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Comment by omegant | Hacker News Reader

I am Spanish and my English is good but not perfect. Any way when I find myself talking English close to people who´s English is worst than mine, I change my pronunciation to one much less accurate (almost Spanish pronunciation of English words). I just don´t feel confortable pronouncing properly (well kind off properly) in that situation, I just hide my ability. (maybe to avoid the mythical Spanish envy?).

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It's also a lot easier to understand. I am constantly asking my German colleagues to pronounce that word 'as if they were imitating my accent', so I can get some idea of the spelling, and not just a smudge of weird consonants.

I cannot actually speak German, but isn't German relation of pronunciation to spelling much clearer than in English (for which it's notoriously intractable, see the famous "ghoti" joke)?

Yes, it's phairly phonetic, but there are a few different 'h', 'ch', and 'k' sounds that were initially completely undistinguishable to my ears.

Spanish here. I remember that back in high school or uni people would make fun of you if you tried to make your pronunciation sound a bit more English.

I think that's changing nowadays. People are more exposed to English via TV series and movies and stuff.

With regard to your point, whenever I'm London and find myself having a conversation with someone with a cockney accent. After a few minutes, I start to mimic their accent. I can't help it. I love the accent.

Aye! that bloody cockney...

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