japanese, and there would probably be more stumbles, pauses, and 「っていうか」's. (Though, at least I wouldn't sound so much like I was reading a script.)

[CajunCoder]

Hmm... I thought this would turn into an interesting thread, but it seems noone cares much.

Just to clarify though, I was not asking everyone to respond with a recording of themselves - though if you wish to, by all means do so! Rather, I'm looking for constructive criticism/analysis of my pronunciation.

To analyse myself, I believe my pitch varied too much. I wonder if I sound too much as if I am trying to "mimic" how I hear native speakers, and that it doesn't sound natural. As I said, I'm not used to speaking, so it is hard to feel as if my pronunciation is "natural" in a language which I rarely get the chance to practice verbally.

[Mike Cash]

CajunCoder wrote:
Hmm... I thought this would turn into an interesting thread, but it seems noone cares much.

How suprised can you be that no one wants to be forced to click through 10 pages before they're allowed to access the file?

I think you did very well, considering the limitations your environment places on you. By way of comparison, listen to this guy, who had studied Japanese pretty seriously and who had been in Japan about a decade or so at the time he made the speech.

[paul_b]

Mike Cash wrote:
How suprised can you be that no one wants to be forced to click through 10 pages before they're allowed to access the file?

Status: Your are on page 1 of 10 before the download page. NEXT PAGE

Good gravy you're right.

May I recommend http://www.uploda.org/ for the original poster's needs in future.

[AJBryant]

By way of comparison, listen to this guy,

Holy CRAP, that's.... that's....

Wow. Just.... wow.


Tony

[richvh]

You know, you didn't have to actually download Cajun's file to listen to it, you could listen to it on page he linked to.

[paul_b]

Mike Cash wrote:
By way of comparison, listen to this guy, who had studied Japanese pretty seriously and who had been in Japan about a decade or so at the time he made the speech.

He sounds just like the Japanese people in anime who are pretending to be gaijin.

Seriously, i know my pronunciation is bad enough that I'm in no position to give advice* but "that guy" sucked.

* which is the problem really. I think pronunciation is one area where you really do need native speakers to check stuff.

[hungryhotei]

paul_b wrote:

Mike Cash wrote:
By way of comparison, listen to this guy, who had studied Japanese pretty seriously and who had been in Japan about a decade or so at the time he made the speech.

He sounds just like the Japanese people in anime who are pretending to be gaijin.

I never thought that anybody actually spoke like that. It looks like I was wrong.

[prep_girl_Nessa]

I think that's really good! I think you talk a little slow, especially since you have to script in front of you, but I could understand everything!

Uhm, can I upload one too? It's not really good, I didn't really know what to say... I sound like such an idiot X_X And I talk really fast... and I definately sound like a guy...

speakjapanese.wav

こんにちは皆さん!ヴァネサです!
大学の一年生です。専門は工学です。
先週はたくさん試験がありました。とても難しかったですが、落ちらないだと思います。今週は、眠るつもりです。
今日、UTABANの挿話を見ました。とっても面白かったです!だから、その後、もう一回、見ます!
皆さん、今日は何をしていますか。

[Mike Cash]

richvh wrote:
You know, you didn't have to actually download Cajun's file to listen to it, you could listen to it on page he linked to.

Except that for some reason playback in Firefox has developed a severe stammer on my computer and it is far easier to just download and listen.

[Mike Cash]

CajunCoder wrote:
Hmm... I thought this would turn into an interesting thread, but it seems noone cares much.

Not even you, judging by your further lack of participation in it.

[coco]

prep_girl_Nessa wrote:
こんにちは皆さん!ヴァネサです!

人名は、私たちには分かりにくいので、「ヴァネ(ッ)サ」の後に、すこしpause をおくと、もっと聞き取りやすくなると思います。

大学の一年生です。

ee-degaku に聞こえます。「い」をもう少し強く発音すると、通じると思います。「一年生です」はいい発音です。

専門は工学です。

ここもよくできています。「工学」の発音が非常にうまくできています。「工学」を発音するくらいの速度で発音すると、全体に聞きやすいと思います。

先週はたくさん試験がありました。

これもよくできています。「先週」と「は」の間をすこし離すともっといいと思います。

とても難しかったですが、

「難しかった」は発音しにくい言葉だと思います。

落ちらないだと思います。

発音はできていますが、「落ちないと思います」かな? 「と思います」は非常によい発音だと思います。

今週は、眠るつもりです。

ここもよくできています。「つ」のSが少しだけ強いかな?

今日、UTABANの挿話を見ました。

「う・た・ば・ん」をもうすこしゆっくり言うといいと思います。挿話の発音もうまくできていますが「挿話」という言葉をテレビ番組に対して使うことはあまりありません。

とっても面白かったです!

ここもよく発音できています。

だから、その後、もう一回、見ます!

ここもきれいに発音できていると思います。「その後」 は、「この後」。

皆さん、今日は何をしていますか。

「みなさん」は 「な」にアクセントをおくようにするといいと思います。
−−−
「たくさん」「うたばん」「だいがく」「せんもん」など四文字の音は、「こうがく」を発音したときのように、少しゆっくりと、そしてはっきりと、発音すると、もっとよくなると思いますよ。

[prep_girl_Nessa]

Cocoさん、

本当にありがとうございます!!!

I listened to it a few more times, and I'm definately working on it. Thank you so much for all the tips! It's incredibly helpful!!

I'm still having trouble pronouncing つ. I listened to a couple of random things and I notice that my pronunciation is off. I need to working on that. Any tips?

Again, thanks so much! You are so awesome for helping me!! ^_^

[coco]

いえいえ、どういたしまして。
http://www.coscom.co.jp/j-index.html
このサイトの、「きょうのフレーズ」を毎日発音すると、よく使う言葉が確実に発音できると思います。
http://www.coscom.co.jp/freelesson/qdlg/j-index.html
そして毎回、これを聞くと、耳が慣れてくると思います。

Clayさんが春にアップロードﾞしてくれた「Koi Nobori & Golden Week」は聞きましたか？
Yumiさんはプロですから、Yumiさんの話し方を真似すると非常にきれいな発音になると思います。(誰もがYumiさんほど、きれいに発音できるわけではありません)
関連スレッドはここ(←)にあります。

[CajunCoder]

VanessaさんとCocoさん、投稿ありがとう。とても面白くて、勉強になります。
でも、Vanessaさんは早く喋れますね！ 僕には、文を作ってる時そんな早く話す事は無理です。

Mike Cash wrote:

CajunCoder wrote:
Hmm... I thought this would turn into an interesting thread, but it seems noone cares much.

Not even you, judging by your further lack of participation in it.

You've quoted me twice there.　Honestly, I didn't like that sentence when I wrote it. I was not trying to imply "dont ignore me plz!11", but rather just explaining my reason for posting twice in my own thread. I will try to use more indirect wording next time.

The main reason I haven't posted recently is because I've been busy with finals and such.