I noticed this problem while talking.When I tried to say something like pyramid,i have difficulties in pronouncing the words.And sometimes I cannot say the letter R and some words with that particular letter.I haven't have a problem like this before.I was very talkative when I was still in my home country.But since I moved here I had noticed that my communication skills just went low.Is learning or speaking new complicated language like Finnish can trigger this kind of disorder?I also noticed my English language skills,I speaked English fluently before,but now I dont know anymore.I s there anybody who is suffering the same delimma as I have?What can I do to cure my speech problems?
214442
Hi\n\nThe first thing I would recommend is you make an appointment with a qualified Speech Pathologist.   This is a person who specialises in how we make words, the specific muscles used as well as linquistic differences.\n\nThey will be able to assess your speech to determine if it is wholly connected with your movement to a new country or a loss of speaking ability.     \n\nIf it is connected to you hearing different accents causing muscle confusion then they will be able to provide techniques and advice on how to rectify and improve your speech.\n\nIf, on the other hand your ability to speak has decreased, then they possibly will be able to identify what, where, how much and possibly why.   They would then be able to advise you what you can do i.e. who else to see.\n\nPersonally, from what you have said, it sounds most likely you are suffering from confused accents syndrome.  I know when I travel I usually end up sounding more like a local and loose much of my 'own' accent.    Oh and I cannot emphasise a strong "r" in a word and pronounce some words in my own unique way and my main language is English.\n\nSo, see that speech pathologist and put your mind at rest.
149485
I had the same problem, with English being only my third language. The best advice I can give you, when you approach the phone, try thinking in English. For me at least, that shortens the response time, and I am more secure. \nSecond, imagine someone who knows the language even worse than you. I had plenty in my vicinity, you must have some in yours. Imagine them talking to you on the other end of the phone. You then understand every word they say, all you have to do is to listen carefully so as not to miss their words.\nThird, take your time when you are listening. There is no greater pressure than from your own self. Excuse yourself, ask to repeat, nothing will happen. Sometimes, very rarely, I still don't understand everything spoken on the phone, so what? \nFourth, take a deep breath. Keep track of your heart, It keeps racing - bring it down with deep breathing. That contributes to greater relaxation. And someone said it well, hypnotism. Self suggestions work wonders in such cases. Look, for example  for William Hewitt, Hypnosis for Beginners. He teaches how to hypnotize yourself. Another good book is by Charles E Cook and Van Vogt, The Hypnotism Handbook, I think. Try these, and they will bring long term success. Good Luck!
583574
There is much debate about this, but generally lanuage leraning can occur at any age, depending on learning style and motivation. Adults will com with prior experiences which may hinder or help, while children come in clean. As well, children''s brain learning language differently that the adult brain.\n\nHere is a good article written mainly for educators:\nhttp://www.language-learning-advisor.com/age-and-language-learning.html\n\nHere is an anecdotal, my father learned English when he was 25 and he speaks it perfectly now for the past 40 years. His German is rusty now.
99949
First, has a therapist ever talked with you about social anxiety or a social phobia? Also are you in a different culture than the one in which you grew up? \nfrom your post I noticed your language skills were indicative of english as a second language, are you socialising with ppl you CAN communicate with? \nIf all else fails, practice makes perfect... ask questions, "Jill, are you going to get your degree?" "Pat, how's Tommy" "Oh, I didn't know you were in the worship band" etc...
144663
Most accents are caused by only a few sounds within a language that are hard to hear or pronounce after years of speaking something else.\n\nFirst, listen to American English as much as you can...radio, tv, movies, etc.\n\nSecond, tape record yourself speaking. Listen to each word you say, and identify the sounds that are giving you trouble. Make a list.\n\nThird, find out the tongue and lip positions for each sound (these can be different between languages, even though the sound is named the same).  For example, make sure that when you say a word with "th" in it, you are very rudely sticking out your tongue from between your teeth, touching your top teeth lightly (that's one most of my students have trouble with, so we spend some time being awfully silly and sticking our tongues out at each other).\n\nFourth, pick sounds, one at a time, and make lists of words with those sounds. Practice saying the words in the new way, slowly at first, and then picking up speed. Then tape record yourself saying them and listen for correct production.\n\nIt takes time, but it can greatly reduce your accent.
664489
Some ppl just treasure the English language and find it so annoying that other ppl refuse to speak properly. It's like one of those things that just really gets to them and they can't help it.\n\nFor me, it can be a little confusing to try and understand what they r trying to say. But as long as they're understood i guess it doesn't really matter.
44724
While you’re problem could indeed many caused by any number of things\n\nsuch as allergy, etc, if you have what I suspect you have it is called\n\nGeographic Tongue (Benign Migratory Glossitis). Why do I suspect this\n\nand not something else? Simple, because I suffer from it too and I’ve\n\nalready educated myself about it extensively, so I know exactly what\n\nyou are going through. Fortunately though my condition didn’t manifest\n\nuntil I was in my early 40’s so I haven’t had to deal with it all my\n\nlife.\n\n\n\nGeographic Tongue is actually a dermatological condition of the mouth.\n\nIt is a benign condition where there is a map-like appearance to the\n\ntongue resulting from irregular denuded patches in the surface (loss\n\nof tongue papillae). In many people the malady is secondary to local\n\nirritation from hot or spicy foods, alcohol, or tobacco. In other\n\nwords, an existing or acquired sensitivity to certain stimuli caused\n\nthe irritation and in some people it continues off and on for life.\n\n\n\nPeople who suffer from this relatively unimportant problem sometimes\n\nreport patchy areas on their tongue that resembles something similar\n\nto a map of the continents – hence the name, Geographic Tongue. These\n\npatches can be raised a bit or they can be slick and shiny. In rare\n\ncases some people even report cracking, burning or bleeding and\n\nblister on the tongue that can be alarming but these symptoms tend to\n\ncome and go. Physicians normally suggest a person identify foods and\n\nactivities that seem to bring about the worst symptoms and simply\n\navoid them. It is safe to assume that alcohol and tobacco are\n\nirritants and they should be avoided as well.\n\n\n\nThere are no real complications from Geographic Tongue and in really\n\nbad cases doctors do treat it. They sometimes prescribe topical\n\ncortisone preparations, like desoximetasone.\n\n\n\nHere are some discussions with people who suffer and doctors who treat\n\nthe condition:\n\n\n\nMEDHELP\n\nhttp://www.medhelp.org/forums/dermatology/messages/31717.html
293135
I had stuttering and was 99 percent cured in 5 minutes when I was 20. \nI was put on a machine like a walkman that had earphones and (this is the magic bit) played static / white noise in my ears whenever I spoke. \nThis was a revelation for me. \nIt seems that stuttering is normally the fear of the sound of your own voice and, when you can not hear your own voice in a conversation, the brain reverts to so called normal operating parameters. \nTry to get one of these items. The one I tried had Russian writing on it. This was 20 years ago. \nA half decent electrican would be able to make one out of an unwanted Ipod or old walkie-talkie. Please tell me in the fullness of time if this approch to the problem works for your friend. Thanks.
572410
Actually that sounds like it could be aphasia (if you are able to prounounce sounds correctly).\n\nAphasia is a broad category of disorders, but one type is where your words come out all wrong and you get "toung tied".\n\nTreatment depends on what caused it. Sometimes people have had head injuries, and their treatment can differ than someone with out a brain injury.\n\n... so you might want to look into it more.\nHope this helps!
468164
Learning to speak and imitate all the sounds of the English language is actually a bigger challenge than you think.   It is quite normal for children on his age to have difficulty with some sound combinations and some letters- particularly those formed only with variations of tongue and teeth.  The letters l, y, d, t, qu, k and g are sometimes a challenge.  So in a way, he is correct, it is partially the fault of his teeth.  You can help him learn to pronounce the letters by actually thinking about how you form the sounds and trying to explain it to him- as to where to put his teeth and tongue.  Otherwise, just relax.  He will improve with practice and time.  Most of them do.  Just don't stress him over it, just repeat the word back as it should be said and let it go.\n  Incidently, the problem exists in all languages.  It's called toddler speak, and is usually understood best and only by native speakers.  It's the reason we understand little ones when they say things like "tookie" for cookie, "goggy" instead of doggy, and lellow instead of yellow.
530825
A mental problem? Not even close! You sound like you are simply preoccupied or experiencing anxiety about your next task or place to be . Try this, The next time you are walking to a class or any place you have to be,YOU start a very simple conversation with the person you are with. It could be the weather or a job , just small talk . Even plan out what you want to say before hand and just take one word or sentence at a time. Work on relaxing and no " tough" topics that can cause anxiety.\n\nSee if this helps and most important don't build this up to be "Oh no there is something wrong with me". because there is not .\n\nWe all have some funky thing about us that makes us unique. I have trouble putting sequences together sometimes. If somebody asks me about a movie that I saw I have a hard time explaining the movie because  I have trouble putting things in sequence and vocalizing them but then again I can play complex classical music on the guitar so maybe I'm autistic, who knows? But your OK . Just relax..
568689
The complex linguistic nature of language, especially english, being the most difficult language in the world to learn as a second language, makes it very difficult to create a program that determines whether a sentence makes sense, and given that a sentence can make sense to one person and not another makes it difficult to even define parameters within which the program would operate. I have made several mistakes in this answer alone, both grammatical and linguitically, but that is how I communicate, and the way that makes the most sense to me, despite the mistakes. Perhaps my individuality and uniqueness is expressed through my mistakes, and therefore to eliminate those mistakes would change my language tone and emphasis to becomeing more mainstream, all for the sake of being colloquially correct. I prefer to hang on to my unique mannerisms, precisely because they are warped and twisted. Thats me, expressing myself through the power of word and phrase, tone and emphasis.
220770
I can completely understand what you mean! I am an american and I have a gf who is dutch. I am trying to learn the language but sometimes when I am in her country and we are out and about it can feel quite lonely and you feel out of place because of it.  Its hard for me. I am trying to learn it so that I dont feel like this as much but it is hard. She has to order for me alot and I have to ask her what was said.  ANd there are times where i dont bother because I dont want to agrivate her and that makes me feel worse. Some times its just a no win situation. Shes worth it so I try my best and do what I can.
128349
my 5-year-old has this.  He is perfectly fine otherwise, no impairment in learning or hearing.  He was diagnosed at 26 months.  Everyone said he would "just start talking one day". Not true, he has been in intense speech therapy since he was 3-1/2 and is doing much better.  He is enrolled in preschool and loves it, will be in kindergarten next fall.  His speech pathologist is working with him out of a book on dyspraxia, which is very close to what he seems to have and he is doing better, but will probably need speech well into his grade-school years.  Dyspraxia is a neurological disorder that can be helped with proper help, it does not mean that your child has any other type of delay.  Make sure that your child does not get "labeled" as having some sort of learning disorder if that is not the case, it is very easy for them to place them in classes with children who need more special kind of help and that will not benefit your child.  Also make sure he gets proper speech development help, sounds like you are on the right track by seeing it so young!  Good luck to you.
281482
I am confused - do you mean your speech ? You could both take speech therapy for that . And if it is how the words come out wrong - like me - I sometimes speak rougher or louder than I should , people get confused or defensive at me , and I don't even know what I said wrong until it is too late . Now if this is what it is I can only say that it will take time to change it . Mine came after I think I was about 30 - my last child was born , and I started talking less , made shorter answers and bit my tongue , close the lips more often and use my ears now ! I still have problems relating to piers , family excetra . And I totally understand about the self esteem . I think you should try to have an hour every other day or so with your son and talk it through together - you might come up with some ways of fixing it together , your own class ! Maybe even put an ad in the paper to start a support group for just that , for parents and children to learn it together . I don't have exact answers - I am just trying to help . Good luck .
380543
I KNOW that you have a MN accent.  But I can't talk.  Mine is way worse than yours!
301137
English is not your first language. \n\nYou're pulling you tongue back in your mouth and your upper and lower teeth are touching when you say 'th'.  That's why it comes out as a 'c'.\n\nDon't do that, instead:  Practise blowing the word out of your mouth while your tongue remains between your teeth. Blow out, don't pull in.