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From: Chris Croughton <chris@keristor.net>
Newsgroups: alt.languages.english
Subject: Re: NEWBIE - MOVIE
Date: Fri, 28 Jul 2006 21:10:21 +0100
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On Fri, 28 Jul 2006 16:17:03 GMT, Vanessa Berni
<v.berni@ui.prato.it> wrote:
> Hello!
> I'm trying to improve my english ... I listen to ESL Podcast and I can
> understand almost everything ...
>
> I've tried to watch some movies but the result was not so good!!!
> I've watched "Back to the Future I and II" and "Love Actually"... the
> problem are not the word ... I know almost all the words used but I just
> can't recognize them while the actors talk... they talk too quick!!!
> Can you suggest me movies easier to understand?!
Well, for a start they are American and not English (and I can't always
understand what they say in American movies, I'm English). Also movies
typically have a lot of other noise (background music, effects, etc.)
which makes it difficult. Also they tend to use colloquial language,
often not in complete sentences. Have you listened to the BBC World
Service and other news type broadcasts? They tend to be slower and less
colloquial.
It's a complaint of all learners that the native speakers are "too
fast". It's a true complaint, and the only way to learn it once you
have the vocabulary is practice, gradually speeding up and listening to
more variations of the language (dialects, speakers from other
countries, etc.). American (and Australian) can be considered almost a
dialect of English, there are so many differences in word usage,
pronunciation and even in grammar (and American and British English are
themselves very variable depending on region, a native of the Bronx and
one from the deep south are hardly talking the same language, the same
with a Geordie and a Scouse (north east England and Liverpool
respectively)).
I suspect that the movies for children may be the best for someone not
fluent in the language -- the Harry Potter ones, for example, especially
the first. Some of the earlier Disney cartoons (not the very early
ones, which were 'silent'!), things like Snow White and its successors.
Movies made for children do tend to use slightly simpler language and be
spoken slower.
I hope that helps...
Chris C
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