I'm a Thai who's now working and studying in the US and supposedly to be here for at least two years. I thought I'd had a good enough English before I came; but I was dead wrong! Language problem makes the expected culture shock even worse.
Reading and writing isn't part of my problem, it's listening and speaking that does. Even here in Texas, I found Americans speak very fast that they become only half understandable to me. When I try to speak with the same speed as them (and to mimic the 'accent'), everything goes worse. All my confidence's gone to pot. FYI, I'm a naturally slow speaker, even in Thai, which is a relatively slow and soft language.
So what's your recommendation? Should I practice speaking faster or slow down to my normal pace (which sounds so accented in my opinion.)
Thanks a lot.
Reading and writing isn't part of my problem, it's listening and speaking that does. Even here in Texas, I found Americans speak very fast that they become only half understandable to me. When I try to speak with the same speed as them (and to mimic the 'accent'), everything goes worse. All my confidence's gone to pot. FYI, I'm a naturally slow speaker, even in Thai, which is a relatively slow and soft language.
So what's your recommendation? Should I practice speaking faster or slow down to my normal pace (which sounds so accented in my opinion.)
Thanks a lot.