Shadowing

Improve your pronunciation by “shadowing” others

Shadowing is not really different from the techniques you’ve used to learn your native language, although at the time you were probably not really aware you were using specific techniques.

Starting in your mother’s womb, you’ve learnt your native language by hearing, and later listening and mimicking others’ words and voices.

Shadowing follows the same process: it helps you listen carefully and imitate.

Step 1

Find a video clip or an audio document that you like. Make sure you understand it!

Step 2

Now that you understand it, put meaning aside for a while and concentrate on sounds, rhythm (speed, word stress, sentence stress) and melody (intonation).

Spot the pauses, the emphasis... Remember it’s not only about sounds.

Stress for example is very important in English (English is called a stressed-time language whereas French is syllable-time language; that’s one of the reasons why it is particularly challenging for French speakers to stress as strongly as English speakers).

Step 3

When you’re ready, start mimicking. Keep in mind you’re trying to sound exactly the same as the other person: same accent, tone, pace, intonation, speech inflections or pauses... Let your voice go up and down!

Tip number 1

Start with short sentences and pause your clip if needed.

When you start getting the knack of mimicking, repeat the sentences after the speaker and as soon as possible. You’ll be speaking almost at the same time as the speaker, a bit like a live interpreter, although you will not translate but repeat.

Tip number 2

Have a laugh!