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The Hawaiian language is an Austronesian (or Polynesian) language that is the ancestral tongue of the Hawaiian Islands, which lie in the Pacific Ocean. The Hawaiian language is the official language of the State of Hawaii. It is an endangered language, meaning that it is no longer spoken officially on any of the populated Hawaiian Islands. The native language was supplanted by English many years ago. There is one Hawaiian Island, Ni’ihau, where the Hawaiian language is still predominantly spoken. This island is privately owned, and tourism there is rejected in favor of a traditional way of life for its inhabitants. Read full article »

Listen and Learn: The Different Intonation of the Noun and the Verb

Intonation, the “music” of a language, is perhaps the most important element of a correct accent. Many people think that pronunciation is what makes up an accent. It may be that pronunciation is very important for an understandable accent. But it is intonation that gives the final touch that makes an accent correct or native. Often we hear someone speaking with perfect grammar, and perfect formation of the sounds of English but with a little something that gives her away as not being a native speaker. Read full article »

Listen and Learn: The Intonation of Two-Word Expressions

Many people think that pronunciation is what makes up an accent. It may be that pronunciation is very important for an understandable accent. But it is intonation that gives the final touch that makes an accent correct or native.

Intonation is the “music” of a language, and is perhaps the most important element of a correct accent. Often we hear someone speaking with perfect grammar, and perfect formation of the sounds of English but with a little something that gives her away as not being a native speaker. Read full article »

Listen and Learn: Nouns and Adjectives one way; Verbs another

Chinese has “tones” but all languages have their own special intonation. The “music” of a language is its intonation and it is perhaps the most important element of a correct accent.

A “ggod” accent is not only a question of good pronunciation. Many people think that pronunciation is what makes up an accent. It may be that pronunciation is very important for an understandable accent. Read full article »

The “explosive consonants”

Earlier we said that the vowels are an important factor in hearing a “foreign” accent. But it is not only the vowels. The consonants also must be mastered.

When we say that English consonants are “explosives”, we mean that they are pronounced with a sudden release of air. It is this characteristic that marks the accent of an English speaker when they try to speak your language. You should try to speak like an American and you will be reaching for the American English way of pronouncing the consonant. Read full article »

The voiced and unvoiced consonants

In this section we will try to clarify the difference between the voiced consonants and the unvoiced consonants.

If you want to master English pronunciation you have to able to distinguish between these two types of consonants. This is necessary for you to learn the proper pronunciation when you learn new vocabulary. And more importantly you need to know the difference between voiced and unvoiced consonants to be able to pronounce the words of English correctly. What makes one consonant be voiced and another not? Read full article »

America is a melting pot. That is what they say. New York City is certainly proof of that especially Queens NY. We have Greeks, Peruvians, Italians, Korean, Spanish and Indians. We in fact have people from over 120 countries, many recent arrivals. And together we all must work, play and get along. Certainly it can get confusing. Miscommunications and misunderstandings abound. It is a challenge pretty unique to American life. Many immigrants are speaking English, it is just there own version of English with there own accents and speech patterns. Read full article »

Are you looking to teach an online course for the first time? Or have you already taught online but are looking for some tips to help you become more effective?

The world of online learning is expanding at a rapid pace.

More courses are being offered and more students are enrolling every semester. And while teaching an online course can be done while sitting at your computer in your pajamas, being an effective online instructor requires a good deal of practice and preparation. Read full article »

No more than a few years ago, college planning started in 12th grade where it was the first time students learned about the SAT tests and build their list of colleges. Times have change with many students currently beginning their planning as early as 9th grade. While some may argue that beginning the college process this early is ridiculous, the truth is that it’s quite necessary. Keep in mind that asking young students in 9th grade what colleges they are applying to does not define good college preparation; however, asking them if they would like to keep the educational doors open after high school is a conversation that must happen early on. Read full article »

Public speaking is an important course though most might think they do not need one. The skills you acquire in public speaking are certainly helpful in your everyday work routine, interacting with people and practically in your social life.

In studying public speaking, you would learn to say what you mean, develop self-confidence, learn more about yourself and how to relate with others and of course enjoy the freedom of speech. Read full article »