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Out of curiosity, can you pronounce English words correctly (assuming you are Polish)?
I'm a first generation Canadian and have Polish roots. Both of my parents were born in Poland. I moved to Poland about 10 years ago and I do private English tutoring. So I'm a dual citizen. English is my first language and I'm also fluent in Polish. I sympathize with people learning English, because it's a difficult language to learn. But when I'm watching an English language broadcast of chess I don't want to listen to commentators butchering the language. That's not too much to ask for in my opinion.
Aug 9, 2022
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#24
Back when I was working at the Canadian Army's Tactics School, there was a terrible lightning storm in the middle of winter. Thunder and lightning, mixed with heavy snowfall and high winds.
My ceiling light was shorted out by a nearby lightning strike, and I had to walk down to the corner store (through knee-deep snow and howling winds) to try and buy a replacement light bulb.
The operator of the store was an old Chinese man, and he had an almost incomprehensible accent. One feature of his accent was his inability to make the 'L' sound.
After taking a brief look around his shop without success, I asked him if he had any light bulbs. He just gave me a puzzled look, and shrugged. I tried again. I raised my hand over my head and made a turning motion with my wrist, as if I was screwing a light bulb into its socket, and repeated "Light bulbs?".
His puzzled look was replaced by an expression of complete bafflement. He shook his head slowly... but it was obvious that he meant "I don't understand", not "No light bulbs here, shogun".
Then I had a flash of inspiration! Repeating the overhead light-bulb-screwing-motion, I asked "Rite burbs?".
Suddenly his face lit up, like a sunrise! He replied "Rite burbs? Fur da cirring?"
"Holy crap!", I thought... "I've broken the code!"
I answered "Yeah, man! Rite burbs fur da cirring!"
He said "No".
#27
Strange. Was not he Japanese?
The Chinese cannot pronounce the R and make it an L.
The Japanese cannot pronounce the L and make it an R.
The United States Army used this during the Second World War to distinguish friends (Chinese) from foes (Japanese) by making them say "Raratara".
Aug 9, 2022
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#26
tygxc wrote:
#27
Strange. Was not he Japanese?
The Chinese cannot pronounce the R and make it an L.
The Japanese cannot pronounce the L and make it an R.
The United States Army used this during the Second World War to distinguish friends (Chinese) from foes (Japanese) by making them say "Raratara".
Possibly. We didn't discuss either his ancestry or geopolitics.
We discussed rite burbs.
That's hilarious. We had a couple of Chinese restaurants where I grew up in Canada and what you are saying is very true.
Still, it's apples and oranges. Saying that sound for a native Chinese speaker is next to impossible. Especially if they an adult. But learning how to say "six" correctly can be accomplished by anybody. I've had well over a hundred students since I started my private tutoring business and every single one of them left me saying it correctly. There is no reason that anybody says "seeeks" instead of "six" other than incompetent teachers.
I just don't understand it with people like rich athletes, entertainers and even chess players. They can afford to hire the best teachers. And don't they hear how native speakers say words like live, hit, his, and him? I guess, like others have said, most people just don't think it's important. I vehemently disagree.
Anyway, thanks for letting me vent. This has been a pet peeve of mine for a long time and I was finally able to express my thoughts. I feel better now. 
tygxc wrote:
#27
Strange. Was not he Japanese?
The Chinese cannot pronounce the R and make it an L.
The Japanese cannot pronounce the L and make it an R.
The United States Army used this during the Second World War to distinguish friends (Chinese) from foes (Japanese) by making them say "Raratara".
I think you are right. Fried rice was flied lice.
Aug 9, 2022
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#29
Doesn't bother me a bit. I figure they're WAY better at English than I am at Spanish, Russian, German, insert other language here...
GregJP wrote:
ScroogeMcBird wrote:
GregJP wrote:
It's not so much the general accent, but the way non-native speakers throughout the world aren't taught how to say the "i" in words like six, big, with, his, city, etc.
When I teach my students that's one of the first things I stress. When people say "Warsaw ees a beeg seety" it drives me absolutely crazy. And when intelligent grandmasters speak that way I just find it too annoying to listen to. Even Svidler who has a great accent in English makes that mistake. Beeshop to b seeks. Aaaaarrrgghhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I have no idea why this bothers you, it doesn't matter one bit. But to each her own.
It bothers me because it sounds awful and is completely avoidable. Is it really that hard to say the word six correctly? Why do so many people completely butcher it. I understand how "i" is pronounced in most other languages, but it's different in English. Why don't teachers teach their students that? To me it's just unprofessional and results in intelligent people broadcasting to the world and saying "beeeeshop to b seeeeeks"
There's nothing avoidable about one's own accent. It seems like you'd be irritated by your own family. :/ Sad.
My parents are university professors and studied English in China, got their graduate degree in America, and have been here for almost thirty years and there are still many sounds they cannot pronounce correctly. (For example they say “ss” instead of “th”)
You would think that, by being a teacher, you would be able to do that. I guess they just can’t help it.
On the other hand, when I hear non native Chinese speakers say Chinese… let’s say I can understand your pain, but I think it’s a bit pointless to get upset over that.