Skip to 0 minutes and 17 seconds Hello, everyone. [INTERPOSING VOICES] Hello, I’m Laura Rupp. Welcome to the course English Pronunciation in a Global World here at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam in the Netherlands. English has become the major language for international communication. It is estimated that the ratio between native and non-native speakers is currently 1 to 4, and that no less than 80% of communication happens between non-native speakers. This situation has led to much diversity in English. In fact, some would even go as far to suggest that it’s no longer appropriate to speak of English in the singular but rather of English in the plural, so Englishes. Hi my name’s Jasmin Palmer, I’m from Yorkshire in England. My name is Benjamin Ado Baafi.
Skip to 1 minute and 5 seconds I was born in the Netherlands but raised in Ghana. I’m Yingying, I’m from China. Hi, my name’s Alex Ventimilla. I was born in Mexico. But I grew up in Nevada in the United States. Hi, I’m Marieke de Rooij, and I come from the Netherlands. Hello my name is Brenda Marini, I’m from Pisa in Italy. Hi, I’m Amrita. I’m originally from India. My name is Vinod Subramaniam. I’m originally from India, but have spent about 11 years in the U.S., many years in Germany, a couple of years in England, and the last 14 years in the Netherlands. And these are only A FEW examples.
Skip to 1 minute and 42 seconds A world where English is used as a lingua franca calls for a set of new and complex pronunciation skills. We have to decide what accent we want or may need to speak with, suited for different occasions. It is important to understand each other’s accents, but that doesn’t mean we should all adopt the standard accent. We should embrace variation. And we need to speak English and at the same time stay true to our native identity and culture. In this course, we will help you develop pronunciation skills that are both useful in international communication and appropriate for you at a professional and personal level.
Skip to 2 minutes and 18 seconds In the first week of the course, we will discuss what is important in English pronunciation in a global world. And you will formulate tailor-made goals for your own English pronunciation. In the next three weeks, we will address particular features of English pronunciation. How does it work when we pronounce certain sounds? What is the difference between saying “Tyoos-day” and “Toos-day”? By doing exercises, you apply what you’ve learned to your own English accent according to the goals that you’ve set for yourself in the first week. We’ll also explain how pronunciation features may vary between different English accents, which will enable you to understand the differences between your English accent and that of other speakers.
Skip to 2 minutes and 58 seconds Last but not least, we’ll reflect on the nature of different English accents. We’ll introduce you to other students in the course so that together, we can celebrate diversity. I’m your host and I look forward to guiding you through the course. We very much hope that you will enjoy it!
