English Language

Can Idiomatic Expressions Be Political?   “idiomatic expression – an expression whose meaning cannot be inferred from the meanings of the words that make it up” Idiomatic expressions are a type of informal English that have a different meaning from the literal definition of the words used in the phrase. For example: “Hold your tongue” should not be taken literally, but rather means to just “be quiet”. Idiomatic expressions are integrated into many parts of our lives. This 2016 American Presidential campaign is a perfect example of how important it is to understand idiomatic expressions, so that we can make the best decision come election day, with a full understanding of what the candidates are saying. I offer a list of common English expressions in my Slavic Accent Reduction Software Program, but for the reason noted above, I have now also compiled the following expressions directly from recent televised news coverage

What is the difference between American English and British English?   by Ela Britchkow, Speech-Language Pathologist, Accent Modification Specialist American pronunciation When people talk about “learning American pronunciation”, they mean learning General American or Standard American English pronunciation. General American is the accent that is most often spoken on national television in the United States. Educated Americans usually speak Standard American English and that is what you’ll hear 90% of what you’ll hear on American TV, radio, podcasts, movies, Web videos, etc. There are differences in regional accents, but in general, differences between American regional accents are small compared with the regional differences within Britain. General American pronunciation is rhotic /’roʊtɪk/, which means that the letter R is always pronounced. British pronunciation When people talk about learning British pronunciation, they usually think of Received Pronunciation (RP). RP is the pronunciation of the British upper class – people who went to universities like Oxford and Cambridge. Only about 5% of Britons

What are the benefits of reducing my accent? by Ela Britchkow, speech-language pathologist Many careers require a person to communicate with others, either as a manager in a one-to-one situation or as a speaker in front of a group. Being able to communicate effectively is a required skill for these jobs, and part of being effective is being understood. You can have an accent, but you have to be understood easily. You will avoid the unfortunate stereotypes which often accompany those who aren’t native English speakers. Critics may label someone with a strong accent as an outsider or less intelligent even if the assumption isn’t true. Being stereotyped can prevent the person from getting hired for certain jobs. While this may not be an accurate assessment of the person’s capabilities, it is what others perceive and it can limit your opportunities. You will Improve your American English Pronunciation Your Communication