My initial goal that I set when I started learning Japanese (March this year) was to reach fluency in the span of 1 year. With March 2023 getting closer and closer, I am now looking at polishing my Japanese to be able to speak without any big issues. As unrealistic as it may sound, I am already more or less comfortable with the language and am currently mostly able hold up a good conversation, informal or formal, with the language. There is one problem though – my pronounciation is holding me back from reaching my goal.
More specifically, fast pronunciation, or the ability to speak quickly and smoothly. In fact, my Japanese pronounciation is just fine when speaking slowly and carefully, and I have pretty much mastered pitch accents – but when trying to speak at a natural pace or in front of other people I usually screw up somewhere and can’t get my words across. I know what to say most of the time and my grammar and vocabulary knowledge is good enough (i can speak Japanese via texting pretty fine) but when I try to deliver my words via speech I just screw up. I need to find a good way to be able to speak swiftly without stumbling across my words all the time, to get my pronounciation up to level with my grammar and vocabulary. I am kinda desperate to complete my goal and need to master speaking as fast as possible so please give me some ways to practice and master pronounciation asap.
4 comments
Yeah, I don’t buy that for even a second. Especially the claim that you’ve ‘mastered pitch accent’ yet are having trouble with pronunciation (which I can’t help you with, since you haven’t specified *what* you’re having trouble with), something that suggests to me more than anything else that you are, in fact, not familiar with the language.
And on a throwaway account, no less.
Well, why not make a YouTube video of you speaking? It would make it easier for people to help you.
i mean it’s not possible to become fluent in every aspect of the language in 1 year so you’ll be better off not stressing out about it. there’s also no magical way of doing it; you just have to practice a lot, and a lot longer than just one year.
also, i don’t know you or your abilities obviously so i may be wrong, but you sound a bit conceited and your skills probably are not quite as good as you think they are, so setting some realistic goals and taking a long hard look at your actual skills might do you good.
a good place to start would be to hire a native tutor who can point out your mistakes and other places where you’re lacking to get a realistic look at where you are at the moment. speaking with a native will also help with your pronunciation.
Fluency in a year? You’re settling unrealistic goals. Study your ass off and hope to be close in 2 years. The more you learn the more you realize what you don’t know.