Mike - The Sample

Mike   Sun Aug 14, 2005 1:59 pm GMT
Dear Antimooners,

I recorded a small sample of my speech (317 KB/ WMA). I'm from Russia. I study languages (English and German). I studied British English for 4-5 years. Now I'm in American :))) There are a lot of points to love it (my friends speak it, i'm planning to go to the USA, etc.) So, would you mind to listen to my sample, it's too important to me, tnx!!!

Here is a link http://www. sample9.narod.ru/Sample9.wma (I'm reading this text!)

Mike,

See ya!
Mike   Sun Aug 14, 2005 2:00 pm GMT
http://www.sample9.narod.ru/Sample.wma

Sorry!!!
Guest   Sun Aug 14, 2005 2:02 pm GMT
http://www.sample9.narod.ru/Sample9.wma

Sorry again!!!
Guest   Sun Aug 14, 2005 2:07 pm GMT
Something is wrong!

Try this: ftp://sample9:Q!w2@ftp.narod.ru/

sorry for the these probs!!!
Mike   Sun Aug 14, 2005 2:09 pm GMT
ftp://sample9:Q!w2@ftp.narod.ru/


SOORRRRYYY
Mike   Sun Aug 14, 2005 3:37 pm GMT
http://rapidshare.de/files/3974958/Sample9.wma.html - this one works
Mike   Mon Aug 15, 2005 7:29 am GMT
Please, comment on this tape! The link I gave you is working!
Guest   Tue Aug 16, 2005 4:59 pm GMT
Guys, please comment on this tape! I don't want to be a kind of nuisance, but it's very important! I want to know is my speech close to american accent, is my intonation and rhyme right? Someday I hope to get a perfect american, could you help me?

http://dl4.rapidshare.de/files/3974958/38105083/Sample9.wma
http://rapidshare.de/files/3974958/Sample9.wma.html

These two work

TNX in advance!
Mike   Tue Aug 16, 2005 5:01 pm GMT
Click this link http://rapidshare.de/files/3974958/Sample9.wma.html, the new page will be opened, choose FREE download and wait about 40 secs, and you'll get it!
Sander   Tue Aug 16, 2005 5:13 pm GMT
It sounds good,you do have a slavic accent though.But everything was clear and understandable.
Mike   Tue Aug 16, 2005 5:16 pm GMT
Tnx, Sander!!! I was waiting so long for an answer! So, you detected a Slavic, what does make it?
Mike   Tue Aug 16, 2005 5:17 pm GMT
is intonation and rhyme OK?
Mike   Tue Aug 16, 2005 10:26 pm GMT
Sorry, I just listened to your sample and suddenly I have to get back to work! But I noticed that the way you pronounce the "e" in "she" could be better -- try to say it as if you're saying the name of that well-known Russian cabbage soup (I don't know how to get cyrillic letters here). I'll try to listen again later.
Deborah   Thu Aug 18, 2005 7:01 am GMT
Sorry -- that was me posting above. Mike, generally your intonation and rhythm are good. The area that could use some work is some of the final letters of words. You can apply the advice I gave about the word "she" to these words: story, Perry, veterinary. There may be more -- just check for other words that end in "Y" (except any in which "Y" is part of a diphthong).

"Even so" -- your "so" wil sound more American if you remember to add the "u" sound after the "o".

"had a plate of porridge" -- don't let the final consonants in "had" and "plate" disappear.

Other than that, it sounds very good. It's clear and easy to understand.
Mike   Fri Aug 19, 2005 7:55 pm GMT
Thank you, Deborah!

I spoke pretty fast, and my final consonants in "had" and "plate" disappeared. The same with "so", i didn't add the u-sound!

"she", "perry", etc. Yeah, i noticed it too. Now I'm working on it!

Ok, let me ask you, Deborah, is my speech close to American (not counting the mistakes I did)?