My accent

HelloWorld   Tue Feb 03, 2009 10:58 pm GMT
A tropical cyclone is a storm system characterized by a low pressure center and numerous thunderstorms that produce strong winds and flooding rain. Tropical cyclones feed on heat released when moist air rises, resulting in condensation of water vapor contained in the moist air. They are fueled by a different heat mechanism than other cyclonic windstorms such as nor'easters, European windstorms, and polar lows, leading to their classification as "warm core" storm systems.

The term "tropical" refers to both the geographic origin of these systems, which form almost exclusively in tropical regions of the globe, and their formation in Maritime Tropical air masses. The term "cyclone" refers to such storms' cyclonic nature, with counterclockwise rotation in the Northern Hemisphere and clockwise rotation in the Southern Hemisphere. Depending on its location and strength, a tropical cyclone is referred to by many other names, such as hurricane, typhoon, tropical storm, cyclonic storm, tropical depression, and simply cyclone.

http://www.badongo.com/audio/13218166
Darren   Wed Feb 04, 2009 5:32 pm GMT
You sound pretty good. Although I detect a small trace of your native accent.
Just a liitle question: Are you from China or Japan or Korea?
Ray   Wed Feb 04, 2009 8:21 pm GMT
I came to the same conclusion as well. Japan is what came to me at first.
HelloWorld   Thu Feb 05, 2009 12:54 am GMT
Actually I am from China. Now the thing you guys have to guess is if I am a mando speaker or a canto speaker. And do you guys have advice on how I should improve? =]
Lezbo   Thu Feb 05, 2009 4:03 am GMT
Canto......

Do you do Python? (HelloWorld)
HelloWorld   Thu Feb 05, 2009 4:12 am GMT
lol no...any advice?
Darren   Thu Feb 05, 2009 1:29 pm GMT
And do you guys have advice on how I should improve? =]

Taking under consideration the way you sound now I guess you had to put a lot of work to reach it.

Accent trainer/speech therapy would be the best way to make it what you want to make it. But I guess your case is pretty much the same as mine: it's not even a remote opportunity.

My advice is to improve the pronunciation of the sounds (knowing how to put your tongue in your mouth and hearing these sounds) and then use these improved sounds in words. But beware. In my case (after over half a year of intense work) the result is .... (I can't describe it)
http://antimoon.com/forum/t12658.htm
But if you're young enough or talanted... maybe...

Start from this

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ipa

http://www.uiowa.edu/~acadtech/phonetics/english/frameset.html

I guess you gonna need to know a liitle about phonology of your native tongue.

And also some pronouncing dictionaries with transcriptions.
Acting with an accent by dr Stern is also useful to understand what the point of resonance is.
Darren   Thu Feb 05, 2009 3:44 pm GMT
One more thing. British English vowels are completely different than american though the tongue positions are similar. Don't mess up by learning british sounds (as i did) while you want to speak with american accent.
Damian in Edinburgh   Thu Feb 05, 2009 4:47 pm GMT
Correct English - scrap "than" and insert "from"! Now that IS British English! I strongly suspect it's also correct American English. ;-)
HelloWorld   Thu Feb 05, 2009 9:24 pm GMT
I am just wondering what i said wrong...
HelloWorld   Thu Feb 05, 2009 9:27 pm GMT
To Darren:
Thanks for the advice...you mean I had put a lot of work...or had to put a lot of work? =]
HelloWorld   Thu Feb 05, 2009 9:29 pm GMT
btw I am almost 17 now. I have been studying in U.S. for about 4-5 years.
lubiea   Thu Feb 05, 2009 9:58 pm GMT
HelloWorld..

You have a sexy boy for a 17 year old.
HelloWorld   Thu Feb 05, 2009 10:11 pm GMT
I have a sexy boy? lol...any mistakes you can point out?
HelloWorld   Sat Feb 07, 2009 9:38 pm GMT
no one helpes me T_T