I wish I had been born in the US (Jacksonville: movies, school)
MiamiMiami-Dade County
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
i seriously doubt anyone would mistake you for native if you truly came here as an adult. Studies have proven that one your brain is fully developed, you will always have a non native accent
OP- you're doing fine, and are better off for knowing both.
American schooling is flawed in that we don't teach other languages (high school languages really don't count) to our kids. You have a tremendous advantage over most Americans.
The accent? Nobody really cares. You're much better off with a Hispanic accent than a Southern one. That's the worst type of accent to have! Nothing sounds more uneducated than a Southern accent.
Keep your chin up, you'll be fine.
No need to hate on Southerners. There are many with Southern accents who are very well educated and speak grammatically perfect English. You have a bias against Southerners, it is your prejudice that makes the accent sound uneducated. ( Just to be clear yes there are uneducated with Southern accents, just as there are uneducated with Brooklyn, Boston, Chicago etc accents
I have a Southern accent in English. I am also fluent in Spanish, not a native speaker but I have a good accent, mix between Puerto Rican and Urugayan but I guess I dont know nothin' about no book learnin' just a ignerint hillbilly since I have a Southern accent in English ...
To the OP. You will be fine, you cant change where you were born. Being born outside the US has some advantages as well. Continue to learn English. I learn new Spanish words and sayings everyday. I worked with a lady from Colombia and in 2 years her English improved a lot in the time we worked together.
Miami you could live your life without speaking English. I know a lady who grew up in Miami went to college in Boston and she said she finds herself forgetting English because she doesnt have to use it at home or at work normally. She goes out of her way to speak English sometimes.
Total immersion is the best way to improve fluency for sure.
I was born in Colombia and came here at 22, knowing basically only a few words of English, like nothing. It took me many years to get to the level of English proficiency that I have now and is still not good enough. I feel like if I had been born here, I wouldn't have wasted all these years catching up with everyone else. I would have degrees and making much more money. I'm 30 and going to school and even now I feel uncertainty and not being good enough. What if I don't make it?
I have been practicing and studying English for years. I can speak decently now, but no matter how hard I work, I still make some mistakes from time to time. I feel as if I'm at a huge disadvantage against everyone else and although people understand me, I still have an accent. I still make mistakes. Native speakers, including women, do judge you and see you differently when English is your second language, no matter how well you speak it.
I see other latinos who were lucky to be born here and I wish that would have been me. They experienced the American high school system, and took advantage of all the great things being born here can offer you. I suppose the same applies to any country. Immigrants will always have it ten times harder than anyone else.
You may say, well, there are many adult immigrants who came here without knowing English and have had successful careers and lives. It may be true, for some, but not for the majority. The majority speaks broken English and work at low wage jobs. It will also not change the fact, that your English still sucks compared to everyone else and you have an accent.
I know you can have a decent life as an immigrant, but I guess I'm more concerned and sad with not being able to speak English like a native speaker. I hate the fact that no matter how much I practice and how many thousands of hours I invest in reading, speaking, taking accent reduction classes, buying English books and my English is still NOT good enough. I hate it and I want to sound like a native speaker, without making any single freaking mistake, and especially without having ANY accent.
I guess I can only dream. I know very well is never going to happen. I have met people who have been living here for decades, and even though they speak English with better fluency than I do, they still have an accent and make some mistakes. I speak Spanish perfectly, but I don't give a crap about it. I avoid speaking it unless is really necessary when someone doesn't speak any English. All hope is lost, such is life, ladies and gentlemen.
Your written English is impeccable and probably far better than those American-born people you strive to be like. I can sort of understand your pain. I, too am an immigrant. I was born in Ecuador and emigrated to the US, only much younger than you did, at 11. I'm afraid, in your case, it's usually more difficult to lose your accent than it would be for someone who came to the US at my age or younger. It isn't impossible, though and if you really apply yourself, you can do it! I must say, there's tons of Spanish speaking immigrants who speak with various levels of an accent regardless at what age they came to the US. The ones who come to the US as young adults don't even bother trying most of the time, some never properly learn English!.
When I was in High School, during my first few years here in the US, I was very insecure of sounding like an immigrant and speaking with ANY kind of foreign accent. Kids in High School are very judgmental and although many came from Hispanic households, they would regularly make fun of other kids who spoke with accents and were not U.S. born like them. I tried to avoid this at all costs and went out of my way to always sound as native as possible. I would perfect my reading, writing, and would watch TV ONLY in English and only English-language films. I would consider Univision and Telemundo the devil and would avoid them at all costs. I would also try to befriend only English-speaking kids in school and stay away from the Spanish-speaking ones. All of this effort seemed to work as I became fluent within a few years and today I speak English like a native. It also helps the fact that I always loved the English language and made a great effort to learn it upon stepping into US soil. The dedication that you and I have towards assimilating ourselves to our new country is unfortunately not shared by many of our fellow Latin Americans. As you may already know, there's tons of them who never learn to even speak the language or speak it with an atrocious accent most of the time. You see this with both young and old people.
I wouldn't beat myself up over not being born in the US ,though. I used to think just like you at 15, but now that I am 34, I could care less. I know my English is far better than many born in this country and plus I speak fluent Spanish and even conversational Portuguese (self taught). The fact that we speak a second language fluently which we learned from scratch and not from hearing it all our lives is impressive enough as it is.
Your written English is impeccable and probably far better than those American-born people you strive to be like. I can sort of understand your pain. I, too am an immigrant. I was born in Ecuador and emigrated to the US, only much younger than you did, at 11. I'm afraid, in your case, it's usually more difficult to lose your accent than it would be for someone who came to the US at my age or younger. It isn't impossible, though and if you really apply yourself, you can do it! I must say, there's tons of Spanish speaking immigrants who speak with various levels of an accent regardless at what age they came to the US. The ones who come to the US as young adults don't even bother trying most of the time, some never properly learn English!.
When I was in High School, during my first few years here in the US, I was very insecure of sounding like an immigrant and speaking with ANY kind of foreign accent. Kids in High School are very judgmental and although many came from Hispanic households, they would regularly make fun of other kids who spoke with accents and were not U.S. born like them. I tried to avoid this at all costs and went out of my way to always sound as native as possible. I would perfect my reading, writing, and would watch TV ONLY in English and only English-language films. I would consider Univision and Telemundo the devil and would avoid them at all costs. I would also try to befriend only English-speaking kids in school and stay away from the Spanish-speaking ones. All of this effort seemed to work as I became fluent within a few years and today I speak English like a native. It also helps the fact that I always loved the English language and made a great effort to learn it upon stepping into US soil. The dedication that you and I have towards assimilating ourselves to our new country is unfortunately not shared by many of our fellow Latin Americans. As you may already know, there's tons of them who never learn to even speak the language or speak it with an atrocious accent most of the time. You see this with both young and old people.
I wouldn't beat myself up over not being born in the US ,though. I used to think just like you at 15, but now that I am 34, I could care less. I know my English is far better than many born in this country and plus I speak fluent Spanish and even conversational Portuguese (self taught). The fact that we speak a second language fluently which we learned from scratch and not from hearing it all our lives is impressive enough as it is.
I used to work with a girl from Peru, her family ended up in Jacksonville when she was 15. So finding kids who spoke only English was much easier. She said like you she lost her accent by mimicking TV. She is 30 now and sounds like a native of the US, but it took work.
Another thing that the OP has going for you... He actually learned Spanish. There are many Hispanics who learn Spanish at home, and it is their first language but they are for all intents and purposes illiterate in Spanish. They can not write a formal business letter in Spanish and have not read literature in Spanish. I learned Spanish in high school and actually ended with a BA ins Spanish. I have come across numerous Spanish speakers who don't really know grammar etc. One of my professors in college shared an article with us in class, for the benefit of the non-native speakers and to give us encouragement..( I searched it but could not find it online.) It described how companies set up Latin American operations in Miami and there were cases where they lost business based on the poorly written letters to potential clients in Buenos Aires etc
As a native English speaker, born and raised in Ohio, let me assure you that your written English is beautiful. I have tried and tried to learn Spanish (starting in college) and I just can't get it. I lived in Buenos Aires for 18 months and every time I opened my mouth to speak Spanish, I was either laughed at (affectionately, I hope!) or asked to just speak in English. I have a lot of respect for anyone in your shoes. I will never be able to speak Spanish as well as you speak English and the courage it takes to immerse yourself in a foreign culture like you have done speaks so much more about the person you are than an accent or the occasional language slip up. Your accent does not indicate that you are less intelligent than someone who might speak perfect English... quite the contrary, in my opinion.
As a native English speaker, born and raised in Ohio, let me assure you that your written English is beautiful. I have tried and tried to learn Spanish (starting in college) and I just can't get it. I lived in Buenos Aires for 18 months and every time I opened my mouth to speak Spanish, I was either laughed at (affectionately, I hope!) or asked to just speak in English. I have a lot of respect for anyone in your shoes. I will never be able to speak Spanish as well as you speak English and the courage it takes to immerse yourself in a foreign culture like you have done speaks so much more about the person you are than an accent or the occasional language slip up. Your accent does not indicate that you are less intelligent than someone who might speak perfect English... quite the contrary, in my opinion.
I know a white American who has never left the United States, yet his Spanish is as good as my English. He is married to a Peruvian woman and they have kids together. I believe this played a huge role for him, but you also need to have the motivation that will push you to go beyond your limits and comfort zone. I'm pretty sure he has studied and practiced for years and years.
Most people underestimate the amount of work and time required to achieve a decent level of proficiency. They start out motivated, and eager to learn, but then along the way, they realize how much work it actually is, then they may become discouraged and disillusioned and end up giving up, especially since is not a primary concern, such as having a job, getting a college degree, forming a family, paying the bills, etc.
It is a lifelong desire or goal that you have, but if you don't achieve it, the world will not end, life will continue, you know. Procrastination is your biggest enemy. I know this because I have been trying to learn Italian for the past 2 years, and I'm still at the basic level. I study and practice for a few weeks and then get bored or discouraged by my slow progress.
I ask myself, why am I learning this language that is only used in 1 or 2 countries? lol
At times, I think to myself, it must be awesome to be able to speak french fluently, but I don't even want to bother because I know it will be very demanding and expensive in the long run. I know have the intelligence to learn French or Italian, but since I know how long it takes to learn a new language, is like, I don't want to go through that again, so to speak.
The OP is being hard on himself/herself. We all do this, and it's never going to help us unless it's some honest self-reflection ("Did I hurt that person's feelings?"). But accents? The US is a country where accents matter the least; so many of us here come from somewhere else. In France, where I studied for three years, I always felt my accent helped me -- and France is a country that supposedly hates an American accent in spoken French. The important thing is how well we speak and the efforts we make. A few mistakes are tolerable, and so is a foreign accent. So relax, OP! A Colombian accent is cool.
Another poster here put down the American southern accent. I have one of those too (I grew up in Georgia) and I live in New York City. Never had a problem -- most New Yorkers like southern accents. In fact, many Northerners think southern accents are charming. Any regional or international accent that comes with lots of poor grammar will be problematical. Otherwise, it's just an accent and it helps make you who you are.
Everyone has an accent in whatever language they speak in. An accent is fine, and not just fine, beautiful. Accents have life and character, and you shouldn't be ashamed to have one, even if it's thick. What's important is that people understand what you're saying, and you know how to talk proper when need be. (It's also okay to use slang and talk casual, the thing is to know to switch from the slang to formal English in professional situations.) Judging by how you type in English, I say "bravo," your English is perfect. Don't worry about an accent, really. You think Einstein's German accent made him sound less credible when he spoke English? Nein, mein freund!
Everyone has an accent in whatever language they speak in. An accent is fine, and not just fine, beautiful. Accents have life and character, and you shouldn't be ashamed to have one, even if it's thick. What's important is that people understand what you're saying, and you know how to talk proper when need be. (It's also okay to use slang and talk casual, the thing is to know to switch from the slang to formal English in professional situations.) Judging by how you type in English, I say "bravo," your English is perfect. Don't worry about an accent, really. You think Einstein's German accent made him sound less credible when he spoke English? Nein, mein freund!
Having a different accent is also a good way to meet people out at bars etc... " Where are you from?" " I love your accent" I know a girl from here in Florida who moved to Australia, her American and Southern accent got her lots of attention.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
