Tonal Mimicry Exercise
Below there are some phrases spoken in different languages for you to practice mimicking. For each recording, you need to repeat the phrase between each repetition.
- To get used to the sounds, first just listen close without trying to mimic.
- Then play the recording again, focusing on mimicking just the intonation during the silences.
As funny as this activity may seem to you, it goes a very long way in developing your mimicry and fluency in a new language.
Eventually, your brain will automatically process and speak foreign sentences with your new intonation. It’s just a matter of practice and muscle memory.
Whatever your target language, build a habit of mimicking people’s intonation. It doesn’t matter if you don’t know the words or if you can’t even make out the phonemes. Just focus on mimicking that melody and it will get you into the spirit of your target language.
That’s it for today. Stay tuned for tomorrow’s lesson!
