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Sound Flexibility
I was thinking about something today that I am going to call sound flexibility. I am sure there is another more technical term. If you know what it is, I am all ears (pun intended).
Sound flexibility is the ability to understand what someone says even though they don't pronounce words and phrases exactly as you anticipate. For example, I met someone last week at an event who had learned English by studying in various international schools throughout his life. Therefore, he had a noticeable accent. Despite this, all of us at the event had no trouble understanding him.
If English weren't my first language, I might have had a hard time comprehending that individual. I find, as many language learners do, that when I'm not very fluent in another language I struggle to understand people who have an idiolect (i.e., the speech habits peculiar to a particular person), accent, or dialect I am not accustomed to. This is because my sound recognition is not as "flexible" in languages I am learning as it is in English.
I personally develop sound flexibility first by getting used to how a small group of people speak. I start with any teachers or tutors I have, conversation practice partners, and/or people in the media such as singers I like. I try to only listen to people who come from the same region and have the same accent. Next, I branch out slowly by interacting with and listening to a wider variety of people, often from different countries. Over a number of years, I develop my ear and am able understand most people regardless of their accent, dialect, or idiolect.
Great article - I learnt a great deal and can better understand what I need to learn/practice
I like your term ‘sound flexibility’. Oral comprehension, at least in French, is my biggest challenge.
I watched an English TV show and had to really focus on understanding some accents. Native language English!!!