FW: Audiotapes/CDs of various English accents

[Grant Barrett]

------ Forwarded Message
From: "Ruth W. Good" <rwgood at worldnet.att.net>
Date: Wed, 14 Aug 2002 10:10:28 -0700
Subject: Audiotapes/CDs of various English accents

Wednesday, August 14, 2002

Dear American Dialect Society

One of my colleagues at the National Kaohsiung First University of Science
and Technology asked me to look for some audiotapes or CDs (preferably the
latter) that had selections of text spoken in various accents.  She is
hoping to use them in her graduate level interpretation courses.  She feels
her students' listening comprehension is adequate for a general American
accent but not for various regional accents of the US or for other English
speaking areas.  She would also be interested in texts spoken in English by
non-native English speakers.

Can you recommend anything or a website I could check?

I have looked through the ADS's website at links, references, publications
and not found anything directly related.  One accent improvement advert is
included, but production or amelioration of an accent is not the goal in
this case; improved listening comprehension is.  I have gone through
Amazon.com fairly carefully.  Most of the material there is again for accent
improvement or for actors trying to develop accents.

I did find a downloadable version of 'Arthur the Rat' read in several
accents; unfortunately, it was several speakers saying only a line or two
before handing off to another dialect speaker.  I still need to pursue this
as there may be longer or additional excerpts out there.

If you know of any audio material that could be used for listening
comprehension and accent training I would appreciate hearing from you.  I
too will will continue the search.

Thank you for your help.

Sincerely.
R. L. Good
    rgood at ccms.nkfust.edu.tw
    rwgood at worldnet.att.net






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